Increase RAM

[Nik]

Judging by my below specs, what would be my best option to increase my RAM?

I really think I need 1GB RAM, but I'm concerned that I will mess up the
configuration. I read that to get the very best from RAM all the sticks need
to be from the same manufacturer/batch.

I also believe that RAM operates in pairs, is that right? I have 2 spare
slots (I think) as I have 2x256 sticks at the moment.

So would I be wrong to just get 1x512 stick (and would it work) or should I
go for 2x256 again, and fill all my slots? I know that means if I ever want
to upgrade, I'll have to get rid of some of the RAM, which will be a waste
of money! But on the other hand, I don't want to muck up the DDR part of the
RAM. Will having imbalanced sticks make a big difference to performance? I
use the PC mainly for Gaming, but also I like to run a few memory hungry
applications simultaneously. I didn't go for the 2x512MB option when I
bought the PC because MESH were charging an extra £100, and I knew I could
get it cheaper, when I needed it....and now I need it!

Thanks for any advice.

Nik.


--
==============================================================
Remove S P A M K I L L From my Email address to reply to me Directly
==============================================================
P4 3.2 / 512MB Samsung 400mhz PC3200 RAM/ 200GB Maxtor SATA / HP DJ5550
Sony DVD RW / Sony CD/RW / Logitech MX700 KB+Mse / Viewsonic VE710b TFT
WIN XP Home SP2 / Creative I-Trigue 3200 / Asus P4P800SE MoBo / HP iPaq2210
===============================================================

 

[Gordon Scott]

Judging by my below specs, what would be my best option to increase my RAM?

I really think I need 1GB RAM, but I'm concerned that I will mess up the
configuration. I read that to get the very best from RAM all the sticks need
to be from the same manufacturer/batch.

I also believe that RAM operates in pairs, is that right? I have 2 spare
slots (I think) as I have 2x256 sticks at the moment.

So would I be wrong to just get 1x512 stick (and would it work) or should I
go for 2x256 again, and fill all my slots? I know that means if I ever want
to upgrade, I'll have to get rid of some of the RAM, which will be a waste
of money! But on the other hand, I don't want to muck up the DDR part of the
RAM. Will having imbalanced sticks make a big difference to performance? I
use the PC mainly for Gaming, but also I like to run a few memory hungry
applications simultaneously. I didn't go for the 2x512MB option when I
bought the PC because MESH were charging an extra £100, and I knew I could
get it cheaper, when I needed it....and now I need it!

Thanks for any advice.

Nik.

--
==============================================================
Remove S P A M K I L L From my Email address to reply to me Directly
==============================================================
P4 3.2 / 512MB Samsung 400mhz PC3200 RAM/ 200GB Maxtor SATA / HP DJ5550
Sony DVD RW / Sony CD/RW / Logitech MX700 KB+Mse / Viewsonic VE710b TFT
WIN XP Home SP2 / Creative I-Trigue 3200 / Asus P4P800SE MoBo / HP iPaq2210
===============================================================

It would really help to know what board you have

Gordon

 

[KingGuardian]

==============================================================

It would really help to know what board you have

Gordon

Gordon......Nik listed it in the specs up there....see it?

 

[Nik]

Gordon, as per the message "..Judging by my below specs..." it states
"..Asus P4P800SE MoBo "

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[Bob Knowlden]

I assume that your P4P800SE is like my P4P800, and can be operated in
single-channel memory mode.

How much that would strangle your P4 3.2, I don't know.

Just as a matter of principle, I suggest that you stay with the dual channel
configuration, and add another pair.

I don't wish to be alarming, but there may be a concern: the P4P800 could
only use 2 DIMM slots with some memory. (All 4 were OK with others.) A quick
look at the Asus web site didn't show a compatibility list for the P4P800SE.
Maybe the newer systems are more forgiving.

The safest way might be to buy a pair of 512 MB PC3200 DIMMs. I see that
Crucial has them for 65.79UKP (incl. VAT) each. I've seen (what might be)
decent generic PC3200 DIMMs in the US for more like $65.

Good luck.

