Where can I find cheap PC2100 and PC2700 RAM?

Hey guys,

So, I have a ton of computers here that take PC2100 and PC2700 memory, and since our school district doesn't exactly have the highest budget, I'm looking to just upgrade the RAM from 512MB to 1GB in a lot of these machines to speed up login times and application launches.

The question I have is...where still sells RAM for a decent price? I've been checking ebay recently. There's been a couple of good lots, but none close to the amount I need. I worked it out the best I could, and I need 186 sticks of PC2100 512MB, and 160 sticks of 512MB PC2700. The machines are Dell GX260's, HP Compaq D530's, and IBM MT-M 8183-NUT's.

Any advice on a place to get the best deal for shipping to Canada would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Would you not be better just getting sticks of 1GB (half the amount of 512s you'd have got) and doubling up the 512MBs in the rest? Seeing as 1x1GB would be cheaper than 2x512MB (I think), you'd be saving money straight away.

Also, I don't know why you are looking for different speed sticks? Surely you'd just get the fastest you can get seeing as they would just be downclocked if installed in a machine with lower FSB?

It's pretty tough with DDR1 now - we're lucky that we bought a load about 3yrs ago before DDR3 came along and when DDR2 was also really cheap, and just have a few machines dotted around which take it. Obviously the quantity you're after suggests you have a vast amount of these computers which take DDR1 so replacing the units I guess isn't an option.

You've tried ebay, but I know there are companies which specialise in refurbishing and recycling old PCs (alot which actually sell on ebay too), who may be able to source RAM for you. I don't really know any of these companies off the top of my head though.

I've sent you a PM :)

Cheers

How cheap is cheap? :confused:

NCIX sell 512MB PC2700 RAM for $18.98 or 1GB for $28.99 (both CAD). NewEgg.ca is even cheaper still ($17.99 for 512MB).

I'm sure they would offer discounts if you bought 346 DIMMs from them. :)

HI Try ICT Direct - distributors of branded refurbished computer hardware to UK schools and colleges. and talk to John.

Richard

+1 for the speed comment, just get DDR 400 which is backward compatible and grab 1 or 2GB sticks which as sometimes cheaper with than the smaller ones for RAM. You can jsut shuffle the existing RAM around to get the right ammouts. When I was doing an admittedly much smaller scale upgrade I just chucked an extra 1GB in each of the machines to make them Vista ready and it worked out quite well spanning all sorts of computers and speeds/sizes of RAM.

I've sent you over prices on a PM :)

Cheers