I have a P4P800E Deluxe, P4 2.8c 800FSB, with a 512mb Crucial Micron DDR
PC2700 333mhz CL2.5 DIMM in each of the blue slots.

The BIOS is on the default settings with SPD DRAM timing enabled.

The memory chips were /supposed/ to be identical, but on the ASUS Probe it
gives one as 512 MB Double-bank RAS1 and RAS2, and the other as 512mb Single
Bank, RAS5 and RAS4

When I boot up it says it is running at 266 instead of 333 (or 320) in
single rather than dual channel mode. I changed the memory timing to 320 but
that doesn't seem to do anything.

When I run the CUPID CPU-Z diagnostic program, it shows each of the memory
modules in slots 1 and 3 respectively, gives the same values for each, It
says it is running in single channel mode and gives a frequency of 160mhz.

This is way beyond my level of tech knowledge. Is it that I need identical
chips? Are my settings wrong? Am I losing anything important in this
configuration?

Thanks.

Ken

You need identical sticks of memory for it to work, and it needs to be
enabled in the motherboard BIOS. Make sure Performace Mode is set to
enabled.

"Custom Computers" <trick-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> You need identical sticks of memory for it to work, and it needs to be
> enabled in the motherboard BIOS. Make sure Performace Mode is set to
> enabled.
>

Thanks very much. I've since done some looking around and think I understand
it better now.

Suppose I add two identical 512 Centon 3200s and put them in the blue slots
and use the performance mode. Presumably this will let them work in dual
channel mode.

Then--if I add in my non-identical 512 2700 Micron chips to the black slots,
giving me a total of 2gb, will this double mismatch between the two 2700
chips and between the 2700 and 3200 chips defeat my purpose?

Ken

"KenV" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:2Y6dnZvWINaLVSveRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...

"Custom Computers" <trick-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> You need identical sticks of memory for it to work, and it needs to be
> enabled in the motherboard BIOS. Make sure Performace Mode is set to
> enabled.
>

Thanks very much. I've since done some looking around and think I understand
it better now.

Suppose I add two identical 512 Centon 3200s and put them in the blue slots
and use the performance mode. Presumably this will let them work in dual
channel mode.

Then--if I add in my non-identical 512 2700 Micron chips to the black slots,
giving me a total of 2gb, will this double mismatch between the two 2700
chips and between the 2700 and 3200 chips defeat my purpose?

Ken

Haven't you got a motherboard manual?

For DDR Ram only:

You must put one stick of Ram into 1 blue slot, and the other one in 1 black
(?) slot. Don't use both blue slots for a particular pair.

Sylvain.

"Sylvain VAN DER WALDE" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:idAtf.28485$(E-Mail Removed)...

"KenV" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:2Y6dnZvWINaLVSveRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...

"Custom Computers" <trick-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> You need identical sticks of memory for it to work, and it needs to be
> enabled in the motherboard BIOS. Make sure Performace Mode is set to
> enabled.
>

Thanks very much. I've since done some looking around and think I understand
it better now.

Suppose I add two identical 512 Centon 3200s and put them in the blue slots
and use the performance mode. Presumably this will let them work in dual
channel mode.

Then--if I add in my non-identical 512 2700 Micron chips to the black slots,
giving me a total of 2gb, will this double mismatch between the two 2700
chips and between the 2700 and 3200 chips defeat my purpose?

Ken

Haven't you got a motherboard manual?

For DDR Ram only:

You must put one stick of Ram into 1 blue slot, and the other one in 1 black
(?) slot. Don't use both blue slots for a particular pair.

Addition: The blue and black slots work in pairs. For example: the first
blue slot in the row works with the first black slot in the row. And the
second blue slot works with the second black one.

It's best to look at the manual. I can't always be sure of my memory recall.

Sylvain.




Sylvain.

