P4P800Deluxe memory? QVL?

[Lynn Coffelt]

Newby questions here. Be gentle.
The QVL for this card seems to be for PC3200 memory only. What about PC2100
memory modules? Specifically Crucial PC2100 memory modules. When I began
plans for a new build, (over a year ago), I bought four 256mb sticks of
crucial PC2100 Non-ECC. They are double-sided, and there are notes in the
P4P800Deluxe manual concerning double sided modules with 16 wide bus. Is
this what I've got? The manual says that I can populate all four memory
sockets with these four sticks that I have, but other places (on-line) seem
to indicate that the dual memory channel will only work with two sticks in
the sockets.
Would I be better off just to throw those PC2100 sticks in the fireplace and
buy (sob) two PC3200 sticks from the QVL list? (money tree is inoperative,
currently)
Lynn the Bewildered

 

[Ken Fox]

Hi Lynn,

The QVL is only important for you if it is your intention to overclock the
RAM; even then it might not be all inclusive. In my own case, I now have
2x512MB sticks of el cheapo Corsair Value Select 3200DDR in place, and they
are overclocked 10% at DDR440. Obviously there are no guarantees.
Crucial is known for conservatively rating their RAM specs so the PC2100
although not listed in QVL, might very well be overclockable as well should
you be so inclined. The potential benefit would however be limited because
the PC2100 and your CPU will be limited to communicating at 266MHz
regardless due to the architecture, chipset, and Bios of this board.

I originally had two, 512MB Crucial PC2100 sticks in my P4P800D, and it ran
just fine. I'm no expert in this sort of stuff, but I would be very
surprised if your system wouldn't run fine with all 4 sticks in, and with
all 4 recognized and usable by the system. To be honest I'm surprised that
your 256MB sticks are reputed to be double sided, and maybe you should check
this. I do think they will work, however.

Worse comes to worst, you can certainly use at least 2 of these in the board
which would give you 512MB; in this scenario you could use the remaining 2
sticks in another system, or give or sell them to someone else. They
certainly retain some value in any event.

Good luck,

ken
p.s. assuming all 4 sticks are recognized and usable (I'd rate that at a
98.9% probability, give or take 1.1%), you WILL get dual channel results.

 

[Paul]

Newby questions here. Be gentle.
The QVL for this card seems to be for PC3200 memory only. What about PC2100
memory modules? Specifically Crucial PC2100 memory modules. When I began
plans for a new build, (over a year ago), I bought four 256mb sticks of
crucial PC2100 Non-ECC. They are double-sided, and there are notes in the
P4P800Deluxe manual concerning double sided modules with 16 wide bus. Is
this what I've got? The manual says that I can populate all four memory
sockets with these four sticks that I have, but other places (on-line) seem
to indicate that the dual memory channel will only work with two sticks in
the sockets.
Would I be better off just to throw those PC2100 sticks in the fireplace and
buy (sob) two PC3200 sticks from the QVL list? (money tree is inoperative,
currently)
Lynn the Bewildered

There is a nice little table in the manual, and PC2100 can be used
with all the various processor bus speeds -

Table 2 Memory frequency/CPU FSB synchronization
CPU FSB DDR DIMM Type Memory Frequency
800 MHz PC3200/PC2700*/PC2100 400/333*/266 MHz
533 MHz PC2700/PC2100 333/266 MHz
400 MHz PC2100 266 MHz
* When using 800MHz CPU FSB, PC2700 DDR DIMMs may run
only at 320MHz (not 333MHz) due to chipset limitation.
* The following FSB/DDR ratios are not supported: 400/333,
400/400, 533/400.
* FSB/DDR setting 800/333 is recognized as FSB/DDR 800/320.

Since PC2100 runs at such a subdued memory clock rate, there is a good
chance all four modules will work just fine. Test them with a copy
of memtest86 from memtest86.com, then install your OS when the memory
checks out fine.

You can also go to the crucial.com web page and search for your motherboard
model name there. Maybe your memory module model numbers are already on
this page, which is Crucial's guarantee that they are compatible:

http://www.crucial.com/store/listpa...fr=ASUS&cat=RAM&model=P4P800+Deluxe&submit=Go

In any case, I would try them in your new motherboard, before using
the fireplace. Ram doesn't burn too good anyway. Needs a lot of kindling.

HTH,
Paul

 

[Roy Coorne]

Newby questions here. Be gentle.
The QVL for this card seems to be for PC3200 memory only. What about PC2100
memory modules? Specifically Crucial PC2100 memory modules. When I began
plans for a new build, (over a year ago), I bought four 256mb sticks of
crucial PC2100 Non-ECC. They are double-sided, and there are notes in the
P4P800Deluxe manual concerning double sided modules with 16 wide bus. Is
this what I've got? The manual says that I can populate all four memory
sockets with these four sticks that I have, but other places (on-line) seem
to indicate that the dual memory channel will only work with two sticks in
the sockets.
Would I be better off just to throw those PC2100 sticks in the fireplace and
buy (sob) two PC3200 sticks from the QVL list? (money tree is inoperative,
currently)
Lynn the Bewildered

"In dual-channel configurations, install only _identical_ (the same
type and size) DDR DIMM pairs for each channel." (P4P800 Deluxe
Manual, ch. 2.5.2 Nr.1)

So - believe the manual and install two pairs of PC2100 Crucial which
is fine.

Roy

 

[Hoonose]

I ran 2 similar sticks taken from my Dell office PC, just to see....
They ran fine at 266, and they ran fine in single or dual mode. They
were not a matched set, as only one was a Dell, original.
They just didn't overclock much, and, of course the memory scores were
lower, being at 266, instead of 400. If you're not out to win races,
I'd stick with what you've got, as there was little, real world
difference, after I spent $180 on a matched set of 2 Winbond PC3200
512MB sticks.

Gene

 

[Maximus]

Newby questions here. Be gentle.
The QVL for this card seems to be for PC3200 memory only. What about PC2100
memory modules? Specifically Crucial PC2100 memory modules. When I began
plans for a new build, (over a year ago), I bought four 256mb sticks of
crucial PC2100 Non-ECC. They are double-sided, and there are notes in the
P4P800Deluxe manual concerning double sided modules with 16 wide bus. Is
this what I've got? The manual says that I can populate all four memory
sockets with these four sticks that I have, but other places (on-line) seem
to indicate that the dual memory channel will only work with two sticks in
the sockets.
Would I be better off just to throw those PC2100 sticks in the fireplace and
buy (sob) two PC3200 sticks from the QVL list? (money tree is inoperative,
currently)
Lynn the Bewildered

Once my P4P800 DLX ran with all 4 slots of RAM filled; 2 of which PC2700
and the other 2 are PC3200. No problem at all.

Recently I had another PC, so I took the PC2700 out for the new one.

You need only to make sure the pair of 2 memory sticks if identical; better
buy
at the same time so that you can check or replace when there is trouble.

Good luck.

Max

 

[Lynn Coffelt]

Thanks for all the tips, hints and testimonials. You've saved the PC2100's
from the fireplace. At least for the time being. I'll try all four slots
filled with identical sticks and hope for the best.
Lynn, Less Bewildered