Inserting RAMs PC2700-333Mhz and PC3200-400Mhz in older motherboards possible ?

[Peter Meister]

I have got some newer 512 MB RAMs with the following specification:

PC2700U DDR 333Mhz CL2.5
and
400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM 3-4-4 Kingston

Can I (for testing purposes) insert them in an older Motherboard
which only understands

PC133; PC100; PC2100; PC1600

with 200; 266 MHz FrontsideBus?

In other words are the RAMs automatically "Under"-clocked or are they damaged in such a machine ?

Peter

 

[KC Computers]

I have got some newer 512 MB RAMs with the following specification:

PC2700U DDR 333Mhz CL2.5
and
400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM 3-4-4 Kingston

Can I (for testing purposes) insert them in an older Motherboard
which only understands

PC133; PC100; PC2100; PC1600

with 200; 266 MHz FrontsideBus?

In other words are the RAMs automatically "Under"-clocked or are they
damaged in such a machine ?

RAM modules will be automatically underclocked if used on older boards.
However, you can only use 184-pin DDR DIMM modules on
motherboards which use 184-pin DDR RAM sockets. PC100 and
PC133 modules are 168-bin SDRAM ones and will NOT fit
184-pin DDR RAM sockets. PC2100 modules are 184-pin DDR
ones.

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

It depends very much on the motherboard itself.... I'd ask the manufacturers
of it if they will be recognized.

 

[Rod Speed]

I have got some newer 512 MB RAMs with the following specification:

PC2700U DDR 333Mhz CL2.5
and
400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM 3-4-4 Kingston

Can I (for testing purposes) insert them in an older Motherboard
which only understands

PC133; PC100; PC2100; PC1600
with 200; 266 MHz FrontsideBus?

The PC133 and PC100 are normally sdram, not the DDR you have.

Quite a few of the older motherboards do
have separate slots for sdram and ddr ram.

In other words are the RAMs automatically "Under"-clocked
Yes.

or are they damaged in such a machine ?

Nope.

 

[Paul]

I have got some newer 512 MB RAMs with the following specification:

PC2700U DDR 333Mhz CL2.5
and
400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM 3-4-4 Kingston

Can I (for testing purposes) insert them in an older Motherboard
which only understands

PC133; PC100; PC2100; PC1600

with 200; 266 MHz FrontsideBus?

In other words are the RAMs automatically "Under"-clocked or are they damaged in such a machine ?

Peter

The PC3200 and PC2700 will fit in PC2100 and PC1600.
PC133 and PC100 are a different socket.

Most good BIOS will down-clock them, and that should work,
as the higher speed DIMMs are backward compatible with
lower speed operation. A PC3200 can go all the way down
to PC1600 speed (DDR200).

The green LED on the Asus motherboard must be off, before
inserting or removing parts on the motherboard. The best
way to do it, is unplug the computer, so you can be absolutely
sure that no power is present inside the computer.

Memtest86+, on a floppy diskette, is a good way to test
the newly inserted RAM.

Paul

 

[flipper]

I have got some newer 512 MB RAMs with the following specification:

PC2700U DDR 333Mhz CL2.5
and
400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM 3-4-4 Kingston

Can I (for testing purposes) insert them in an older Motherboard
which only understands

PC133; PC100; PC2100; PC1600

with 200; 266 MHz FrontsideBus?

In other words are the RAMs automatically "Under"-clocked or are they damaged in such a machine ?

Peter

If it were just a matter of a slower clock then, yes, the RAM would
run slower but you can't put DDR RAM into SDR slots.

 

[NBK]

I have got some newer 512 MB RAMs with the following specification:

PC2700U DDR 333Mhz CL2.5
and
400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM 3-4-4 Kingston

Can I (for testing purposes) insert them in an older Motherboard
which only understands

PC133; PC100; PC2100; PC1600

with 200; 266 MHz FrontsideBus?

In other words are the RAMs automatically "Under"-clocked or are they damaged in such a machine ?

Peter

Which ASUS motherboard do you have???

 

[paulmd]

RAM modules will be automatically underclocked if used on older boards.
However, you can only use 184-pin DDR DIMM modules on
motherboards which use 184-pin DDR RAM sockets. PC100 and
PC133 modules are 168-bin SDRAM ones and will NOT fit
184-pin DDR RAM sockets.