Bob Knowlden

Address may be scrambled. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

 

[Gordon Scott]

==============================================================

Gordon......Nik listed it in the specs up there....see it?

oh,, way down below, my bad

 

[Nik]

Thanks for your advice Bob.

Nik.

I assume that your P4P800SE is like my P4P800, and can be operated in
single-channel memory mode.

How much that would strangle your P4 3.2, I don't know.

Just as a matter of principle, I suggest that you stay with the dual
channel configuration, and add another pair.

I don't wish to be alarming, but there may be a concern: the P4P800 could
only use 2 DIMM slots with some memory. (All 4 were OK with others.) A
quick look at the Asus web site didn't show a compatibility list for the
P4P800SE. Maybe the newer systems are more forgiving.

The safest way might be to buy a pair of 512 MB PC3200 DIMMs. I see that
Crucial has them for 65.79UKP (incl. VAT) each. I've seen (what might be)
decent generic PC3200 DIMMs in the US for more like $65.

Good luck.

Bob Knowlden

Address may be scrambled. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

 

[JS]

I really think I need 1GB RAM, but I'm concerned that I will mess up
the configuration. I read that to get the very best from RAM all the
sticks need to be from the same manufacturer/batch.

They don't need to be from the same batch. Each member of a pair should
have the same spec's as its' mate (within the same pair). The easiest way
to ensure identical spec's is to get parts from the same manufacturer and
with the same part number or to get a 'Dual Channel' pair. Many
manufacturers now offer DDR SDRAM in pairs targeted for 'Dual Channel'
systems like yours. I don't know about matching spec's from pair to pair.
You may want to try to get new parts with the same spec's as the old parts
so that the new parts perform as well or as bad as the old parts.

I also believe that RAM operates in pairs, is that right? I have 2
spare slots (I think) as I have 2x256 sticks at the moment.

Get another pair of memory sticks. It is hard to say exactly what the
performance loss will be but it can be said that it will be
large/significant. If you get only one stick you will be very unhapppy
with the performance loss. The P4's must have both memory channels working
to get the performance they achieve and without dual channel your PC will
be severely crippled.

So would I be wrong to just get 1x512 stick (and would it work) or
should I go for 2x256 again, and fill all my slots?

One stick will work but with a tremendous performance loss as mentioned
above. Again, definitely get another pair of memory sticks.

I know that means
if I ever want to upgrade, I'll have to get rid of some of the RAM,
which will be a waste of money! But on the other hand, I don't want to
muck up the DDR part of the RAM. Will having imbalanced sticks make a
big difference to performance?

Having unbalanced sticks will not necessarily muck up performance but the
channel with unbalanced sticks will run at the performance levels of the
slower stick. If you have one fast stick and one slow stick installed then
the pair will run at the slow sticks speed capability so, you will be
wasting the faster (more expensive?) stick. This may also apply from pair
to pair but I am not sure about this. Basically, your memory will run only
as fast as the slowest stick. (I am, of course, ignoring the overclocking
and memory latency configuration capabilities of your motherboard
assuming there are any.)

I use the PC mainly for Gaming, but
also I like to run a few memory hungry applications simultaneously. I
didn't go for the 2x512MB option when I bought the PC because MESH
were charging an extra £100, and I knew I could get it cheaper, when I
needed it....and now I need it!

Thanks for any advice.

Nik.

Visit the websites of the various memory manufacturers. Many now have web
utilities that will tell you what memory will work with your PC. They can
help select compatible memory based on the PC model number or based on the
motherboard model number. Some places to start:


http://www.crucial.com/index.asp

Crucial is Micron's retail outlet.

http://www.corsairmicro.com/
http://kingston.com/
http://www.mushkin.com/epages/mushkin.storefront
http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/memory/
http://www.vikinginterworks.com/configurator/

PNY also makes memory but I have heard horror stories about their customer
service in the NVidia newsgroup so I did not include them. This is only a
sample of reputable memory stick manufacturers.

