Can DDR2-PC6400 RAM replace DDR2-PC5300 RAM?

[erikts]

I've got to use an aging workstation (Intel® Pentium® Processor E2140 desktop) at work. I would like to add more RAM (currently 1GB DDR2 PC5300 333MHz).

My question is: Can DDR2 PC6400 RAM replace or be combined with DR2 PC5300 RAM?

Thank you. 

[eleman]

My question is: Can DDR2 PC6400 RAM replace or be combined with DR2 PC5300 RAM?

Yes it can replace, and yes it can be combined, but you will run it at DDR2 pc5300 speed, which should be just fine.

[Shades]

Replacement shouldn't be a problem. In theory anyway.

In my experience it never hurts to check first what your motherboard actually supports. Memory timing can be bitchy sometimes. Mix-and-match different pairs of memory modules can make your computing experience (very) unpleasant.

Even memory modules of the same brand but (slightly) different model can make your system do bad things.

After a quick peek at the provided link I didn't see a link to the installation manual. That document normally has dedicated one or more pages to which (pairs of) memory modules from which brand are supported.

[erikts]

Thanks to eleman and Shades for the explanation. 

Yes it can replace, and yes it can be combined, but you will run it at DDR2 pc5300 speed, which should be just fine.

Replacement shouldn't be a problem. In theory anyway.

So replacement is safer.

In my experience it never hurts to check first what your motherboard actually supports. Memory timing can be bitchy sometimes. Mix-and-match different pairs of memory modules can make your computing experience (very) unpleasant.

Even memory modules of the same brand but (slightly) different model can make your system do bad things.

After a quick peek at the provided link I didn't see a link to the installation manual. That document normally has dedicated one or more pages to which (pairs of) memory modules from which brand are supported.

I don't have PC Manual at hand. I open the case and found out that the motherboard is Wearnes 7945L2-C1. I google it and found a support page for Wearnes Premiere 7945L2.

Main Memory
• Supports two unbuffered DIMM of 1.8 Volt DDR2 SDRAM
• Supports dual channel DDR2 memory architecture.
• Supports DDR2 400/533/667 memory interface. (4GB Max)

But I am not sure if I understand what the specification means.

[4wd]

Main Memory
• Supports two unbuffered DIMM of 1.8 Volt DDR2 SDRAM
• Supports dual channel DDR2 memory architecture.
• Supports DDR2 400/533/667 memory interface. (4GB Max)

But I am not sure if I understand what the specification means.

That's clock speed, multiply by 8 to give your PC rating, eg. 400 * 8 = PC3200, 533 * 8 = PC4200, 667 * 8 = PC5300

They round down to the nearest 100, (for DDR2 anyway).

[Tinman57]

  In my computer manual (HP) it says that even mixing RAM from different companies can wreak havoc, even if they are the same specs.  Go figure.....

[erikts]

Main Memory
• Supports two unbuffered DIMM of 1.8 Volt DDR2 SDRAM
• Supports dual channel DDR2 memory architecture.
• Supports DDR2 400/533/667 memory interface. (4GB Max)

But I am not sure if I understand what the specification means.

That's clock speed, multiply by 8 to give your PC rating, eg. 400 * 8 = PC3200, 533 * 8 = PC4200, 667 * 8 = PC5300

They round down to the nearest 100, (for DDR2 anyway).

Then, does it mean that my PC can't have DDR2-PC6400 because the maximum PC rating is PC5300? 

[4wd]

Then, does it mean that my PC can't have DDR2-PC6400 because the maximum PC rating is PC5300? 

Yes, it'll just run at PC5300 as Shades and eleman have said.

There are some cases where RAM won't run at lower speeds but I've only seen that happen once in 20+ years.

Just plug it in