"Sylvain VAN DER WALDE" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:idAtf.28485$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Haven't you got a motherboard manual?
>
> For DDR Ram only:
>
> You must put one stick of Ram into 1 blue slot, and the other one in 1
> black (?) slot. Don't use both blue slots for a particular pair.


Indeed, I do have a MB manual and have practically worn out the memory
pages.

Nowhere in my manual does it say to put a pair of DDR sticks in unmatched
slots, i.e., one blue and one black.

It says:

"2. Use the blue DIMM slots first" on page 2-12

Under recommended memory configurations it either allows one of the blue or
one of the black slots to be populated by a single stick, or two blues or
two blacks, or both blues and both blacks, but never one black and one blue,
for 2 and 4 sticks respectively.

This is from the manual for the P4P800E-Deluxe. Am I reading it incorrectly?
If you have two non-identical sticks are you supposed to put one in the blue
slot and one in the black slot? If so, it deosn't say that anywhere that I
can see.

Ken

When using identical sticks of memory for dual channel mode they need
to both be in the same color slot. When using two non-identical sticks
of memory it doesn't matter which slots there in since they won't work
in dual channel mode.

"Custom Computers" <trick-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> When using identical sticks of memory for dual channel mode they need
> to both be in the same color slot. When using two non-identical sticks
> of memory it doesn't matter which slots there in since they won't work
> in dual channel mode.

OK--thanks again.

Ken

"KenV" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:WYWdnYkfJqddTiveRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...

"Sylvain VAN DER WALDE" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:idAtf.28485$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Haven't you got a motherboard manual?
>
> For DDR Ram only:
>
> You must put one stick of Ram into 1 blue slot, and the other one in 1
> black (?) slot. Don't use both blue slots for a particular pair.


Indeed, I do have a MB manual and have practically worn out the memory
pages.

Nowhere in my manual does it say to put a pair of DDR sticks in unmatched
slots, i.e., one blue and one black.

It says:

"2. Use the blue DIMM slots first" on page 2-12

Under recommended memory configurations it either allows one of the blue or
one of the black slots to be populated by a single stick, or two blues or
two blacks, or both blues and both blacks, but never one black and one blue,
for 2 and 4 sticks respectively.

This is from the manual for the P4P800E-Deluxe. Am I reading it incorrectly?
If you have two non-identical sticks are you supposed to put one in the blue
slot and one in the black slot? If so, it deosn't say that anywhere that I
can see.

Ken

Hello Ken.
I owe you an apology. I've just re-read the manual, and it seems that my
memory let me down.
Yes, the pair of identical sticks go into the blue slots, and the other pair
in the black slots. My board, P4C800-E de luxe, takes 4 GB of Ram, and not 2
Gb as stated by myself before.
I have to double check my _own_ configuration now.
Again, apologies.
P.S. Reading the manual _carefully_, should remove any doubts.

Sylvain.

"Sylvain VAN DER WALDE" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:LZEtf.18832$(E-Mail Removed)...

>
> Hello Ken.
> I owe you an apology. I've just re-read the manual, and it seems that my
> memory let me down.
> Yes, the pair of identical sticks go into the blue slots, and the other
> pair in the black slots. My board, P4C800-E de luxe, takes 4 GB of Ram,
> and not 2 Gb as stated by myself before.
> I have to double check my _own_ configuration now.
> Again, apologies.
> P.S. Reading the manual _carefully_, should remove any doubts.
>
> Sylvain.


Hi Sylvain,

Thanks for your note. No problem.

As it is, the ASUS manuals are not the clearest in terms of the details, and
they don't always explain the alternatives well.

I called ASUS tech support today, just to see what they would advise. They
said that unless you are a serious gamer, or are using highly demanding
programs like video editing, that there probably wouldn't be a noticeable
performance improvement with dual as opposed to single channel, and that
adding memory to a 1GB system wouldn't enhance things much, either.

So--I am going to save some money and live with my two non-identical 512
chips. The system does run pretty well.

Ken