AV8 - Dual Channel RAM Required?

[wamaruna]

The specs say 4X DIMM Dual Channel DDR400/333/266. Does this mean that dual
channel ram is required, or just supported? I've got a gig (2x512) of
PC3200 regular DDR ram, and really don't want to drop the coin for dual
channel at this point.

 

[Paul]

The specs say 4X DIMM Dual Channel DDR400/333/266. Does this mean that dual
channel ram is required, or just supported? I've got a gig (2x512) of
PC3200 regular DDR ram, and really don't want to drop the coin for dual
channel at this point.

The best way to get info on a board, is download the manual.
Asus has the best manuals, in terms of the illustrations.

___________________________________________________
Table 1 Recommended memory configurations
* Use only identical DDR DIMM pairs.
* For dual-channel configuration (3), you may:
€ install identical DIMMs in all four sockets or
€ install identical DIMM pair in DIMM_A1 and DIMM_B1 (blue sockets)

Sockets Mode DIMM_A1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1 DIMM_B2
Single-channel (1) ‹ ‹ Populated ‹
Dual-channel* (1) Populated ‹ Populated ‹
(2) Populated Populated Populated Populated
___________________________________________________

The combination missing from this, is you should also be able
to run Single Channel with sticks in B1 and B2. No reason for
that not to work.

Your two 512MB DIMMs only need to match in logical dimensions,
like rows, columns, banks, and ranks. Unless you somehow
managed to get one 512MB DIMM with 8 chips, and the second
DIMM has 16 chips, chances are very good they will run in
A1 and B1, in dual channel mode. (Those packages at the
store, with two DIMMs packaged together, are nothing special.
Just two DIMMs with similar construction. As long as separately
purchased DIMMs use the same density of chips, with the bits
arranged the same way internally, that is good enough for
dual channel use. If the memory speeds are mismatched, the
BIOS is supposed to pick the slower of the two DIMMs, to set
the speed.)

For further info, see section 2.4.2 bullet 2, on page 13
of this document. This document applies to _any_ socket 939
board:

http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/31411.pdf

Paul

 

[RonK]

The memory you have will run in Dual Channel. Just install them in the slots
according to the manual to use the feature. I think it's - One in "A" slot
and the other in "B" slot.

 

[wamaruna]

Thanks to both Ronk and Paul. The pair of 512s I have are a matched set, so
it sounds like I'm good to go.

 

[Rudy Kazuti]

Dual channel ram is just another way to take your money. If your board
supports it just insert two sticks ( preferrably the same) in the proper
channels, A & B and it should work fine. I asked this question a while ago
and learned there is no such thing as dual channel ram. It's the mobo that's
dual channel.
Rudy

 

[Gary]

Dual channel ram is just another way to take your money. If your board
supports it just insert two sticks ( preferrably the same) in the proper
channels, A & B and it should work fine. I asked this question a while ago
and learned there is no such thing as dual channel ram. It's the mobo
that's
dual channel.
Rudy

However the sticks have to be identical.

 

[b]

However the sticks have to be identical.

No they don't.
It is best practice to use identical sticks, and the ASUS "DDR Qualified
Vendor List" is just a list of manufacturers who's memory has been tested in
various configurations on ASUS boards. Akin to the MS list of hardware
vendors. It doesn't mean untested brands won't work. (just means they
haven't been tested)

If you are like me you probably already had 1 stick of 512MB memory, an it
can be quite difficult to track down the same component, especially if you
bought it from a local store 6 months ago. I have 1 stick of Bravo512, and
one stick of Hyunix512, and they run fine.
I had 1*512 and 2*256 sticks of RAM (I had these running in dual channel
mode on my Abit NF-7S), the max I could run in dual channel was 256MB with
the A7V880, so I bought the Hyunix, and was able to use the 2*256PMI modules
in the A2, B2 slots, and now have 1.5GB in dual channel mode (not that I
ever wanted more than 1GB).

Ideally I would have used the same memory, but the hassle, and expense of
buying it all in one hit was a bit much. I took a punt and bought qualified
memory, as the Bravo memory worked in dual channel anyway, so it seemec a
good bet that the two 512MB sticks would work together.
P.S. you might be able to force dual channel mode in the BIOS.