Martin said:
HI,
I have this motherbord: ASUS P4R800-VM
In the manual it says: "supports one single-sided pc3200 [ddr400] dimm
per channel only"
Does this mean this RAM can not be ussed?
http://www.valueram.com/datasheets/KVR400X64C3A_1G.pdf
At the moment I use one : "512 MB Performance Memory PC3200 DDR400 RAM".
What should I choose if I want 2 GB more?
Best regards
Martin
Paraphrased from the manual.
Mode/DIMM Type DIMM_A1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1 DIMM_B2
Single-channel (1) Populated - - -
(PC3200/PC2700/ (2) - Populated - -
PC2100/PC1600) (3) - - Populated -
(4) - - - Populated
---------------------------------------------------------------
Dual-channel (1) Populated - Populated -
(Matched pair)
(PC2700/PC2100/ (2) - Populated - Populated
(Matched pair)
PC1600) (3) Populated Populated Populated Populated (Two
matched pairs)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Dual-channel (1) Populated - Populated -
(Matched pair)
(PC3200) (Single (Single
sided) sided)
---------------------------------------------------------------
A three-DIMM configuration is not supported on this motherboard
---------------------------------------------------------------
The intention is to not run the bus at DDR400 rates, when the
channels are heavily loaded.
Running at DDR333, is supposed to allow two matched pairs to be used.
That is how you'd run 4GB.
If the memory bus is set to run at DDR400, then it will only
meet timing (and have error free memory access), if the
bus is lightly loaded. A single sided DIMM is intended to
achieve that light loading. Only putting one stick per
channel also helps with light loading of the memory bus.
Now, comes the fun part. It is an ATI chipset board, with
limited BIOS control over the memory. To work successfully
with this board (i.e. to take a minimal risk that the
system will not do the right thing), you want a memory
with a PC2700 rating. The SPD chip on such a memory, will
have encoded, that the limit is DDR333. That will cause the
BIOS to automatically run the sticks at DDR333, allowing a
double sided memory to be used. Unless the SPD tells the
BIOS to use DDR333, the BIOS itself lacks a setting to
force any memory to run at DDR333. That is why you'd buy
PC2700 memory, to make up for the missing setting in the
BIOS. (Otherwise, you could buy a PC3200 memory, and
use a BIOS setting to force DDR333 operation.)
On the Crucial site, this would be an example of a properly
selected memory. Limited to DDR333, there should be
no problem with this kit.
http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=7FAB37BDA5CA7304
But if it was me, knowing about the loading limit, I would
use just one kit of 2x1GB at $101.99 . Remove the existing
512MB memory, and install your new 2x1GB kit in A1 and B1,
for example.
You can also look here, for hints as to how stable this motherboard
is, with various memory configurations.
http://vip.asus.com/forum/topic.aspx?board_id=1&model=P4R800-VM&SLanguage=en-us
A sample comment about instability when using four sticks. This
is why I'd use just two (matched) sticks, leaving the original
512MB in your desk drawer.
http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx...d_id=1&model=P4R800-VM&page=1&SLanguage=en-us
Best guess,
Paul
