Anyone here good with computer hardware?
 

I have a computer that's 3 years old, and it says the max it can handle is 1 gig of memory.
I already had 512 Mbs of memory in it and bought a new memory stick for 1 GIG.
So now I have 1.5 gigs of memory in the computer, but I guess the mother board can only handle 1 gig.

So is there a setting I can change to get the most out of the additional 512 mbs? or am I only getting use out of the gig and the rest is wasted?

You're wasting it.
Spend a couple bucks on a new motherboard and stop worrying about it. Seriously, they're so fuckin' cheap.

Software maybe... hehe:)

what he said

you could have easily spent that money on a new mobo/proc combo and had so much more power

I dont want to spend $600 on a new computer, or mess with a new motherboard when all I needed is a little more memory. It's running better now just wanted that little extra boost.

then no

there is no possible way to use 1.5gb of ram in a computer that can only handle 1gb according to the specs of the motherboard

fyi though, I can build a new computer for someone for under $400...that is a complete machine

a mobo/proc combo can be bought and installed for under $80

Trade the 1 gig stick back in for a 512 meg stick and you'll be fine.

Did you check the RAM was the same type (e.g. DDR 266/PC2100) as the existing 512 MB RAM stick? If you haven't got the manual for the motherboard, just download HWInfo (http://www.hwinfo.com), run through a scan, and it will tell you the make and model of your motherboard. Then just smack those details into Google and look for a manual, and then sift through the manual to check for the maximum amount of RAM.