Question about RAM type

[Eric]

My motherboard only up to 333 hz for RAM, but DDR 333 HZ ram is no longer
available on the market, and the salesman suggests to purchase 400 Hz,
because it can switch down to 333 for one level only, if I purchase any
higher than 400 Hz, then it will not work, because it requires to switch more
than one level.
Does anyone have any suggestions whether the salesman said is true or not?
Can I upgrade my computer ASUS PC-DL Deluxe motherboard with DDR 400 Hz Ram?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions
Eric

 

[Shenan Stanley]

My motherboard only up to 333 hz for RAM, but DDR 333 HZ ram is no
longer available on the market, and the salesman suggests to
purchase 400 Hz, because it can switch down to 333 for one level
only, if I purchase any higher than 400 Hz, then it will not work,
because it requires to switch more than one level.
Does anyone have any suggestions whether the salesman said is true
or not? Can I upgrade my computer ASUS PC-DL Deluxe motherboard
with DDR 400 Hz Ram? Thanks in advance for any suggestions

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=PC-DL Deluxe

Buy.

 

[db]

yes, I will work.

also, double check
your mother boards
memory specifications
at its home site.

-------------------

incidentally, some
mother boards have
dual channel capabilities,

but only when you have
two identical ram chips.

so I wouldn't mix and
match rams with different
speeds.

--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @hotmail.com
"share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Twayne]

yes, I will work.

also, double check
your mother boards
memory specifications
at its home site.

-------------------

incidentally, some
mother boards have
dual channel capabilities,

but only when you have
two identical ram chips.

so I wouldn't mix and
match rams with different
speeds.

With RAM sticks of different speeds, the RAM accesses will ALL be at the
lower speed. The entire bus slows down to accommodate the lowest speed.

HTH,

Twayne`

 

[Unknown]

Go to Crucial.com.

 

[Anna]

My motherboard only up to 333 hz for RAM, but DDR 333 HZ ram is no longer
available on the market, and the salesman suggests to purchase 400 Hz,
because it can switch down to 333 for one level only, if I purchase any
higher than 400 Hz, then it will not work, because it requires to switch
more
than one level.
Does anyone have any suggestions whether the salesman said is true or not?
Can I upgrade my computer ASUS PC-DL Deluxe motherboard with DDR 400 Hz
Ram?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions
Eric

Eric...
There's still plenty of DDR 333 (PC 2700) RAM "on the market". Take a look
here...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148122

It should cost you about $30 (incl. shipping) or so for 512 MB of RAM. I'm
assuming you could work with that amount of RAM given the age of your
motherboard, but if you needed 1 GB the cost wouldn't be terribly higher.
Take a look at other newegg offerings.
Anna

 

[db]

yeah, I thought of that
too.

but some times mixing
ram creates issues in
the long run.

--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @hotmail.com
"share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Paul]

My motherboard only up to 333 hz for RAM, but DDR 333 HZ ram is no longer
available on the market, and the salesman suggests to purchase 400 Hz,
because it can switch down to 333 for one level only, if I purchase any
higher than 400 Hz, then it will not work, because it requires to switch more
than one level.
Does anyone have any suggestions whether the salesman said is true or not?
Can I upgrade my computer ASUS PC-DL Deluxe motherboard with DDR 400 Hz Ram?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions
Eric

DDR400 RAM can run slower even than DDR333. It can go all the
way down to DDR200, and actually just a little bit lower than
that. So DDR400 covers everything that would be useful.

To prove this (like to that salesman), start with a memory
chip datasheet. This would be a chip on one of those DIMMs.

http://download.micron.com/pdf/datasheets/dram/ddr/512MBDDRx4x8x16.pdf

If you look at Table 3 on page 2, the stuff marked "-5B" is
DDR400. Notice that it covers PC3200 all the way to PC1600.
So that one covered everything.

If you go to pg.23. there is a parameter called Clock cycle time.
5ns = 200MHz = DDR400, and if CAS3 timing is used, the -5B RAM
chips will run at 5ns. So that condition would be the one for
PC3200.

But in that same section, it mentions 13ns. 13ns = 77MHz = DDR154.
That is actually slower than DDR200. So the RAM can run lower
than the lowest available industry standard RAM speed.

For each RAM technology, you can do similar research, by
downloading a datasheet for DDR2, DDR3 etc, and then look
up the numbers.

Paul

 

[Eric]

Thank everyone very much for suggestions
Do you mean that if I purchase DDR 400 instead of DDR 333, then I will get
DDR 200 performance, because it switches from 400 into 200 and skipping 333?
Thank everyone very much for any suggestions
Eric

 

[Eric]

Thank everyone very much for suggestions
512 MB x 2 at 333 Hz is my existing setup,
If I add 1 GB x 2 at 400 Hz, could you please tell me what kind of issues I
will face for my server?
Thank everyone very much for any suggestions
Eric

 

[Paul]

Thank everyone very much for suggestions
Do you mean that if I purchase DDR 400 instead of DDR 333, then I will get
DDR 200 performance, because it switches from 400 into 200 and skipping 333?
Thank everyone very much for any suggestions
Eric

It means a stick of DDR400 RAM, can be used like this -

Install in... Runs at...

DDR400 computer DDR400
DDR333 computer DDR333
DDR266 computer DDR266
DDR200 computer DDR200

It can be used for any of the slower speed applications.
The BIOS will adjust the timing settings, for each
of those speeds. That means the BIOS will work out the
correct value of CAS latency setting, depending on the
memory speed setting being use.

You have nothing to worry about. If you buy the DDR400 memory,
and use it in a DDR333 application, it will run at DDR333.

If you use the BIOS, to select other memory speed settings,
the RAM will also support those.

