I just got the 2x4GB RAM, plugged it in and it works. Yay! Along the way I had to learn about dmidecode and other happy diagnostic stuff and find out that this relic desktop I'm using has 3 slots, each with 1GB capacity. Boo!

Guess I'll be checking my other two desktoppen to see which sucks the least. I'd been using this because it was the smallest. If I go with one of the others I'm going to have to rearrange furniture.

"This is why I don't throw shit out, honey."

The next larger box - listed as "small form factor" - has 4x4GB slots, with currently a single 2GB stick. I'll re-image it to match the one I'm currently on, then raid the 2x1GB sticks from this to double it up.*

I also checked the big box. Old skool full tower case. It's got 4 slots and currently has 512 loaded. That's 2x256MB. And I was using that for Gimp and Lyx when I was working on the food blog and books.

* [edit] Nope, first thing I'll try is just swap the HD from the tiny one to the merely-small one. If that works I'll order a couple 4GB sticks for it. Yup, just checked the rest of the specs: CPU on the target box is APD Sempron vs Pentium 4, same speed, so the AMD wins benchmarks. HD on the current box is 500GB vs 160GB on the target. Optical drive on current is CD vs DVD/CD combo on the target. I'll take the HD and the RAM into the new case. Be back in 15 minutes (if it goes well).

[edit 2] And I'm on the "new" box. Couldn't scavange the RAM from the old box, it's a different type. But at least the one I'm on now will take an upgrade, and it's fairly cheap.