What's the maximum RAM I can put in my X31?

[ParatoOptimal]

What's the maximum RAM I can put in my X31?
Online manuals say 2x1GB but I'm hoping 2x2GB.

Can I mix capacities such as 1x1GB and 1x512MB?

Which RAM slot is Slot1, the one towards the back, nearer the battery or the one towards the front?

I currently have one stick of
NT256D64SH8BAGM-75B
256MB DDR-266MHz-CL2.5
PC2100S-25330

Is there "better," later RAM now available that I should get instead of PC2100?
I saw in an online manual of sorts that it can take PC2700.
Can it take later, faster, better RAm that became available later?

Where can I find the FULL model/version number?

I just purchased this used. I'd appreciate any advice/insights.
It came without a HDD or recovery discs.
I purchased a 160GB Samsung HDD.
I purchased an original power adapter on ebay.
I purchased an Asus external USB DVDRW.
I'm thinking of installing Win7 and Ubuntu.

Thanks

[sjthinkpader]

You can out 2 sticks of 1GB in a X31. Either PC2100 or PC2700 should work. What ever RAM you put in the machine, it would only run at PC2100 speed. The Type and Model numbers are on the barcode label.

[automobus]

Mixing module capacities should be no problem at all.

Just a warning regarding Ubuntu: there is a well known bug with Radeon 7000 (anything with the R100 core). The best acceleration to use is "XAA", but that is old and abandoned. "EXA" acceleration is too much for the old graphics chip, so most people just disable render acceleration completely. Using XAA in modern releases leads to garbled display of many common applications. The problem is so common, just see how many duplicates it has in Ubuntu Launchpad. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... bug/426582 Though marked as "fixed", the fix was only to mention "expect poor performance" in the release notes, leaving any action up to the user. Again, you can choose to use EXA, or disable acceleration completely (I recommend disabling).

revised on 2010-11-01
Windows Vista has stable drivers for old Radeons, but not Windows 7 (as far as I now know). Several old graphics drivers were not brought along to Windows 7, including ATi Radeon 7000 generation, nVIDIA GeForce 5000 generation, and Intel 855 (not sure, but maybe all 800 chipsets). I myself ran Vista with a chip from each of those three series.

[ParatoOptimal]

I know the official manual states 2x1GB.
Many old laptops that took 2x1GB because 1GB was the most RAM you could get on one stick.
Many old laptops that took 2x1GB can now handle 2x2GB as long as all the pins were soldered on the controller.
I'm wondering if the X31 can use 2x2G?
Thanks

[dr_st]

I am not aware of any 2G DDR1 laptop sticks existing.

[ParatoOptimal]

SUNTANG TECHNOLOGY LTD
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/32192 ... _DDR1.html

Maybe
Shine Star Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/31947 ... sdram.html

maybe
Hongkong Haokey Tech Co., Ltd.
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/28398 ... _ddr1.html

[ParatoOptimal]

Is this what I need?
DDR PC2100 200PIN SODIMM

What's a good price?
I found it at Microcenter for $50 and on ebay for between $29 and $60 or $70 including shipping.

[jronald]

Unless you are in a hurry, I have done it from Geeks for $35.00 shipped.
http://www.geeks.com/products_sc.asp?cat=722
Keep in mind, for normal usage 1.25 to 1.5 gig is the sweet spot for the T30 and the X31 running XP.

Ron

[jronald]

If this picture is correct
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/32192 ... image.html
Then the heading is wrong
http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-KVR333X6 ... B00007KJRX

Ron

[jronald]

Bad Engrish translation
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/31947 ... sdram.html
Should say
laptop notebook ram ddr1 OR ddr2

Same on the last one, down at the bottom it mentions DDr1, DDR2 and DDR3
2 and 3 are common in 2 gig and up.

Ron

[ParatoOptimal]

Thanks
Geeks has it at $41.50 now.
"Buy It Now" prices on ebay are at $33 including shipping.

Unless you are in a hurry, I have done it from Geeks for $35.00 shipped.
http://www.geeks.com/products_sc.asp?cat=722
Keep in mind, for normal usage 1.25 to 1.5 gig is the sweet spot for the T30 and the X31 running XP.

Ron

[ParatoOptimal]

Thanks, I thought that may be the case.

Bad Engrish translation
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/31947 ... sdram.html
Should say
laptop notebook ram ddr1 OR ddr2

Same on the last one, down at the bottom it mentions DDr1, DDR2 and DDR3
2 and 3 are common in 2 gig and up.

Ron

[ParatoOptimal]

I bought this without a HDD.
So, I don't have any of the IBM restore partition goodness.
It does have a CDA for XP.
Does that mean MS will send me XP discs with the IBM goodness built-in?
Or is there a file/tool/utility I can DL from Lenovo to get the IBM groove.

