memory sticks

[p.mc]

Hi All

I have 4 X... 256MB DDR memory sticks.

2 of PC2700U-25330...333Mhz
2 of PC2100U-25330.. 266Mhz

Can they be put into one machine?
If not should I just install the 333Mhz two?

 

[Gerry]

What does the motherboard manual say?


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Paul]

Hi All

I have 4 X... 256MB DDR memory sticks.

2 of PC2700U-25330...333Mhz
2 of PC2100U-25330.. 266Mhz

Can they be put into one machine?
If not should I just install the 333Mhz two?

Yes, they can all be run in the same machine.
The BIOS will select the slower operating speed,
so in your case all will run at DDR266.

It helps, when asking this kind of question, to state
the motherboard make and model being used.

There are some older motherboards, where the memory
speed and CPU FSB speed are tied together. Mixing slow
and fast RAM in that case, can result in the CPU setting
being dropped down by the BIOS as well. And then there
really isn't any workaround, short of removing the
slow sticks.

For any recent dual channel boards with four slots,
usually the memory and FSB are decoupled, so there are
no adverse consequences to the CPU core speed.

You can always set up the memory configs you want to
test, and use a memory benchmark, to see how much
effect the extra RAM has. That will tell you pretty
quickly, whether it was a bad idea or not.

For overall system performance, try SuperPI calculated
to 1 million digits, both before the RAM is added and
after the RAM is added. The difference in benchmarks will
tell you the amount of penalty to expect when doing
stuff like Photoshop.

http://www.xtremesystems.com/pi/super_pi_mod-1.5.zip

On my 3.2GHz Northwood, I get 44 seconds without antivirus
software, and 48 seconds with antivirus software installed.
My RAM runs at DDR460. That is for SuperPI calculated to
1 million digits. The world record for SuperPI to a million
digits, is about 9 seconds.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=59753

Paul

 

[p.mc]

Hi

Link to mobo info
http://www.ocworkbench.com/hardware/asus/a7a266/a7a266reviewp1.htm

Actually the original memory was PC2100...266Mhz and there's only 2 slots
anyway.

So would I be better off continuing with the above
or
install the PC2700...333Mhz, but still only runs at 266Mhz which defeats the
object?

 

[Paul]

Hi

Link to mobo info
http://www.ocworkbench.com/hardware/asus/a7a266/a7a266reviewp1.htm

Actually the original memory was PC2100...266Mhz and there's only 2 slots
anyway.

So would I be better off continuing with the above
or
install the PC2700...333Mhz, but still only runs at 266Mhz which defeats the
object?

Chances are, it will stay at DDR266.

The manual shows memory can be run a notch below the FSB or at the same
speed (sync) with the FSB. The memory cannot be cranked above the FSB.

You can always overclock, at the expense of stability. One overclocking
article said they went up to 142 MHz from 133MHz. That would give you
a maximum DDR speed of DDR284, using some of the potential speed of your
DDR333 RAM.

If you are not interested in overclocking, then the speed is a function
of the FSB of your processor, plus the setting you choose in the BIOS.
A processor with a 100MHz CPU input clock, cannot do more than DDR200.
If the processor uses a 133MHz CPU input clock, the memory goes as high
as DDR266. Getting all the way to DDR333, via overclocking, may be too
much for the chipset, as well as the processor.

Paul

 

[p.mc]

cheers paul

I've left the 266Mhz in. I'm about to change the graphics card from a nvidia
geforce to an ATI Radeon. is that ok on an amd system?

 

[Paul]

cheers paul

I've left the 266Mhz in. I'm about to change the graphics card from a nvidia
geforce to an ATI Radeon. is that ok on an amd system?

The Northbridge has the interface for the AGP slot, so it is an issue between
the ALI chip and the video card. It shouldn't matter which kind of processor
the motherboard uses.

Remember to remove the video card driver, then shutdown and change cards,
then boot and install the ATI driver. Before you start, go to the ATI site
and find a couple versions of drivers first. Download then and put them
in a safe place.

The ATI card I'm using in this machine, came with a bad driver on the CD.
(It was around the time they first introduced SmartGART, a piece of software
that automatically sets the AGP slot speed.) My computer crashed with the
driver off the CD, so I had to go to Safe Mode and clean up the mess.
And then download some newer drivers from the website.

If it doesn't work out, you can always reverse the process.

Paul

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi All

I have 4 X... 256MB DDR memory sticks.

2 of PC2700U-25330...333Mhz
2 of PC2100U-25330.. 266Mhz

Can they be put into one machine?

If the motherboard can support the combination, yes. Consult its manual.

If not should I just install the 333Mhz two?

If the motherboard is so limited, yes. Consult its manual.


--

Bruce Chambers

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[p.mc]

"Thanks Paul"

--
Regards
p.mc

The Northbridge has the interface for the AGP slot, so it is an issue
between
the ALI chip and the video card. It shouldn't matter which kind of
processor
the motherboard uses.

Remember to remove the video card driver, then shutdown and change cards,
then boot and install the ATI driver. Before you start, go to the ATI site
and find a couple versions of drivers first. Download then and put them
in a safe place.

The ATI card I'm using in this machine, came with a bad driver on the CD.
(It was around the time they first introduced SmartGART, a piece of
software
that automatically sets the AGP slot speed.) My computer crashed with the
driver off the CD, so I had to go to Safe Mode and clean up the mess.
And then download some newer drivers from the website.

If it doesn't work out, you can always reverse the process.

Paul