Topic: DRAM prices set to continue falling

[bat69]

DRAM prices still haven't bottomed out

It's a bummer, but prices likely to drop more

By INQUIRER staff: Tuesday 11 March 2003, 10:52


WHILE PRICES OF double data rate (DDR) memory rose last week it was a "false dawn" and memory prices started to drop again soon after, according to an analyst at market watcher iSuppli.
Senior analyst Nam Hyung Kim, in a note to iSuppli clients, said that DDR prices showed some recovery last week, helped by Intel's move to re-assure companies of continued support for DDR 333 memory parts.

But the bottom has not been reached yet, despite hopes, according to the market research firm.

March is a very slow period for DRAM makers anyway, and iSuppli says OEM demand for memory remains "extremely sluggish".

Further, fears about an Iraq war have caused both corporations and consumers to defer buying, and the end of March will probably mean that suppliers will rid themselves of existing stock and lower prices.

Said the analyst: "Speculation of a pricing bottom is premature".

[Sandra]

DDR may be faling but have you seen what SDRAM is at now for PC 100  
PC 133 is a lot cheaper but for some reason my old pc only reads 256mbs as 128 if I use 133  :'(

[bat69]

That's strange ... PC133 should clock down, and should be seen same as any other ... wonder if it is a particular brand it doesn't like  

[Sandra]

I tried a few different generic ones from 2 different suppliers Bat in 3 different PCs all using 100 already,one wouldnt work at all with some of them mine and the other worked with all but read as half size  
I wonder if it would work now that my BIOS has been flashed  
The strange thing is mine has a stick of 128 @100 64 @133 and 32 @ 100 .It read both 256 and 128 @ 133 at half size and the same make of 128 @100 as correct  

[bat69]

Couple of things spring to mind ... boinnnngg

first is that your system won't recognise a 256Mb stick of RAM and reverts to 128Mb ... this has happened to me before

or you have gone passed its limit of how much RAM your system will recognise, again I've had this happen and its reduced the 256Mb stick to 128Mb

Its worth a try with your new BIOS, it could have resolved the issue, if it was an issue

[Sandra]

Could be but my board says it should support 768 in 3 slots but it was untested,but it even read 128 as half size when using 128 @133 which would have made a total of 320mbs in the way I had set it up.It even read the new 128mbs as 64 when it was the only stick in too.
By the way did anyone know that 98SE wont work on more than 1 gig of ram  
I came across an article last night saying you had to limit it to 1 gig or less as it wasnt designed to work with more  

[bat69]

1 gig ... mine won't run on more than 512Mb ... as I have 1Gb in for XP ... but if I boot to 98se, it crashes ... wish they would tell my 98se it should work

[Adept]

By the way did anyone know that 98SE wont work on more than 1 gig of ram  
I came across an article last night saying you had to limit it to 1 gig or less as it wasnt designed to work with more  

Yes, its true And as far as I know, you won't see much of an improvement upgrading a Win98 PC from 512MB to 1GB

[Sandra]

I'll see if I can find the article for you Bat it did have a fix possibly with dual booting in mind  

[bat69]

Well you can beat my 98se into submission so I can easily boot to 98se without having to take out the other 512Mb stick


Edit:  Thanks Sandra  

[Sandra]

This is the article for the work around Bat.Unfortunately its to limit it to 1 gig not 512 by altering its INI file.
Maybe someone (Adept or yourself will know how to alter it to 512 for when you boot into 98 )  

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q304943&

[bat69]

That's ok ... I want 1Gb ... as that is what I have in  


Thanks for the link .. nice find