Packard Bell i Media 5054 Memory Upgrade

Hi Guys,
I have an old PC(running XP Pro) lying around the house, so when the latest XBOX back ups needed a Lite-on DVD burner, I decided to instal it in the old PC. which was great until the drive arrived and I needed a couple of bits to fit it to the PC (a new SATA lead and a convertor to SATA power lead. I fitted it, and noticed my latest problem.
When I try to burn a back up using IMGBURN, the buffers fill, then empty almost immediately. what jumped to mind was the fact that I might not have enough RAM in the old PC, so I opened it up and sure enough I only have 256MB.
The RAM unitt that is in it at the moment is a DDR, 256 MB, 266MHz, CL 2.5 chip. A few other Identifying codes on it are :- MT16VDDT3264AG-256B1 , PC2100U-25330-01 , MY , M00YG41 , 200244 .
This PC is not connected to the net, last time it was it used a dial up 56k modem, so I cannot get a scan from crucial.
The Pc is a Packard Bell, i-media 5054, it is at least 8 years old. Crucial online search for it is here(don't know if it is correct) is HERE

Code:

http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listparts.aspx?model=iMedia%205054

So, a few questions (You knew I would get there eventually )
1. what can I upgrade to (1GB?)
2. Is there a need to divide this by 2 pieces (can I get just the one 1GB)?
3. Is there anyone any cheaper than any other??
4. would I just be better off getting a second hand PC, and if so any ideas where?

Lastly, just remember that I am only a Sinclair spectrum 48k myself, so don't overawe me

Memory Type: DDR PC2700, DDR (non-ECC)
Maximum Memory:

1GB

Slots:

2
Each memory slot can hold DDR PC2700 with a maximum of 512MB per slot.*

I looked around and found a link for the same model number as yours and it shows the same system specs as what you found. So I am assuming what you have is correct. So in a nutshell, 1gb is the most you can have with 512 per slot.

I think i have some of that lying around somewhere wheelo,will have a look later i am only in,i can send it on to you if i find it

---------- Post added at 11:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:08 AM ----------

Hi Wheelo,i have a 256 in the exact spec ferguj1 suggested,and more in the pc3200 which runs at 400mhz,i have a 1gb in the pc2700,a 512 in the pc3200,i'm no purist in these things and have often found once both sticks of ram are the same they will work,and am seriously open to correction on that point,so bassicaly i can definetly sort you out at 512,if you want a gig you will need 1 more stick or i can send you the 1gb and you can try it,the worst that will happen is the computer wont start,and yes i am a bit of a butcher with these things

Okay guys of vast knowledge of all things PC.
Sinno sent me a 1 GB ram, I installed it and it is recognised ok, I tried add another 512, but it wasn't recognised, however the original 256 was and now the properties state that I now have 1.18 GB ram.
Great you might think, Wheelo is sorted, but no it is never that easy for me.

I posted the below You tube video to show what I am talking about. I try to run IMG BURN to burn an XBOX iso, it goes away and starts, fills it's buffers, but as soon as it starts to right, the buffers empty, so all in all it took about 3 hours to burn a disk (9.2 G?)
what I show in this clip is the buffers filling and emptying, I then show both the computer properties stating that there is 1.8 GB RAM, and show the processes running and performance using Windows task manager.



so the question is, anyone have any ideas, the burner is brand new, could it be a problem because it is only service pack 2 on XP, or is the processor just not capable of running IMG Burn??

Wheelo, are you trying to run anything else when using ImgBurn? Any other programs? How full is your HDD? What speed are you trying to burn at? I don't see where you are taxing either your memory or your processor, I believe you have something else going on that involves the HDD.
Ok, I actually scrolled back up to your video and seen that it is the only application running, sorry.

its not your OS that's the issue i have an old dell PC about same age that i put in a gig of ram and run it on win7 and getting the same buffering errors when burning ISO's i also had issues ripping XBOX WII games on to my terabit drive. i put it down to the drive and tried an external drive connected via USB but still took forever with around 3 or 4 hours for an Xbox 360 game. am still thinking an issue with the drive at moment not having enough bandwidth on the bus through USB. i would suggest you try a new SATA or IDE cable and bear in mind even though drive is new does not mean it cannot be faulty.

Ferg, It has a 60GB HD, practically empty. I am running nothing else. The image is on an external HD, and the slowest I can run this drive at is 4X.
Barryboom, All cabling is new, but as you say, there is nothing to say they are not faulty

the next thing for me to try is to put the image on the internal HD and try burn from there, also, I might try to burn a DVD sized file using a program that isn't IMG burn.

Just as an aside, if I can't cure this problem, is there any chance that THIS ITEM would allow me to use the new drive through the laptops USB port??
This is the only drive apparently that will burn these latest XBOX Games, so there is no point in suggesting that i buy a different external DVD burner.
Cheers

In my opinion there is your problem, trying to burn from an image on an external drive. That is where the constant buffer under-runs and the waiting for hard drive activity to reach threshold level errors are coming from. Move the image to your internal HDD and run ImgBurn with it there. I think you will find it to work much better.

Okey Doke, that is next trial, get back tomorrow

wheelo has that drive been modified with c4evas firmware,im not very up on that aspect as i dont own a xbox(yet),that thought just occured to me,if it was you may just need to redo it,also have you checked the manufacturers website for drive updates if it is stock HERE