adding more ram

[ian lincoln]

currently have 512mb of pc 3200 400mhz cl3. Have two spare slots. Do they
still have to be matched or can i shove a 1gb in the next slot without a
performance hit? Its just that 2x 512mb pieces would cost more than a single
1gb stick.

 

[Bob Knowlden]

It depends. You might get better advice if you listed your mainboard type.

If you're running a full dual channel system (AMD Socket 939 or an Intel P4
system that isn't low-end), the memory must be added in pairs to preserve
the dual channel operation. Some systems may not operate reliably in single
channel mode with more than a single stick of RAM. (At least, the manual for
my old A8V Deluxe mainboard said that it would not.)

Unfortunately, some mainboards reduce the memory clock if all 4 DIMM sockets
are filled. (AMD systems sometimes drop back to DDR333, from DDR400.) You
may be able to manually set the timing back to DDR400 (PC3200), but the
system may or may not be unstable.

I'm sure an expert would find a great deal of oversimplification in the
above, but I hope that it's all correct, as far as it goes.

My recommendation would be to remove the existing RAM and install two 1 GB
Sticks. That's supposed to be the best point in terms of performance. It's
nowhere near as expensive as it was a year or so ago.


Address scrambled. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

 

[James]

My recommendation would be to remove the existing RAM and install two 1 GB
Sticks. That's supposed to be the best point in terms of performance. It's
nowhere near as expensive as it was a year or so ago.

I read somewhere the 1GB chips should be ECC.

 

[ian lincoln]

thanks guys

asus a7v600-x

It depends. You might get better advice if you listed your mainboard type.

If you're running a full dual channel system (AMD Socket 939 or an Intel
P4 system that isn't low-end), the memory must be added in pairs to
preserve the dual channel operation. Some systems may not operate reliably
in single channel mode with more than a single stick of RAM. (At least,
the manual for my old A8V Deluxe mainboard said that it would not.)

Unfortunately, some mainboards reduce the memory clock if all 4 DIMM
sockets are filled. (AMD systems sometimes drop back to DDR333, from
DDR400.) You may be able to manually set the timing back to DDR400
(PC3200), but the system may or may not be unstable.

I'm sure an expert would find a great deal of oversimplification in the
above, but I hope that it's all correct, as far as it goes.

My recommendation would be to remove the existing RAM and install two 1 GB
Sticks. That's supposed to be the best point in terms of performance. It's
nowhere near as expensive as it was a year or so ago.


Address scrambled. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

 

[ian lincoln]

consulting the manual i also see that 3gb of non ecc ram is supported but
only 2 slots may be used. A bit odd as i have 3.

the local supplier didn't have any twinmoss at all. He had kingston cl2.5
for £40 or elixir cl3 for £35. I went for the elixir. I realised when i
opened up my case and read the label my existing ram was indeed 2.5. i
decided to put the slower ram in the first slot and the faster in the 2nd.
Hoping the spd in slot one would dictate the speed. But alas i coudn't get
the 2nd stick back out again. The white tab would not swing all the way
back to release because the agp card was in the way. Frankly i couldn't be
bothered to remove card and refit and drive all the way back to get the
matched ram. Decided to test machine with half life 2 but of course being
downstairs on dining room table i had no broadband connection so steam
wouldn't run the game. Bugger! Now steam has finally pissed me off. I
bought legit, registered it, played it for a year got all the patches and
they still don't trust me.