Some advise for Dell Inspiron 530 Please

swimmer · 10-05-2008, 05:24 PM

Hi Everybody

I am glad to find this web site.

I am looking for the Dell 530 with Intel® Core™ 2 Quad-Core Q6600 Processor (2.4GHz, 8MB cache, 1066MHz FSB)

It come with 3072MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM and 640GB hard drive.

I would like to ask:

1. will it be necesssary to ungrade to 4GB Ram for normal use. ( I am not using the computer for game playing)

2. Will it be good idea to upgrade to Dell backup solution( cost £10.00) and what is the main difference between this two hard drives

A. 320GB Hard Drive with Dell™ DataSafe Local™ Backup solution (2x320GB) - English [add £10.00]

B. 640GB (2x320GB) 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive - Dual HDD Config [Included in Price]

Thank you for all reply.

spannerzone · 11-05-2008, 01:16 PM

There is little point in going to 4Gb as Windows (32bit versions) can only access something like 3.2Gb of ram (and also some of the graphics memory is taken into account) so if you have 4Gb ram, you'll only see and use 3.2Gb and way. Only by using 64bit versions of Windows can you use more memory, but I don't think the 530's physically can take more than 4gb anyway.

As for the 2 Hard drive options, I'm guessing that one is a RAID option whereby you have 320Gb of storage and the second 320Gb drive simply is a mirror image of the first drive... if one drive fails the mirror drive has an exact copy which is handy if you don't have other backup methods.

The other option simply gives you 2 hard drives which you can fill right up but if one fails, you lose the contents of thst drive (which could be the system files !)

I quite like the £10 'datasafe' option as I'd never fill up 320Gb of space, let along 640Gb. - I you really need more storage you can easily add an external hard drive which also allows you to plug it in to any PC.......

swimmer · 12-05-2008, 04:49 PM

Thanks for you reply.

Does it mean 4 G Ram is waste to use in 530's computrer?

If the second drive is a mirror drive for backup, the real size of the hard disk is only 1X 320 Gb?

Thanks again

spannerzone · 13-05-2008, 08:48 PM

Yes to both of those q's

10-05-2008, 05:24 PM	#1
swimmer Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 3 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Some advise for Dell Inspiron 530 Please Hi Everybody I am glad to find this web site. I am looking for the Dell 530 with Intel® Core™ 2 Quad-Core Q6600 Processor (2.4GHz, 8MB cache, 1066MHz FSB) It come with 3072MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM and 640GB hard drive. I would like to ask: 1. will it be necesssary to ungrade to 4GB Ram for normal use. ( I am not using the computer for game playing) 2. Will it be good idea to upgrade to Dell backup solution( cost £10.00) and what is the main difference between this two hard drives A. 320GB Hard Drive with Dell™ DataSafe Local™ Backup solution (2x320GB) - English [add £10.00] B. 640GB (2x320GB) 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive - Dual HDD Config [Included in Price] Thank you for all reply.

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11-05-2008, 01:16 PM	#2
spannerzone Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 28 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	There is little point in going to 4Gb as Windows (32bit versions) can only access something like 3.2Gb of ram (and also some of the graphics memory is taken into account) so if you have 4Gb ram, you'll only see and use 3.2Gb and way. Only by using 64bit versions of Windows can you use more memory, but I don't think the 530's physically can take more than 4gb anyway. As for the 2 Hard drive options, I'm guessing that one is a RAID option whereby you have 320Gb of storage and the second 320Gb drive simply is a mirror image of the first drive... if one drive fails the mirror drive has an exact copy which is handy if you don't have other backup methods. The other option simply gives you 2 hard drives which you can fill right up but if one fails, you lose the contents of thst drive (which could be the system files !) I quite like the £10 'datasafe' option as I'd never fill up 320Gb of space, let along 640Gb. - I you really need more storage you can easily add an external hard drive which also allows you to plug it in to any PC.......

12-05-2008, 04:49 PM	#3
swimmer Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 3 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for you reply. Does it mean 4 G Ram is waste to use in 530's computrer? If the second drive is a mirror drive for backup, the real size of the hard disk is only 1X 320 Gb? Thanks again

13-05-2008, 08:48 PM	#4
spannerzone Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 28 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Yes to both of those q's