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You are here: Home / Tech Questions & Answers / Q&A: Can I add the RAM from an old Gateway computer to my HP desktop PC?

Q&A: Can I add the RAM from an old Gateway computer to my HP desktop PC?

Posted on December 13, 2013

ddr3-ramQuestion from Christopher:  My neighbor gave me an old Gateway GM5442 desktop computer that has two 1GB RAM modules in it. The RAM should be good because he stopped using the computer after the hard drive died.

Can I pull the RAM from that Gateway and add it to my HP Pro 3500? (It has two empty memory slots.) I’d just throw caution to the wind and give it a try, but I really can’t afford to mess anything up.

Rick’s answer:  Hi Christopher. I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but the RAM modules from the Gateway computer are completely incompatible with your HP Pro 3500. For starters, the GateWay uses DDR2 RAM while the HP uses DDR3. They are also rated at different clock speeds.

That being said, even if both computers used the same type of RAM (either DDR or DDR3), mixing them together on the same motherboard wouldn’t really be a good idea. In order for RAM to work correctly, all the installed modules really need to match up perfectly in terms of the specifications.

The good news is you can pick up a couple of DDR3 RAM sticks that will work perfectly with your HP Pro 3500 at most any computer shop or electronics retailer. I recommend reading this post for more information about performing RAM upgrades.


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