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RAM - Duel Channel

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8 replies

by hardware_jinx

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Updating the motherboard to GA-MA78G-DS3H; thought I increase the RAM as well - bought a 2G Kingston KVR800D2N5/2G.

My question is can I still run duel channel RAM if I have identical RAM in slot 1 & 2, but a different one in slot 3?

Exiting System
CPU: AMD Athlon 64X2 Dual Core 3600
RAM: 2X1G 800
OS: XP Pro & Vista Ultimate

8 replies

by older mycroft

Your motherboard has RAM slots colour coded Red and Yellow - I'm assuming that means slots 1&2 and 3&4 are paired.

Depending on what has been occupying your first 2 slots so far, if you want the Dual Channel to continue, you'd really have to populate the TWO remaining slots, not just one of them. However, by purchasing another 2GB RAM [b][u]AND[/b][/u] retaining your existing RAM you'll run into all sorts of problems because you'll have far too much RAM for a 32-Bit operating system.

You might have been better buying 2x1GB RAM sticks. ;)

Or remove your present RAM from slots 1&2 and purchase another identical 2GB RAM

by hardware_jinx

Thanks guys.

Another question - If I retain 2X1G in slots 1 & 2, do slots 3 & 4 have to be the same (size & speed) as slot 1 & 2?

by older mycroft

If slots 3&4 had faster RAM inserted, it could only run at the slower speed of the RAM inserted in slots 1&2, but there might be internal timing issues so you'd be better to have all the slots populated with RAM of the same speed.

As to the size of the RAM in slots 3&4: since slots 1&2 already have 2x1GB in them, the only RAM sizes available to you would be 2x512MB or 2x1GB, because if you inserted 2x2GB you'd end up with [b]6GB[/b] which is far too big. 32-Bit Windows XP can only address around about 3.3GB period. Anything above that is wasted in terms of what benefit the User can get from it.

In essence, if you want to make the most of DUAL CHANNEL, both components in a set of paired slots should be identical, even better if their serial numbers are as close to being consecutive as possible, thereby proving that they came from the same factory batch and were manufactured as closely together time-wise as is possible. :)

by oh smeg

If you have different Speed RAM the slowest should be fitted to Slots 1 & 2 and the fastest to slots 3 & 4.

Doesn't matter all of the time but occasionally some M'Boards spit the dummy and don't work reliably it things are set differently.

Personally with a 32 Bit Windows System I wouldn't exceed 4 GIG's of RAM as the OS can not use more than 3.2 or 3.3 GIG's of the RAM. But with Dual Chanel M'Boards if you install 4 GIG's of RAM you get the best performance that the M'Board can offer and there is only a small amount of RAM Unused by the OS. Things just work better that way. I constantly use 2 X 2 GIG Sticks without a problem on both Gigabyte & ABit M'Boards.

Col

by oh smeg

Though if you remove that 2 GIG Stick from Slot 3 the System will be running in Dual Chanel Mode.

However the moment that you add just 1 Stick of RAM to the Remaining Sockets or different RAM Sticks to the Remaining Sockets the System switches back to Single Chanel Mode.

Col

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