16GM RAM memory : how?

R

randall

I am wanting to build a quad core with 16GB of RAM, but I can not
figure out how to build it with 16GB. The mobo I am looking at is this
one
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128074
which says it can support 16GB of RAM, it has 4 DIMM slots for DDR2
1066 memory, but I can not find 4GB DDR2 chips to put in it. How could
I get 16GB into this mobo? Where are there 4GB DDR2 memory chips for
this mobo?
 
J

John Weiss

I am wanting to build a quad core with 16GB of RAM, but I can not
figure out how to build it with 16GB. The mobo I am looking at is this
one
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128074
which says it can support 16GB of RAM, it has 4 DIMM slots for DDR2
1066 memory, but I can not find 4GB DDR2 chips to put in it. How could
I get 16GB into this mobo? Where are there 4GB DDR2 memory chips for
this mobo?

What 64-bit OS will you be using?
 
C

Conor

I am wanting to build a quad core with 16GB of RAM, but I can not
figure out how to build it with 16GB. The mobo I am looking at is this
one
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128074
which says it can support 16GB of RAM, it has 4 DIMM slots for DDR2
1066 memory, but I can not find 4GB DDR2 chips to put in it. How could
I get 16GB into this mobo? Where are there 4GB DDR2 memory chips for
this mobo?
You'll have to wait until they hit mass market.
 
P

Paul

BigJim said:

But that is listed as an FBDIMM. FBDIMMs are fully buffered, and
both the address and data are handled by the AMB chip on the FBDIMM.
Such DIMMs are typically used on server boards, and would not be
a candidate for your typical desktop motherboard.

I checked a few sites (Crucial, Kingston, and Samsung Semiconductor),
and the largest unbuffered DDR2 DIMMs currently are 2GB capacity.

In terms of types, here are some types:

unbuffered DIMM (UDIMM) - No ECC. Typically used on desktop boards.
Currently looks like DDR2 2GB modules available.
AM2 would use DDR2 modules of this type.

unbuffered DIMM with ECC - Same capacity limits, but with the added protection
of ECC (72 bit wide array, instead of 64 bits). ECC
is supported on some motherboards using X38. ECC is
also supported on AM2 motherboards (by the processor,
as the processor has the memory controller).

registered DIMM with ECC - This is pretty close to raw RAM, except that the
address/control signals pass through register chip(s).
This allows the number of chips on the module to be
doubled. A typical usage situation, might be an
Opteron server board perhaps. You can see the higher
number of chips possible, in a drawing here.

http://www.valueram.com/datasheets/KVR533D2Q8R4K2_4G.pdf

fully buffered FBDIMM - Protocol between DIMM and motherboard is different.
(High speed serial, packetized). Protocol between AMB
and actual memory chips is standard. But AMB to motherboard
is different. Typical usage - Intel server motherboards.

The top two are 2GB max currently. A registered DIMM can allow a doubling or
more, above what unbuffered DIMMs can achieve (as can be seen in the ValueRAM
example document above.) FBDIMMs, since they are buffering, also have the
opportunity to double the module capacity, above what an unbuffered DIMM can do.
I don't know what current technical limits exist, on the AMB to raw chips interfaces
(how many ranks they support).

This Samsung DDR2 document, does promise some larger chips. There are some 2Gigabit
silicon die chips in the pipe, promised Nov.07. They could be used to make a
4GB unbuffered DIMM. On the modules page, a M391T5263AZ(H)3 offers 4GB and has
ECC, and is promised for Dec.07. But I would not hold my breath waiting for
those to show up at Newegg. You'd have a long wait. Some of the stuff listed
in the Samsung documents, never seems to come to retail (maybe it is only used
by OEMs making server products or something - I don't know what the deal is).

http://www.samsung.com/global/busin.../dram/downloads/ddr2_product_guide_oct_07.pdf
( http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/products/dram/Products_DDR2SDRAM.html )

My best guess would be, that four slot GA-MA790FX-DS5 AM2 motherboard is most
likely to yield an 8GB configuration, if you buy what is available today.

This is the supported memory list from Gigabyte.

http://tw.giga-byte.com/FileList/MemorySupport/motherboard_memory_ga-ma790fx-ds5.pdf

Paul
 
R

RobV

I am wanting to build a quad core with 16GB of RAM, but I can not
figure out how to build it with 16GB. The mobo I am looking at is this
one
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128074
which says it can support 16GB of RAM, it has 4 DIMM slots for DDR2
1066 memory, but I can not find 4GB DDR2 chips to put in it. How could
I get 16GB into this mobo? Where are there 4GB DDR2 memory chips for
this mobo?

Just out of curiosity, what will you do with the 16 GB of RAM? What
kind of application would need that much memory?
 
B

BigJim

they are the only 4x4 chips I could find so if the OP asks about 16 gigs of
ram
he should know what he is asking for. He should know he is in the server
range of machines.
 
B

Bob Fry

robv> Just out of curiosity, what will you do with the 16 GB of
robv> RAM? What kind of application would need that much memory?

I can't answer for the OP, but these apps come to mind:

- relational database server (for large DBs)
- high capacity web server
- large, parallelized numerical models (e.g. climate change)
 
P

Paul

Bob said:
robv> Just out of curiosity, what will you do with the 16 GB of
robv> RAM? What kind of application would need that much memory?

I can't answer for the OP, but these apps come to mind:

- relational database server (for large DBs)
- high capacity web server
- large, parallelized numerical models (e.g. climate change)

If you really need RAM, a server board is the better answer.
I saw one the other day, that claimed to hold a max of 192GB,
but I haven't been able to find modules big enough to make
that true. The best I could find, allows it to go to 96GB.
It had 24 RAM slots on it. Maybe that will be big
enough for the next desktop version of Windows :)

Paul
 
R

RobV

RobV said:
Ah, interesting. Yes, the more memory the better for that. Thanks
for the link!

After reading recommended system requirements, 3 GB is the "sweet spot",
at least with XP and standard components. Obviously, a high end graphics
card is a must, but even that needs only 64 MB RAM as a minimum,
obviously more is desired and 512 MB high end cards are common.

I understand you will be using Linux, so that should avoid a lot of
problems right there.

Maybe the answer is to buy the Gigabyte MB, install 4, or 8 GB, as it's
very cheap right now (DDR2, that is) and when higher density memory
comes along, install that. The investment in the smaller sticks will be
relatively low, and you'll have at least enough to start and use the
program for a while.
 

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