*******

There is only one situation and motherboard I can think of, that
is an exception to the rule. There is a certain motherboard,
which has a defective BIOS design. The hardware is only
capable of running at DDR333. If a stick of DDR400 is installed,
the BIOS tries to run it at DDR400 (mistake!) and the computer
crashes. For that particular computer, and assuming the BIOS has not
be corrected by now, you buy DDR333 memory only, to fix
the BIOS bug. So buying slower memory, is used to compensate
(work around) a BIOS bug. If you install DDR333 (PC2700) memory
on that motherboard, it will run it at DDR333, and then
the hardware is stable.

Most BIOS are bug free, when considering this issue, so there
is no reason for concern.

Paul

 

[Eric]

Thank everyone very much for suggestions
If I install DDR 3 1333 into my motherboard, will it switch down to DDR 333
mode?
Or Do I have to use DDR type only for my motherboard? and cannot use DDR2 or
DDR3.
Do you have any suggestions?
Thank everyone very much for suggestions
Eric

 

[Paul]

Thank everyone very much for suggestions
If I install DDR 3 1333 into my motherboard, will it switch down to DDR 333
mode?
Or Do I have to use DDR type only for my motherboard? and cannot use DDR2 or
DDR3.
Do you have any suggestions?
Thank everyone very much for suggestions
Eric

Only the one type works. The contact count is different on some of them,
so they wouldn't line up. The modules are also keyed to fit, so the wrong
module type should not fit in the socket.

Each memory type is different, and has a different operating voltage.
DDR is 2.5V, DDR2 is 1.8V, DDR3 is 1.5V.

So you have to stick with DDR, if you have a DDR motherboard.

One other thing about DDR modules, and in particular the 1GB
sized ones. Don't buy them from Ebay. Many Ebay sellers offer
"cheap" 1GB modules, consisting of high density RAM. Instead,
you should purchase low density RAM from brand name companies.
The high density RAM uses x4 chips, and is a non-preferred product
for Intel systems. Many Ebay adverts, warn they are selling
high density RAM, but if there are any that are not being
honest, it is best to just stay away from Ebay. If you
wanted some other size of DDR module, such as 512MB or
256MB, the same deception is not popular, so those would
be safer than the 1GB ones. Of course, there isn't quite
the same demand for those, either.

Paul

 

[SC Tom]

Thank everyone very much for suggestions
If I install DDR 3 1333 into my motherboard, will it switch down to DDR
333
mode?
Or Do I have to use DDR type only for my motherboard? and cannot use DDR2
or
DDR3.
Do you have any suggestions?
Thank everyone very much for suggestions
Eric

You cannot use DDR2 or 3 in a DDR slot. The physical configuration is
different- more contacts, alignment key slot in a different location. Stick
with the available DDR400 and you'll be fine. Besides, why pay more for the
DDR2 or 3 when your MB won't utilize it's speed (even if it would fit)?

SC Tom

 

[db]

yes, adding more ram
will improve your system
performance.

anything at or over 750 megs
is good to run windows and
many popular applications.

however, motherboards
are not created alike when
it comes to the memory
requirements.

at this time your motherboard
has 2 ram chips that are 256
each.

so your total ram is 512.

so adding another chip
at 1 gig for a total amount
of 1.5 gigs of ram is ideal.

-------------------

however the scenario above
requires that the mother board
have 3 slots to accommodate
3 chips of ram.

so the first question is how
many slots does your mother
board have.

if it has 2, then you will replace
one of the chips with the larger
one.

the next question is does
your mother board require
that your first slot have a 256
@ 333hz chip "or"

can you simply put the new
1 gig 400hz in it?

it is better to have 1 chip instead
of have two chips of different sizes
and frequencies.

having 2 chips that are exactly
the same is also better.

this is because when the cpu
goes into overdrive and process's
data at 100% ,

the ackward memory configurations
will likely result in a crash.

-----------------

it sounds confusing but there is
logic to the madness above.

next time you post, why not
provide us with a link to your
mother board memory specs
or something.

--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @hotmail.com
"share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Unknown]

He is already at 1 gig. 512 x 2

yes, adding more ram
will improve your system
performance.

anything at or over 750 megs
is good to run windows and
many popular applications.

however, motherboards
are not created alike when
it comes to the memory
requirements.

at this time your motherboard
has 2 ram chips that are 256
each.

so your total ram is 512.

so adding another chip
at 1 gig for a total amount
of 1.5 gigs of ram is ideal.

-------------------

however the scenario above
requires that the mother board
have 3 slots to accommodate
3 chips of ram.

so the first question is how
many slots does your mother
board have.

if it has 2, then you will replace
one of the chips with the larger
one.

the next question is does
your mother board require
that your first slot have a 256
@ 333hz chip "or"

can you simply put the new
1 gig 400hz in it?

it is better to have 1 chip instead
of have two chips of different sizes
and frequencies.

having 2 chips that are exactly
the same is also better.

this is because when the cpu
goes into overdrive and process's
data at 100% ,

the ackward memory configurations
will likely result in a crash.

-----------------

it sounds confusing but there is
logic to the madness above.

next time you post, why not
provide us with a link to your
mother board memory specs
or something.

--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @hotmail.com
"share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Unknown]

Check with crucial.com.

Thank everyone very much for suggestions
512 MB x 2 at 333 Hz is my existing setup,
If I add 1 GB x 2 at 400 Hz, could you please tell me what kind of issues
I
will face for my server?
Thank everyone very much for any suggestions
Eric

 

[Unknown]

Your best bet is to get the info from www.crucial.com They guarantee their
modules.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

<snip>

Your best bet is to get the info from www.crucial.com They
guarantee their modules.

Thus the first response to this whole conversation. ;-)

 

[Unknown]

Yep, but apparently it was missed.

<snip>


Thus the first response to this whole conversation. ;-)