Differing speed of RAM cards

[Gnarlodious]

I installed a 512 RAM card some time ago and XP ran real good. Now a
computer tech who I am not sure I trust as found the card and blamed
it for a software registration error. He removed the 512 card
(actually a DDR 400mhz) and explained that it is the "wrong speed and
not recognized by Windows". He says even though the numbers on the
System Control Panel match the RAM Windows still ignores it. This
sounds bogus to me, is he lying? Do RAM cards need to be matched in
speed? I would rather upgrade to faster rather than use the old slow
cards.

Thanks.

 

[Richard in AZ]

|I installed a 512 RAM card some time ago and XP ran real good. Now a
| computer tech who I am not sure I trust as found the card and blamed
| it for a software registration error. He removed the 512 card
| (actually a DDR 400mhz) and explained that it is the "wrong speed and
| not recognized by Windows". He says even though the numbers on the
| System Control Panel match the RAM Windows still ignores it. This
| sounds bogus to me, is he lying? Do RAM cards need to be matched in
| speed? I would rather upgrade to faster rather than use the old slow
| cards.
|
| Thanks.

I would find another tech if your don't trust him/her.
Unless your motherboard specifically requires "matched pairs" of memory it will use the card.
But if you have two card with different speeds, you machine will work at the slower of the two
speeds, not the faster card speed.

 

[Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM]

I installed a 512 RAM card some time ago and XP ran real good. Now a
computer tech who I am not sure I trust as found the card and blamed
it for a software registration error. He removed the 512 card
(actually a DDR 400mhz) and explained that it is the "wrong speed and
not recognized by Windows". He says even though the numbers on the
System Control Panel match the RAM Windows still ignores it. This
sounds bogus to me, is he lying? Do RAM cards need to be matched in
speed? I would rather upgrade to faster rather than use the old slow
cards.

Thanks.

Yes, Windows usually needs all RAM to be the same even if the motherboard
doesn't.