Referring to a Toshiba Satellite Pro L300 series of Notebook PC:
According to the Service Manual;
1) The Maximum Total Amount of Ram Memory depends on the Northbridge chipset used.
(System Controller. Intel)
If it is an Intel GM965 chipset, the maximum total amount is 4GigaByte. (4GB)
If it is an Intel GL960 chipset, the maximum total amount is 2GB.
Northbridge chipset (Or System Controller)
The Northbridge chipset was aptly named so, because of the general location of the chipset on the motherboard.
It is generally located under the Processor.
(The Southbridge chipset is located further 'South' on the motherboard)
The Northbridge chipset handles the faster capabilities of the computer.
It handles the Processor, Ram Memory, and High-Speed graphics.
High-speed graphics being AGP or PCI-Express.
Integrated Graphics, or a graphics card installed into a PCI slot is NOT high-speed graphics.
This is handled by the Southbridge chipset.
The Southbridge chipset handles the slower capabilities of the computer.
Motherboard diagram;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Motherboard_diagram.svgInformation on the Northbridge (computing),
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northbridge_%28computing%29Information on the Intel GM965, and GL960 chipset,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_chipsets#Core_2_Mobile_chipsetsLook under the heading Chipset at GL960.
Looking across you can see that the chipset supports;
1) DDR2 Sdram that is either 533MegaHertz, or 677MHz. (SO-DIMM ram memory for laptops)
2) Supports up to 3GB
[ Your laptop has TWO ram memory slots. The primary, or Main ram memory slot, (Outside edge), and the Optional ram memory slot, (Inside towards the middle)
There are No 1.5GB ram memory modules. ('Stick')
This is why 2GB is the maximum with the Intel GL960 chipset.
Install one 2GB ram memory module in the Main ram memory compartment,
OR,
Install one 1GB ram memory module, in the main ram memory compartment, and one 1GB ram memory module in the Optional ram memory compartment ]
Now look under the Chipset heading at GM965.
1) Supports DDR2 Sdram at either 533MHz, or 677MHz.
2) Supports up to 4GB.
How to know what Northbridge (System Controller) chipset your laptop uses?
Use CPU-Z from CPUID.com
Information on CPU-Z on Wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPU-ZCPU-Z,
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z/versions-history.htmlIf you need guidance in downloading, installing, and using CPU-Z, hit me up in a Comment.
Download page for the free Service Manual, for the Toshiba Satellite Pro L300 series of Notebook PC's,
http://www.tim.id.au/blog/tims-laptop-service-manuals/#toc-toshibaScroll down with your eyes to the heading - Satellite Pro
Go across, and click on - L300
This is a PDF file. The computer you are using now has Adobe Reader on it, which uses PDF files.
After you click on - L300 - it may take up to 30 seconds before you will see the first page come up.
It may also take additional time for the file to fully download.
Have questions I'm right here.
{Now you know Why, How, and Where.
You can tell your friends about your new found knowledge}
Regards,
joecoolvette
×