P4P800 dual channel question again

[Elly]

This question is very technical so I hope some Asus tech support guy or
experts who know for sure give a hand. Thanks.

My XP computer has P4P800 and one Kingston KVR400X64C25/256, which can't
do dual mode for this board according to Kingston.com and Asus P4P800
QVL. So I plan to buy two more 256MB PC3200 DDR RAM, this time Kingston
KVR400X64C3A/256, which is on Kingston and Asus list for P4P800. When I
do have the RAM, can my system do dual channel when all three RAM stick
is inserted for a total of 768MB? Two identical plus one isn't.

 

[Egil Solberg]

This question is very technical so I hope some Asus tech support guy
or experts who know for sure give a hand. Thanks.

My XP computer has P4P800 and one Kingston KVR400X64C25/256, which
can't do dual mode for this board according to Kingston.com and Asus
P4P800 QVL. So I plan to buy two more 256MB PC3200 DDR RAM, this time
Kingston KVR400X64C3A/256, which is on Kingston and Asus list for
P4P800. When I do have the RAM, can my system do dual channel when
all three RAM stick is inserted for a total of 768MB? Two identical
plus one isn't.

ftp://download.intel.com/design/chipsets/datashts/25252304.pdf

Section 5.2.2.1.

You can certainly not do dual-channel with this setup. You can run virtual
single channel, but from this setup, not in dynamic mode. So this solution
is a poor one.

 

[Paul]

This question is very technical so I hope some Asus tech support guy or
experts who know for sure give a hand. Thanks.

My XP computer has P4P800 and one Kingston KVR400X64C25/256, which can't
do dual mode for this board according to Kingston.com and Asus P4P800
QVL. So I plan to buy two more 256MB PC3200 DDR RAM, this time Kingston
KVR400X64C3A/256, which is on Kingston and Asus list for P4P800. When I
do have the RAM, can my system do dual channel when all three RAM stick
is inserted for a total of 768MB? Two identical plus one isn't.

Why not phone up Kingston and ask them if a second KVR400X64C25/256
can be used ? There is a 1-800 number here:

http://www.kingston.com/company/contact.asp

Actually, if you start from the product page and click "search for
systems that use this part" near the bottom of the page, 875/865
boards seem to be suspiciously missing:

http://www.ec.kingston.com/ecom/configurator/PartsInfo.asp?ktcpartno=KVR400X64C25/256

Maybe a better plan would be to buy 2 x 512MB sticks and put the
256MB stick in a drawer.

Intel provides this document. With three sticks, you will be
in Virtual Single Channel mode, with the resultant drop in
memory bandwidth.

ftp://download.intel.com/design/chipsets/applnots/25273001.pdf

User comments (with not enough details)
http://secure.newegg.com/app/CustratingReview.asp?DEPA=0&item=20-141-401

You can also search Abxzone forums here:

http://abxzone.com/forums/search.php (try KVR400X64C25/256)
http://abxzone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52378&highlight=KVR400X64C25/256

The thing about Kingston Valueram, is the memory sticks don't
always use the same memory chips. At one time, the part you
referenced above, used Winbond CH-5 chips. One of the Newegg
customers commented that his stick had Mosel memory on his.
Winbond no longer makes memory chips, so if you buy a recently
manufactured KVR400X64C25/256, it won't have Winbond on it.
In other words, if you buy a second KVR400X64C25/256, chances
are its characteristics would be different from the one you have
purchased now, in terms of whether it works well with 875/865
boards. (And, that could make a difference to compatibility,
either plus or minus.)

I really think 2 x 512MB memory is a better plan, even if it
costs $50 more. If you buy the two of them as a kit, they should
both use the same kind of memory chips. You could then sell the
KVR400X64C25/256 stick, to get some of the $50 back.

HTH,
Paul

 

[Alex]

Hi Elly,

To do the Dual Channel thing, you need 2 identical sticks of Ram in each
channel.
1 stick obviously doesn't run at Dual channel, 2 Sticks will, 3 sticks won't
,4 sticks will.

I have 4x256mb Geil Dual channel PC3200 Ram, It isnt on the ASUS QVL list,
but it works well (and in Dual channel mode)

Alas, I cant expand the Ram any further as all 4 slots are occupied.

So basically get 2 or 4 sticks of Good quality 400Mhz 3200 RAM that is
specified for Dual channel. Using 3 isn't a good idea.

In hindsight, I would have gone for 2x512Mb, and that way one would have 2
free slots for the future. You put them in Slots 0 and 2 (or 1 and 3).

Alex.

 

[DaveW]

With three sticks of RAM you will NOT be in dual channel mode.

DaveW