Finally, check your motherboard manual to ensure that you understand what
your motherboards memory spec's AND memory requirements are. At the very
least look for information on compatible memory, memory capacity, and
allowable memory configurations. You can dounload the motherboard manual
from the ASUS website. You might want to check what memory is currently
installed while your at this. Since you've apparently got PC3200, P4 3.2,
and Asus P4P800SE MoBo I would bet some more PC3200 is in order. You may
also want to check the latency specs (CL2, CL2.5, CL3, 3-3-3-5, etc.) of
your currently installed ram to match the new pair to what is currently
installed. Your BIOS should be able to help you determine what latencies
your current memory is running. Matching latencies is just as important as
matching the PC3200 specification.

 

[JS]

I really think I need 1GB RAM, but I'm concerned that I will mess up
the configuration. I read that to get the very best from RAM all the
sticks need to be from the same manufacturer/batch.

They don't need to be from the same batch. Each member of a pair should
have the same spec's as its' mate (within the same pair). The easiest way
to ensure identical spec's is to get parts from the same manufacturer and
with the same part number or to get a 'Dual Channel' pair. Many
manufacturers now offer DDR SDRAM in pairs targeted for 'Dual Channel'
systems like yours. I don't know about matching spec's from pair to pair.
You may want to try to get new parts with the same spec's as the old parts
so that the new parts perform as well or as bad as the old parts.

I also believe that RAM operates in pairs, is that right? I have 2
spare slots (I think) as I have 2x256 sticks at the moment.

Get another pair of memory sticks. It is hard to say exactly what the
performance loss will be but it can be said that it will be
large/significant. If you get only one stick you will be very unhapppy
with the performance loss. The P4's must have both memory channels working
to get the performance they achieve and without dual channel your PC will
be severely crippled.

So would I be wrong to just get 1x512 stick (and would it work) or
should I go for 2x256 again, and fill all my slots?

One stick will work but with a tremendous performance loss as mentioned
above. Again, definitely get another pair of memory sticks.

I know that means
if I ever want to upgrade, I'll have to get rid of some of the RAM,
which will be a waste of money! But on the other hand, I don't want to
muck up the DDR part of the RAM. Will having imbalanced sticks make a
big difference to performance?

Having unbalanced sticks will not necessarily muck up performance but the
channel with unbalanced sticks will run at the performance levels of the
slower stick. If you have one fast stick and one slow stick installed then
the pair will run at the slow sticks speed capability so, you will be
wasting the faster (more expensive?) stick. This may also apply from pair
to pair but I am not sure about this. Basically, your memory will run only
as fast as the slowest stick. (I am, of course, ignoring the overclocking
and memory latency configuration capabilities of your motherboard
assuming there are any.)

I use the PC mainly for Gaming, but
also I like to run a few memory hungry applications simultaneously. I
didn't go for the 2x512MB option when I bought the PC because MESH
were charging an extra £100, and I knew I could get it cheaper, when I
needed it....and now I need it!

Thanks for any advice.

Nik.

Visit the websites of the various memory manufacturers. Many now have web
utilities that will tell you what memory will work with your PC. They can
help select compatible memory based on the PC model number or based on the
motherboard model number. Some places to start:


http://www.crucial.com/index.asp

Crucial is Micron's retail outlet.

http://www.corsairmicro.com/
http://kingston.com/
http://www.mushkin.com/epages/mushkin.storefront
http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/memory/
http://www.vikinginterworks.com/configurator/

PNY also makes memory but I have heard horror stories about their customer
service in the NVidia newsgroup so I did not include them. This is only a
sample of reputable memory stick manufacturers.

Finally, check your motherboard manual to ensure that you understand what
your motherboards memory spec's AND memory requirements are. At the very
least look for information on compatible memory, memory capacity, and
allowable memory configurations. You can dounload the motherboard manual
from the ASUS website. You might want to check what memory is currently
installed while your at this. Since you've apparently got PC3200, P4 3.2,
and Asus P4P800SE MoBo I would bet some more PC3200 is in order. You may
also want to check the latency specs (CL2, CL2.5, CL3, 3-3-3-5, etc.) of
your currently installed ram to match the new pair to what is currently
installed. Your BIOS should be able to help you determine what latencies
your current memory is running. Matching latencies is just as important as
matching the PC3200 specification.

 

[Nik]

Thanks JS, that's alot of information! I really appreciate your time.

Cheers

Nik.