Aside from that, I have XP-Pro and Win7 discs.
I've read that W7 runs a little better on the X31 than XP.
I know there are issues with video drivers and not being able to use Aero.
So, I was thinking of putting W7 on my X31 baby.

[ParatoOptimal]

Thanks automobus, dr_st and jronald for all your help.

[ParatoOptimal]

I suppose I should get two sticks of the same brand?

I found one stick of used Patriot and a used Samsung stick.

I found 10 new sticks of A-Brand.

[dr_st]

My experience shows that it's not mandatory to have two sticks of the same brand. I have mixed sticks in most my laptops, and never ran into problems. As long as the sticks have the same parameters (speed/latency), you should be fine.

However, I strongly advise to go with known brands, and not no-names, like "A-brand" or whatever. Partiot, Samsung, Kingston, Twinmos, Crucial - all these should be fine.

[jronald]

If you go with a no-name brand, go with the higher speed PC2700 or PC3200. The X31 will run it at a lower speed and you should be fine. The only speed I have ever had issues with is PC2100, and if memory serves it was name brand stuff!
Best buy I ever got was 12 sticks of 256mb for $10.00 shipped.

Ron

[sjthinkpader]

For no name RAM or any RAM for that matter, I would run MEMTEST86 before installing OS. I had a Corsair stick failed during a WinXP SP3 update and ruined the image.

Names such as Patriot, Corsair, Kingston, PNY etc are module assemblers vs chip manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, Micron/Crucial, Nanya, Elpida. Module assemblers do a "boot" test and call it good. Competitive cost (or profit) pressure really bar more comprehensive test at the module level.

Chip manufacturers would do more comprehensive (expensive) tests. So if the module carries chip that has unrecognizable marking, run MEMTEST86 5-10 passes would be safer.

[ParatoOptimal]

I found some used by Transcend.
Transcend is owned by Samsung.
Is it up to par?
Thanks

[dr_st]

Should be OK.

Whatever you buy on eBay, make sure the seller agrees to return&refund if it doesn't work in your laptop for any reason. I've encountered some sellers that were finicky with refunds claiming that the RAM is not "faulty", but merely "incompatible".

[sjthinkpader]

...
Transcend is owned by Samsung.
...

How did you conclude that?
http://www.transcendusa.com/About/Profi ... Func3No=13

[ParatoOptimal]

A friend told me that. I've asked him where he got that.

How did you conclude that?
http://www.transcendusa.com/About/Profi ... Func3No=13[/quote]

[ParatoOptimal]

Really? The X31 wont bock at PC3200 RAM?
WOW!

If you go with a no-name brand, go with the higher speed PC2700 or PC3200. The X31 will run it at a lower speed and you should be fine. The only speed I have ever had issues with is PC2100, and if memory serves it was name brand stuff!
Best buy I ever got was 12 sticks of 256mb for $10.00 shipped.

Ron

[sjthinkpader]

The X31 will not run at PC3200, it runs at PC2100. The RAM doesn't generate clock, it takes the PC2100 clock from the system. The RAM rating is just what the manufacturer tested them at or what the RAM is capable of.

[jdrou]

The X31 will not run at PC3200, it runs at PC2100. The RAM doesn't generate clock, it takes the PC2100 clock from the system. The RAM rating is just what the manufacturer tested them at or what the RAM is capable of.

Yes, I've been testing a lot of higher-speed modules in various laptops lately. The X31 always runs the memory at 133MHz with 2.5-3-3-6 timings even if the module SPD reports it can do better. I have a couple of Dell's that also use DDR and they will run the memory at faster timings if the module supports it. I think pretty much all laptops will only run memory at a single clock speed (aside from the latest Precision models which seem to support multiple speeds of DDR3).

[sjthinkpader]

Some chipsets will run at slower speed by reading the SODIMM SPD then slow down the clock to match the RAM. So slower is possible but not faster.

[jdrou]

Actually I have to retract my statement; I have some Patriot PC2700 memory that runs at timings 2-2-2-5 on the X31 (still only 133MHz though).

EDIT: Almost impossible to find CAS 2 DDR laptop memory now apparently. Got that Patriot kit a few years ago at Newegg.

[ParatoOptimal]

Please post if you see a good deal on any RAM that will suit my X31.
Thanks

[jdrou]

Probably any major brand and speed will be fine since it will all run at PC2100 speed. I've had good results from G.Skill and Patriot brands from Newegg in the past. Lot's of 1GB sticks available around $40. (If I could find CAS 2 memory anywhere I'd recommend that after picking up another pair for myself.)

[sjthinkpader]

That is not necessarily true in all cases. Faster RAM may not have enough input Setup and Hold time.

Insufficient Setup time is when the faster RAM expect a signal sooner than slow system may give it. Insufficient Hold time is when a fast RAM may take away the output signal before the slower system got it.

While clock rate changes, the signal transition (tT) time of the RAM doesn't change.