Satellite Pro Laptops

[#1]

Hi, I've got a Satellite Pro A120-187 laptop (model no. PSAC1E-05T021EN, purchased Sept 07) that came fitted with 2x1GB Samsung DDR2 533MHz 200-pin RAM. I want to upgrade to at least 4GB so my first question is: does my machine support more than 2GB RAM?

Motherboard details (From CPU-Z)

Model: Portable PC (0x000003EC - 0x103CB030) version A0

BIOS: ACPI Bios version 3.20

I've got my eyes on some 2x2GB Patriot DDR2 800MHz PC2 6400 200-pin RAM that's going cheap. However, will this be compatible even though frequency is different? Will performance suffer as a result?

Also, I'm hoping to upgrade to 64-bit OS to make the most of my RAM - will my system support this and what's your advice?

Thanks

[#2]

Toshiba notebooks are notoriously picky about memory.  Only the correct Kingston modules have been tested and guaranteed compatible.  In your case, that would be the KTT667D2/2G modules.  Kingston's website has a note that modules must be ordered and installed in pairs for dual channel mode.  Otherwise the memory will run in single channel mode.  It is unlikely that going to 64-bit Windows will change the 4GB maximum address space limitation.  I can't find the specs on your unit, but I would wager that the chipset has a 4GB address maximum.  This will mean that any RAM that is allocated to memory mapped I/O devices will subtract from the 4GB allocation resulting in available RAM of between 3.2 and 3.5GB.  As such, there's no reason to install a 64-bit operating system.  Even if you can find all of the correct device drivers, you wouldn't gain anything substantial.

[#3]

Thanks. So is there any way I can just upgrade the mainboard to take more than 4GB so I can take advantage of a x64 OS with say 8-16GB RAM? I use lots of mutimedia apps and frequently have to switch between them, and I often find my computer writing to the page file non stop. Thanks for your help.

[#4]

I'm afraid not.  It would require major component changes to support the extra address space.  In looking further, I found that you have the Intel 945GM Express chipset.  This chipset supports a maximum of 4GB of RAM.  There's just no practical way to accomplish that fundamental a change.