desktop memory question

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kdubs

I currently have 1 512MB PC2700 DDR ram.....i can use 3200 DDR ram with
that 2700 DDR Correct? But the frequency of the 3200 would drop to
2700...or is this a 'rumor' ... has anybody had experience with this ???
 
Faster devices can run slower - but not the reverse is true. Memory has
SPD modules that contain their native operating modes. (Timing). While
it would work, I'd make an extra effort to locate and use PC2700 DDR.
Timing mismatches can and do result in some "Quirky" errors and faults.
 
kdubs said:
I currently have 1 512MB PC2700 DDR ram.....i can use 3200 DDR ram
with that 2700 DDR Correct? But the frequency of the 3200 would
drop to 2700...or is this a 'rumor' ... has anybody had experience
with this ???
Click to expand...


Memory is run at the speed the motherboard is set to run it at. The "speeds"
(like 2700 and 3200) aren't actual speeds, but speed ratings. These are the
speeds the memory has been tested to run at successfully.

So adding faster memory will do nothing to speed up your machine. In fact,
having memory sticks with different speed ratings often results in
incompatibilities and system failure. I wouldn't even try it; Windows XP is
very fussy about have all its memory exactly matched. If you add memory, get
exactly the same type you presently have.
 
kdubs said:
I currently have 1 512MB PC2700 DDR ram.....i can use 3200 DDR ram with
that 2700 DDR Correct? But the frequency of the 3200 would drop to
2700...or is this a 'rumor' ... has anybody had experience with this ???
Click to expand...

Your PC will work at the lowest speed of any stick you have installed.
 
incompatibilities and system failure. I wouldn't even try it; Windows XP is
very fussy about have all its memory exactly matched. If you add memory, get
exactly the same type you presently have.
Click to expand...

Agreed.
 
Plato said:
Your PC will work at the lowest speed of any stick you have installed.
Click to expand...


The RAM will run at the speed the motherboard is set to run it at. It has
nothing to do with the speed ratings of the RAM installed.
 
The RAM will run at the speed the motherboard is set to run it at. It has
nothing to do with the speed ratings of the RAM installed.
Click to expand...

Incorrect. If you mix 2700 and 3200 it wont run at 3200 if you set your
mobo to 3200 as the 2700 CAN NOT RUN at 3200.

ie the ram rating the max the ram can run reliably at. ie you can not
set your mobo to make 2700 ram run at 3200 speed.
 
Plato said:
Incorrect. If you mix 2700 and 3200 it wont run at 3200 if you set
your mobo to 3200 as the 2700 CAN NOT RUN at 3200.

ie the ram rating the max the ram can run reliably at. ie you can not
set your mobo to make 2700 ram run at 3200 speed.
Click to expand...


If the motherboard is set to run at 3200 it will try to run all the RAM at
3200. It may succeed with no problem, it may succeed some of the time but
not other times, or it may fail solidly. That's true whether you are talking
about a mixture of 2700 and 3200 or all 3200. There are no guarantees, but
certainly it's much more likely to run perfectly if you adhere to the
manufacturer's recommendations than if you don't.

The speed ratings refer to the manufacturer's.testing, and that's not
necessarily perfect.

I certainly don't recommend trying to run RAM faster than its rated speed
(overclocking), nor do I recommend trying to run a CPU faster than its rated
speed. Hoever people *have* done both of these things, and in many instances
gotten away with it.

The point here is that the speed the RAM runs at (or tries to run at) is set
by the motherboard, not by the RAM. The statement that it will run at the
slower speed if you mix two speeds is not correct. If you add faster RAM to
a motherboard running slower RAM (and don't also change the motherboard's
settings), yes it will run at the slower speed. But if you add slower RAM to
a motherboard running faster RAM (and don't also change the motherboard's
settings), it will continue to run it at the faster speed. It may or may not
get away with trying to that, and in practice it will often fail
(*especially* with Windows XP, which is very fussy about matching of RAM).
 
If the motherboard is set to run at 3200 it will try to run all the RAM at
3200. It may succeed with no problem, it may succeed some of the time but
not other times, or it may fail solidly. That's true whether you are talking
Click to expand...

RAM is rated at the highest speed it's proven to run reliably at.
 
Plato said:
RAM is rated at the highest speed it's proven to run reliably at.
Click to expand...


No, not true. RAM is rated at the highest speed it's *tested* to run
reliably at. Testing is a long way from proving.

I've run a couple of Quality Assurance departments, in different fields. We
did a good job of testing, but I can assure you (pun intended) that we
weren't perfect.
 
No, not true. RAM is rated at the highest speed it's *tested* to run
reliably at. Testing is a long way from proving.
Click to expand...

Grin. OK, I'll go for that...

eg

In theory, system restore works................ :)
 

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