Well, they technically DO fit in the slot. But you'll let the magic
smoke out of your ram/MB, Or both it you tyr to turn it ON that way.
<g>



PC2100 modules are 184-pin DDR

 

[Arno Wagner]

I have got some newer 512 MB RAMs with the following specification:

PC2700U DDR 333Mhz CL2.5
and
400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM 3-4-4 Kingston

Can I (for testing purposes) insert them in an older Motherboard
which only understands

PC133; PC100; PC2100; PC1600

with 200; 266 MHz FrontsideBus?

In other words are the RAMs automatically "Under"-clocked or are
they damaged in such a machine ?

They should not even fit the connector. If you force them in,
yes, they will be damaged.

Arno

 

[NBK]

I have got some newer 512 MB RAMs with the following specification:

PC2700U DDR 333Mhz CL2.5
and
400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM 3-4-4 Kingston

Can I (for testing purposes) insert them in an older Motherboard
which only understands

PC133; PC100; PC2100; PC1600

with 200; 266 MHz FrontsideBus?

In other words are the RAMs automatically "Under"-clocked or are they damaged in such a machine ?

Peter

What is the model of the ASUS motherboard???

 

[Andy Lee]

I have got some newer 512 MB RAMs with the following specification:

PC2700U DDR 333Mhz CL2.5
and
400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM 3-4-4 Kingston

Can I (for testing purposes) insert them in an older Motherboard
which only understands

PC133; PC100; PC2100; PC1600

with 200; 266 MHz FrontsideBus?

In other words are the RAMs automatically "Under"-clocked or are they damaged in such a machine ?

Peter

They won't even fit the old motherboard supports SDRAM not DDRAM The
slots are physically different

 

[tod]

That memory will not even fit in the PC100 & PC133 slots.
Usually PC2700& PC3200 will work at the slower speed of PC1600 & PC2100

 

[Paul]

I have got some newer 512 MB RAMs with the following specification:

PC2700U DDR 333Mhz CL2.5
and
400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM 3-4-4 Kingston

Can I (for testing purposes) insert them in an older Motherboard
which only understands

PC133; PC100; PC2100; PC1600

with 200; 266 MHz FrontsideBus?

In other words are the RAMs automatically "Under"-clocked or are they damaged in such a machine ?

Peter

Higher speed RAM are compatible with lower speed requirements.
A PC3200 RAM runs at DDR400, DDR333, DDR266, DDR200 and can
be fitted in a PC2100 motherboard.

The slots with PC133 and PC100, that is a different slot (SDRAM)
and DDR RAM shouldn't fit in those slots.

The RAM can automatically be underclocked. A well behaved BIOS
should do that. If the BIOS is not well behaved, there shouldn't
be any damage to the RAM.

Paul

 

[Robert Hancock]

I have got some newer 512 MB RAMs with the following specification:

PC2700U DDR 333Mhz CL2.5
and
400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM 3-4-4 Kingston

Can I (for testing purposes) insert them in an older Motherboard
which only understands

PC133; PC100; PC2100; PC1600

with 200; 266 MHz FrontsideBus?

In other words are the RAMs automatically "Under"-clocked or are they damaged in such a machine ?

Peter

There's no problem with using faster DIMMs than the machine requires..

 

[Eric]

There's no problem with using faster DIMMs than the machine requires..

I'd say that is most likely the case, that faster RAM will work fine. If
you have a book for the MB it should say what RAM models it expects. If
you're not sure if it will work, you can always confirm with the MB
manufacturer. DDR RAM will not work in SDRAM slots. That should be
obvious. DDR RAM only works in an SDRAM MB if it takes both, like my K7S5A
(which says use either but not both kinds at the same time).

 

[Roy Coorne]

Peter Meister asked:

I have got some newer 512 MB RAMs with the following specification:

PC2700U DDR 333Mhz CL2.5
and
400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM 3-4-4 Kingston

Can I (for testing purposes) insert them in an older Motherboard
which only understands

PC133; PC100; PC2100; PC1600

with 200; 266 MHz FrontsideBus?

In other words are the RAMs automatically "Under"-clocked or are they damaged in such a machine ?

Generally: yes *if* they fit - your PC2700 and PC3200 DIMMs will fit
only into slots for PC2100 or PC1600, resp., _not_ into those for
PC100 and PC133.
And don't forget: RTFM;-)

Roy