Can the dell dimension 4400 run 2GB of memory

[dendavis13]

I just saw on a forum that the Dell Dimension 4400 can run 2 GB of memory. Most memory websites and Dell's website says that this PC only runs 1 GB of memory total, 512 GB per slot. Which is correct?

 

[euwe]

I just saw on a forum that the Dell Dimension 4400 can run 2 GB of memory. Most memory websites and Dell's website says that this PC only runs 1 GB of memory total, 512 GB per slot. Which is correct?

Yes you can run 2GB on a dell 4400. I am running 2 GB in mine and am replying from it. It shows on the system screen.

 

[boatista24]

It doesn't surprise me that Euwe got these results. I have two 4400s here right now, and each came with P4 1.6ghz. The published CPU ceiling is 2.4ghz. I upgraded one to 2.4ghz, and the other with a 2.8ghz that I totally expected to come up as a 2.4. Well, it comes up as a 2.8! (The latest bios release for the motherboard probably supersedes the technical nomenclature published by DELL at the time the units were produced. Also, I'm not sure that 1gbt DDR modules were even available at the time - so two slots with a period limit of 512mgs per module translated to a limit of 1gbt total capacity.)
Now that Euwe has tried this trick with the RAM, that I never would have even thought to try, and it works, along with the 7200 RPM 60gbt drives I replaced in each unit, some salvaged DVD-RWs and the aforementioned processors, these 10 year old computers now seem viable as very capable business machines. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the AGP x4 slot now supported an AGP x8 as an AGP x8!

 

[Dru19]

Yes you can run 2GB on a dell 4400. I am running 2 GB in mine and am replying from it. It shows on the system screen.

What kind of ram did you have for the 4400 was it dell or some other brand?

 

[newus]

Yes you can run 2GB on a dell 4400. I am running 2 GB in mine and am replying from it. It shows on the system screen.

Pardon me, but I just got a dell 4400 and would like to know how you were able to overcome the 1g limitation?

 

[newus]

It doesn't surprise me that Euwe got these results. I have two 4400s here right now, and each came with P4 1.6ghz. The published CPU ceiling is 2.4ghz. I upgraded one to 2.4ghz, and the other with a 2.8ghz that I totally expected to come up as a 2.4. Well, it comes up as a 2.8! (The latest bios release for the motherboard probably supersedes the technical nomenclature published by DELL at the time the units were produced. Also, I'm not sure that 1gbt DDR modules were even available at the time - so two slots with a period limit of 512mgs per module translated to a limit of 1gbt total capacity.)
Now that Euwe has tried this trick with the RAM, that I never would have even thought to try, and it works, along with the 7200 RPM 60gbt drives I replaced in each unit, some salvaged DVD-RWs and the aforementioned processors, these 10 year old computers now seem viable as very capable business machines. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the AGP x4 slot now supported an AGP x8 as an AGP x8!

What "trick" are you referring to? How is it done?

 

[gq278]

It doesn't surprise me that Euwe got these results. I have two 4400s here right now, and each came with P4 1.6ghz. The published CPU ceiling is 2.4ghz. I upgraded one to 2.4ghz, and the other with a 2.8ghz that I totally expected to come up as a 2.4. Well, it comes up as a 2.8! (The latest bios release for the motherboard probably supersedes the technical nomenclature published by DELL at the time the units were produced. Also, I'm not sure that 1gbt DDR modules were even available at the time - so two slots with a period limit of 512mgs per module translated to a limit of 1gbt total capacity.)
Now that Euwe has tried this trick with the RAM, that I never would have even thought to try, and it works, along with the 7200 RPM 60gbt drives I replaced in each unit, some salvaged DVD-RWs and the aforementioned processors, these 10 year old computers now seem viable as very capable business machines. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the AGP x4 slot now supported an AGP x8 as an AGP x8!

I would also know how to work this memory and CPU "trick". I just recently bought Corsair DDR 400 1 GB (2 X 512MB). It will arrive Saturday, and I will try to instal it. If I can get more memory out of my computer, I am very interested. In regards to the CPU, where can you fin a reasonably priced new CPU. Everything i see is around $200, and for that money, I might as well by a new system. I know the CPU is socket 478, but places like New EGG and Tiger Direct do not have much to choose from. Any advice is great. Oh, I also want to upgrade the video card, and I see that it is a AGP X4, so is that the only requirement I should be looking for? This computer is still working on PCI slots, right?

 

[gq278]

It doesn't surprise me that Euwe got these results. I have two 4400s here right now, and each came with P4 1.6ghz. The published CPU ceiling is 2.4ghz. I upgraded one to 2.4ghz, and the other with a 2.8ghz that I totally expected to come up as a 2.4. Well, it comes up as a 2.8! (The latest bios release for the motherboard probably supersedes the technical nomenclature published by DELL at the time the units were produced. Also, I'm not sure that 1gbt DDR modules were even available at the time - so two slots with a period limit of 512mgs per module translated to a limit of 1gbt total capacity.)
Now that Euwe has tried this trick with the RAM, that I never would have even thought to try, and it works, along with the 7200 RPM 60gbt drives I replaced in each unit, some salvaged DVD-RWs and the aforementioned processors, these 10 year old computers now seem viable as very capable business machines. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the AGP x4 slot now supported an AGP x8 as an AGP x8!

