Need Info to Uprade P4S533 to 1 GB RAM

[JB]

My CPU is a P4-1.8A running at 2.754 MHz and with memory running 153 MHz
(2-2-2-5).

Task manager in Win XP at times shows <10MB RAM available in the one game I
run...IL2 Forgotten Battles so I would like to increase the RAM.

I currently have one 512 MB stick of generic memory with Samsung chips.
This stick uses two memory banks and the maximum available is three so I
cannot just add another stick of Samsung.

Are single-bank 512 MB DDR DIMMS available and what brand/model might they
be?

Thank you for any insights.

 

[Paul]

My CPU is a P4-1.8A running at 2.754 MHz and with memory running 153 MHz
(2-2-2-5).

Task manager in Win XP at times shows <10MB RAM available in the one game I
run...IL2 Forgotten Battles so I would like to increase the RAM.

I currently have one 512 MB stick of generic memory with Samsung chips.
This stick uses two memory banks and the maximum available is three so I
cannot just add another stick of Samsung.

Are single-bank 512 MB DDR DIMMS available and what brand/model might they
be?

Thank you for any insights.

Looking in a copy of the manual (E989 P4S533), it says:

"Only four banks of PC2700 are supported"

That could be, for example, two double sided 512MB PC2700 sticks,
as they would take two banks for each stick. I would think a second
stick of the memory you currently own, should do the job. Try the memory
in slot 1 and slot 3, for best results.

I have seen one single sided 512MB DIMM mentioned in a manufacturer's
catalog, but never heard of one "in the wild". You are more likely
to find single sided 256MB modules, because they have the layout of
a 512MB module, but only half the chips installed. In any case, you
should be able to use two 512MB modules, so you don't have to look
for any obscure modules.

Where did you read of a three bank limit ?

HTH,
Paul

 

[JB]

Looking in a copy of the manual (E989 P4S533), it says:

"Only four banks of PC2700 are supported"

That could be, for example, two double sided 512MB PC2700 sticks,
as they would take two banks for each stick. I would think a second
stick of the memory you currently own, should do the job. Try the memory
in slot 1 and slot 3, for best results.

I have seen one single sided 512MB DIMM mentioned in a manufacturer's
catalog, but never heard of one "in the wild". You are more likely
to find single sided 256MB modules, because they have the layout of
a 512MB module, but only half the chips installed. In any case, you
should be able to use two 512MB modules, so you don't have to look
for any obscure modules.

Where did you read of a three bank limit ?

HTH,
Paul

Ah..I see. I should have dragged out the manual. I was thinking there was
one bank per slot. I don't recall how I arrived at that.

Thank you very much for the correction Paul.

 

[JB]

Ah..I see. I should have dragged out the manual. I was thinking there was
one bank per slot. I don't recall how I arrived at that.

Thank you very much for the correction Paul.<

Hey, I see why I was confused. My single stick takes up four banks, not
two. That means I cannot add any memory without removing this one. So I
need two sticks of 512 MB that take up only two banks each or a single stick
of 1 GB.

 

[Paul]

Hey, I see why I was confused. My single stick takes up four banks, not
two. That means I cannot add any memory without removing this one. So I
need two sticks of 512 MB that take up only two banks each or a single stick
of 1 GB.

There is a terminology problem that is confusing you.

Inside a single memory chips, are banks of memory. Current memory
chips use four banks, and that means four pages can be open at
the same time within one memory. An open page speeds access, by
reducing the overhead on an operation.

Bank Bank
| |
----------- x8 bit wide chip data interface
| |
Bank Bank

So, that is inside the chip.

At the DIMM level, memory chips are arranged to make a 64 bit wide
quantity. This is to match the 64 data lines in the socket. For
example (8) 8 bit wide chips can be used to make a single "side"
of memory.

Now, there are enough control signals feeding the DIMM slot, to
support two "sides" of memory.


x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8
| | | | | | | |
------------------------ Data bus (64 pins)
| | | | | | | |
x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8

The figure above is typical of a 512MB double sided DIMM module.

Each "side" in this figure counts as one electrical load.

You are allowed four electrical loads at the PC2700 speed.
That means you can have two standard two "sided" DIMMs in your computer.

Here is your computer with two double sided DIMMs, operating
at PC2700. Memory is in slot 1 and slot 3.

x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8
| | | | | | | |
--------------------------+----- Data bus (64 pins)
| | | | | | | | |
x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 |
|
------- Empty slot -------+
|
x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 |
| | | | | | | | |
--------------------------+
| | | | | | | |
x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8



Stop worrying

Paul

 

[JB]

There is a terminology problem that is confusing you.

Inside a single memory chips, are banks of memory. Current memory
chips use four banks, and that means four pages can be open at
the same time within one memory. An open page speeds access, by
reducing the overhead on an operation.

Bank Bank
| |
----------- x8 bit wide chip data interface
| |
Bank Bank

So, that is inside the chip.

At the DIMM level, memory chips are arranged to make a 64 bit wide
quantity. This is to match the 64 data lines in the socket. For
example (8) 8 bit wide chips can be used to make a single "side"
of memory.

Now, there are enough control signals feeding the DIMM slot, to
support two "sides" of memory.


x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8
| | | | | | | |
------------------------ Data bus (64 pins)
| | | | | | | |
x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8

The figure above is typical of a 512MB double sided DIMM module.

Each "side" in this figure counts as one electrical load.

You are allowed four electrical loads at the PC2700 speed.
That means you can have two standard two "sided" DIMMs in your computer.

Here is your computer with two double sided DIMMs, operating
at PC2700. Memory is in slot 1 and slot 3.

x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8
| | | | | | | |
--------------------------+----- Data bus (64 pins)
| | | | | | | | |
x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 |
|
------- Empty slot -------+
|
x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 |
| | | | | | | | |
--------------------------+
| | | | | | | |
x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8 x8



Stop worrying

Paul

Thank you very much for the explanation of the memory architecture Paul.
You really put yourself out on this..I know the ASCII diagrams are tedious
to make. Your response will go in my reference file. The manual could sure
use some improvement in this area.

I think I have a fair understanding of the situation now and have ordered
two 512 DIMMS.