using the RAM combo ... SAFE ?

[red_devil]

hey guys, I had a 512MB RAM stick running on my PC....just today I bought a new 2GB RAM . The 2 GB ram worked normally [while i'd removed the 512MB one] and the OS detected it as a 2GB ram and everything was fine.

Then I added the 512 MB RAM stick as well and even then the OS [vista] detected the RAM as a total of 2.5 GB.

The problem is the new 2GB RAM stick is a Transcend DDR2 -667 while the old one is DDR2 - 533. Now is it safe to use this combo of RAMs or should I remove the 512 one ??

The screenshot attached is of the Memory information which I got from the software "SIW" .... Please check it and let me know if the combo is safe enough to continue using...




PS : -
my mobo is ASUS P5LD2-VM-CR-SI and procy is Core 2 duo 6300 @ 1.86 GHz

[zyberboy]

it will work fine,but better not use it with 2gb because the 512mb ram stick is running at 533mhz which will under clock the the 2gb 667mhz ram

[krinish]

Similar question to this one. I have 1 * 2 GB DDR2 corsair 667 mhz sticks running on dual channel.

If I buy a single 2 GB 667 mhz TRANSCEND stick and stick it in, how would it affect?

[red_devil]

Originally Posted by zyberboy

it will work fine,but better not use it with 2gb because the 512mb ram stick is running at 533mhz which will under clock the the 2gb 667mhz ram

Is the gain of 512MB worthy of the under clock ??

[topgear]

@ krinish - I doubt if you can get dual channel with that. Whay not buy 2x 1GB Transcend DDR2 Ram ?

And if the latency of the transcend ram is same as the corsair they will work without any prob.

@ n6300

Ram bandwidth does not only depends on speed but on latency too.

From the picture it's clear that when you run your rig with 2 sticks @ 533 Mhz they are running @ 4-4-4-12 & if you run the sys with 667 Mhz mem only the sys will run @ 5-5-5-15.

So I think it's better to keep both sticks running.

[red_devil]

@topgear ... did u say keep both sticks running ?

and what was that logic again ?? sorry for being an absolute n00b but please take a bit of effort and explain in a bit more detail....


and btw, now using only 1 stick....2GB one.....removed the 512 one...and here is what SIW has to say ...

[topgear]

Yes I meant to keep both sticks.

Ram bandwidth does not only depends on speed but on latency too.

When you keep riunning 2 sticks they are running @ 533Mhz with 4-4-4-12 latency which gives better performance than 1 of stick ram running @ 667Mhz speed with 5-5-5-15 latency.

Now for example I have benchmarked 2x 2GB DDR2 800Mhz Ram
With 5-5-5-18 latency/timing which give 6.3 GB/s bandwidth in everest.

But When I oced 2x1 GB DDR2 667 Mhz Ram to 700Mhz ( in dual channel mode ) with
4-4-4-12 latency they gave out 7.8GB/s in everest.

So as long as your system is running fine without any stability issue keep running both of them.

BTW, which mobo do you have ?

[krinish]

@topgear

Thanks man. isn't corsair better than transcend? what do you think?

Should I buy 1 GB corsair 667 mhz stick and put it along with the other two corsair sticks with the same specifications, or should completely dump my corsair sticks, and buy 2*2 GB transcend 800 mhz memory?

[Faun]

@n6300
So in what order you have kept them. Use in Flex mode.

512 in Channel A, DIMM 0 and 2GB in Channel B, DIMM 0

I too added an extra 2GB (800MHz) to my system, previously it was 1GB at 533MHz. I pull out the 1GB RAM, just coz I will not need that much memory. Will sell it to someone in need.

[red_devil]

@T, right now single channel mode....

so finally i guess i'll settle in for flex mode...

[topgear]

Originally Posted by krinish

@topgear

Thanks man. isn't corsair better than transcend? what do you think?

Should I buy 1 GB corsair 667 mhz stick and put it along with the other two corsair sticks with the same specifications, or should completely dump my corsair sticks, and buy 2*2 GB transcend 800 mhz memory?

Corsair memories are good indeed but TS mems are also good in value series.

Your mobo needs 2 simillar capacity ram stick to activate dual channel.

So If you Put 3x 1GB ram your mobo will run 2x1GB in dual channel & another one in single channel. Here you will get 2GB ruiing in DC mode & single GB in non DC mode.

But if you put 2x 2GB 800Mhz Ram you will get 4GB of ram running in DC mode.

Then amd has integrated mem controller in it's proc so amd proc scale better with higher ram speed & large amount of rams.

So, if you can afford 2x 2GB DDR2 800Mhz is recomended for your rig.

@ n6300 - regarding to your PM

would i be better off using the 2 ram sticks in flex mode ? or is there any other way that you would like to suggest ?

btw, my mobo is ASUS P5LD2-VM-CR-SI

as your mobo is based on 945G chipset if you put the 512MB Ram in another slot you sys will be running in dual channel which gives 15-30% better performance than single channel.

[red_devil]

^ ah thanks mate...

so i should go ahead with putting 512 RAM on channel A, DIMM 0 and 2GB one in Channel B, DIMM 0 as suggested by T or is there an alternate way which you feel is better ?

[topgear]

Go ahead put the rams on slots as T159 told & use that 512MB ram with 2GB without any issue.

I've still one doubt - how come your mobo supports 2GB ram stick when 945G chipset maximum supports 1GB per single slot. That's very Strange though the good thing is it's working.

[red_devil]

just went through this page :

http://www.fixya.com/support/p568370...-11164/page-27

it says :

For dual-channel configuration, the total size of memory module(s) installed per channel must be the same (DIMM_A1 + DIMM_A2 = DIMM_B1 + DIMM_B2).

Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency. For optimum compatibility, it is recommended that you obtain memory modules from the same vendor. Refer to the DDR2 Qualified Vendors List on the next page for details

should i even bother about all that ?? or should i just let go and see what happens later on ??

[topgear]

Originally Posted by n6300

just went through this page :

http://www.fixya.com/support/p568370...-11164/page-27

it says :




should i even bother about all that ?? or should i just let go and see what happens later on ??

945G & above intel chipsets doesn't requires two same capacity ram to run in dual channel mode.

For speed thing - you can put 2 different speed mem also. But the higher speed ram will be running @ the spped of lower spped ram to maintain stabilty.

So, Don't worry. Just go ahead & give this a try.