RAM Question (RDRAM)

[Hendrix]

So I am currently into upgrading my computer so it gets better performance. I want to upgrade from my lowly 256mb of ram to 512, or a gig. When investigating the issue i found out that my computer uses RDRAM which seems to be WAAAY more expensive then SDRAM. I would have to pay about 400$-300$ for RDRAM when the SDRAM would be around 70 or 80 bucks, much more reasonable.

My question is as follows.....Do i have to use RDRAM, or can i switch it all out for SDRAM? I know nothing about this stuff so bare with me. Would that totally fuck my PC up, do i HAVE TO use the RDRAM? Basically I wanna know how I can make it possible to upgrade using SDRAM so as to not have to pay ridiculous prices.
Even on the DELL site when i say upgrade memory they only try to sell me the uber expensive RDRAM.


MY computer is a dell dimension 8200 running windows XP with the following specs:
Microprocessor

Microprocessor type
Intel® Pentium® 4 microprocessor

1.50, 1.60, 1.80, 1.90, 2.00, 2.20, or 2.40 GHz (400 MHz); or

2.26, 2.40, 2.53, 2.66, or 2.80 GHz (533 MHz)

L1 cache
8 KB first-level

L2 cache
256-KB or 512-KB (displayed in the system setup program) pipelined-burst, eight-way set associative, write-back SRAM



System Information

System chip set
Intel 850 or 850E

DMA channels
eight

Interrupt levels
15

System BIOS chip
4 Mb (512 KB)

System clock
400- or 533- MHz data rate



Expansion Bus

Bus types
PCI and AGP

Bus speed
PCI: 33 MHz; AGP: 66 MHz

AGP connector
one

AGP connector size
172 pins

AGP connector data width (maximum)
32 bits

AGP bus protocols
4x/2x modes at 1.5 V

PCI connectors
four

PCI connector size
120 pins

PCI connector data width
(maximum)
32 bits



Memory

Architecture
RDRAM

Memory connectors
four

Memory capacities
64-, 128-, 256-, and 512-MB non-ECC RDRAM

Minimum memory
128 MB

Maximum memory
2 GB with Microsoft® Windows® 2000 and Windows XP; 512 MB with Windows Millennium Edition (Me)

Memory type
PC800 (non-ECC)

Memory speed
40 ns or faster

BIOS address
F8000h



Drives

Externally accessible
two 5.25-inch bays
two 3.5-inch bays

Internally accessible
two bays for 1-inch–high IDE hard drives

Available devices
ATA-66 or ATA-100 Ultra DMA hard drive, CD drive, Zip drive, DVD drive, and CD-RW drive



Ports and Connectors

Externally accessible:

Serial
9-pin connector; 16550C-compatible

Parallel
25-hole connector (bidirectional)

Video
15-hole connector

Keyboard
6-pin mini-DIN connector or USB connector

Mouse
6-pin mini-DIN connector or USB connector

USB
two front-panel and two back-panel USB–compliant connectors

Headphone
front-panel miniature jack

Audio1
three miniature jacks for line-in, line-out, and microphone

Internally accessible:

Primary IDE channel
40-pin connector on PCI local bus

Secondary IDE channel
40-pin connector on PCI local bus

Floppy drive
34-pin connector

1 Present only on computers with integrated audio capabilities.



Audio2

Audio controller
Analog Devices AD1885 AC97 Codec

2 Present only on computers with integrated audio capabilities.



Video

Video controller
AGP 4X









ANY help is appreciated, thanks in advance.

[SOAPboy]

Your stuck with it..

GG dell and GG buying a machine with RDRAM

[Freakaloin]

isn't rdram moron ram?

[Freakaloin]

isn't rdram moron ram?

[Grudge]

RDRAM had it's moment of glory back in the early days of the P4, before they started suing everyone and everyone switched to DDR SDRAM. If I'm not mistaken it hasn't been produced for the last 3 or 4 years, that's why it's so expensive.

So, you're basically stuck with RDRAM unless you get another motherboard (if there are any that will take your processor and SDRAM).

[SplishSplash]

hello RDRAM buddy. No, there's no hope for you.

[PieceMaker]

{ Ditto! }

ram question II (RDRAM) ---topic I basically asked the same thing.

*sigh* Kicks self for buying a Dell and being lazy at the time. :icon33:

[shadd_]

yeah rambus shot themselves right in the fucking head.

they are still developing xdr ram, super fast, but if they have not changed their business model it'll flop as well.

[YourGrandpa]

I say scrap the whole thing for parts.

Keep the H/Ds, CD/DVD Drives, PSU and Case. Then get a new CPU, Mobo, RAM and Graphics Card.

Best Idea yet.... :icon31:

[Duhard]

isn't rdram moron ram?

bingo..

[Grudge]

In other news:

Rambus signs technology deal with AMD

[Guest]

Here is a helpfull tool for you http://www.crucial.com/
Forgot to mention, they will scan your PC and tell you all about it. read the report on the left column http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/

[SplEEb]

I say scrap the whole thing for parts.

Keep the H/Ds, CD/DVD Drives, PSU and Case. Then get a new CPU, Mobo, RAM and Graphics Card.

Best Idea yet.... :icon31:

Except I doubt the dell case is a standard case, a new mobo may
not mount up right without some rigging. But I don't know this for sure but would something worth investigating if going with Gramps
idea.

[primaltheory]

a new case can be like, 40 dollars for a mediocre looking one with no power supply

[AmIdYfReAk]

50cdn will get you a case, pick a color, and a orion silent 400watt psu here.

btw, Pm, i owned that thread

[PieceMaker]

50cdn will get you a case, pick a color, and a orion silent 400watt psu here.

btw, Pm, i owned that thread

No DOUBT!!!!!

You and Kills On Site gave me some excellent suggestions.

I just haven't had the extra $ to go about the simple upgrading and
getting away from the rdram+Dell

But who knows comes tax time. Thanks again for those suggestions though.!!!!