DELL MINI 9 4gb RAM possible?

hey guys, the question is already stated. Is it possible to install a 4gb module into the mini, i already know only 64 bit xp can recognize the total 4 gb but is it possible to just install a 4 gb stick and xp will only recognize 3 gb? those mini 9 owners or any1 knowledgeable in this would greatly help, thanx

edit*

also how about the bus speed, is it okay to use a 667 bus over the 533 and will the system recognize it if i use the 667 over the 533, i find the ram sticks are cheaper for the 667, thanks again!

 

Mini 9 only supports 2GB of RAM and the slot will not accept more than 2GB.

And according to Dell..."Up to 1GB2 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM"...not sure why they say it only supports 1GB of RAM =/

 

Well I know that it will underclock the RAM just fine if the RAM you are putting in is faster than the I9 can handle...

But as for the 4 GB module, I HIGHLY doubt that the RAM slots support more than 2 GB modules in each...

 

thats what i was thinking too but i was being hopeful, haha. hmm i guess i will get a 2 gb stick, there wouldnt be any performance drop if i went with higher frequency would there?

 

compared to the proper frequency? No... there won't be a performance drop...

But if you are looking at buying it would just be a waste of $ to buy something higher, but to each their own.

 

its not that i want it higher frequency. i checked on newegg for prices and the higher frequency actually came out cheaper than the 533. if u look for 2 gb sticks there are only 4 whereas there are a lot for the 667. its probably due to the lack of demand for the 533 that kept its price at that point.

 

The cool think is that if you buy the faster speed but run it at 533, the stick will usually default to a lower latency. Sort of ensures that there is no real gain or loss.

 

I have had a terrible time finding solid info from Dell about this.

First, I saw this page ( http://www.laptopmag.com/advice/how-to/dell-mini-ram.aspx?step=0) which says the memory can be upgraded with any "DDR2 PC5300 SODIMM in either 1GB or 2GB capacity".

However, I contacted Dell twice to confirm this, and got two different answers. First I was told that it is PC2 6400 at 533mhz. This confused me because I thought that PC2 6400 was 800mhz, so how could it be 533mhz?

I contacted Dell again and this time was told that it is PC 5300. However I am still confused--did the Dell representative perhaps mean PC2 5300? Either way it is confusing because 5300 memory is 677mhz, but the Dell website clearly indicates that it is 533mhz.

Furthermore they told me that the RAM maxes out at 1GB. When I asked about that again, the second rep told me "we have not or sold anything more than 1gb on the min / it has not been tested."

So I am still really confused--maybe I just don't understand laptop memory!

 

As far as I know, 2 GB should be perfectly fine. Just because it hasn't been officially tested (basically since they aren't selling with 2 GB they haven't "tested" it) doesn't mean that it won't work.

And seeing as 667 downclocks just buy whatever is cheapest with a lifetime warranty.

 

So please understand the reason that Dell can't "test or approve" 2GB.

The Windows XP systems carry a special license from MS for "LCPC - Low Cost PCs" that stipulate that they cannot sell or offer upgrades for these systems above 1GB RAM. Just a license/legal obligation. Lots of folks have used 2GB PC2 5300 sticks just fine, which run at 667, but most PCs that use them have either Intel 945 busses (533MHz) or 965/Santa Rosa busses (667MHz) and they can be used interchangeably.

You can now order a Mini 9 with Ubuntu with a 2GB upgrade option - Dell as usual just wants too much for the upgrade, at $70 you could buy two 2GB sticks (one for a friend, or a wife's Mini in my case) from your local brick-and-mortar shop...

Since the Diamondville is a 945 based platform, it will clock the ram to 533. At the same time, the 945 chipset maxed at 2GB of addressable RAM regardless of slots/chips available.

Hope this helps wake up the discussion - Which is probably dead as most people know all of this already.