I would also know how to work this memory and CPU "trick". I just recently bought Corsair DDR 400 1 GB (2 X 512MB). It will arrive Saturday, and I will try to instal it. If I can get more memory out of my computer, I am very interested. In regards to the CPU, where can you fin a reasonably priced new CPU. Everything i see is around $200, and for that money, I might as well by a new system. I know the CPU is socket 478, but places like New EGG and Tiger Direct do not have much to choose from. Any advice is great. Oh, I also want to upgrade the video card, and I see that it is a AGP X4, so is that the only requirement I should be looking for? This computer is still working on PCI slots, right?

 

[cdoublejj]

there is no trick, if 2gb doesn't work flash the latest bios. Manufacturers don't update their specifications when parts come out. the 4400 is said only support 1gb because 1gb ram sticks exist when it came out.

my laptops is said to only support 4gb and the spec for intel chipset back that up yet i'm running 5 fives gb of ram and a friend has the same model and is running 8gb. only because when it came out 4gb ddr2 sodimms did not exist yet they work despite the specification not saying so.

 

[cdoublejj]

It doesn't surprise me that Euwe got these results. I have two 4400s here right now, and each came with P4 1.6ghz. The published CPU ceiling is 2.4ghz. I upgraded one to 2.4ghz, and the other with a 2.8ghz that I totally expected to come up as a 2.4. Well, it comes up as a 2.8! (The latest bios release for the motherboard probably supersedes the technical nomenclature published by DELL at the time the units were produced. Also, I'm not sure that 1gbt DDR modules were even available at the time - so two slots with a period limit of 512mgs per module translated to a limit of 1gbt total capacity.)
Now that Euwe has tried this trick with the RAM, that I never would have even thought to try, and it works, along with the 7200 RPM 60gbt drives I replaced in each unit, some salvaged DVD-RWs and the aforementioned processors, these 10 year old computers now seem viable as very capable business machines. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the AGP x4 slot now supported an AGP x8 as an AGP x8!

I would also know how to work this memory and CPU "trick". I just recently bought Corsair DDR 400 1 GB (2 X 512MB). It will arrive Saturday, and I will try to instal it. If I can get more memory out of my computer, I am very interested. In regards to the CPU, where can you fin a reasonably priced new CPU. Everything i see is around $200, and for that money, I might as well by a new system. I know the CPU is socket 478, but places like New EGG and Tiger Direct do not have much to choose from. Any advice is great. Oh, I also want to upgrade the video card, and I see that it is a AGP X4, so is that the only requirement I should be looking for? This computer is still working on PCI slots, right?

there is no trick, if 2gb doesn't work flash the latest bios. Manufacturers don't update their specifications when parts come out. the 4400 is said only support 1gb because 1gb ram sticks exist when it came out.

my laptops is said to only support 4gb and the spec for intel chipset back that up yet i'm running 5 fives gb of ram and a friend has the same model and is running 8gb. only because when it came out 4gb ddr2 sodimms did not exist yet they work despite the specification not saying so.

 

[LNS-Front242-T3]

Hello All - I just saw this post, and I have an old Dell Dimensions 4400 too. I just replaced the original 512MB MeM, with 2GB's of PNY - DDR PC2700 (333 MHz Bus Speed) DDR PC2100 - I had on hand. I didn't have to go and do anything flashing or Bios updating, after I restarted my computer though - a screen did pop up in (lower right hand corner) saying "New Hardware Installed" & "New Hardware is Working Properly". My old Dell with an Intel 1.6GHz CPU now boots up a lot faster, and programs just pop up now and don't take forever to load and show up on the monitor.

 

[LNS-Front242-T3]

4 months later, this old Dell 4400 is still working great. My kids like it a lot still and Skype & e-mail Grandparents & their friends almost daily, along side of playing MineCraft(oh my!!) on it too - LOL.

 

[Jay Elliss]

I love how this thread is still going after five years.

I just upgraded my old Dimension 4400 memory to 2GB. Bot it on Ebay for 12.95 including shipping. I did not upgrade the BIOS, running on version A02. Just put the ram sticks in and turned it on. Easy Peasey. Verified it in Windows, CPU-z, and in the BIOS setup.

Two days later I updated the BIOS to the latest version, A06. I planned on doing that all along, but I wanted to find out if it would accept the 2GB ram without updating. I had to buy some new diskettes, old ones were all toast. Only needed one diskette, but they generally come in packs of 10. I got some funny looks from the Microcenter staff. I downloaded B4400_06.exe from the Dell website and ran it. Lickity Split.

Next up, upgrading cpu. I bot a Pentium 4 Northwood 2.6ghz on Ebay for 9 bucks with the shipping. Ebay had a 2.8ghz as well, but it was $20, and I figured 2.6 close enough.

 

[Leopoldo19]

Hey! I recently found my parents dell 4400 and wanted to make it a 'vintage gaming computer' so I could expirience gaming in its infancy. I want to upgrade RAM first as I could notice the computer was barelly chuging on with the 512mb originally included. I found a listing for 2 ddr1 1gb sticks of ram running at 400mhz. Does the mhz affect support for the ram? Thanks guys!