memory help

[bokep]

hi all, relatively new here :P... and i was wondering if you guys could help me with some questions about memory.

right now i have 2 x 256mb pc3200 (infineon chips) running in dual channel, slots 1 & 3. i'm thinking of upgrading to a gig.

so my questions are, if i get a matching pair of 2 x 256mb pc3200 on slots 2 & 4, would i be able to run those on dual channel too? and if yes, do they have to also be infineon chips?

thanks! any suggestions are appreciated.

[Cafe_333]

Yes you will be able to run everything in dual channel with your proposed setup. No they do not have to be infineon chips. They don't even need to be the same speed - though it is recommended but not necessary. In dual channel, ram will run at the speed of the slowest one.

[bokep]

thank you very much, that cleared the whole thing up for me :)

[bokep]

oh one more question, does the latency of the first set of dual channel have to match up with the second set?

[Cafe_333]

Not at all. The faster channel will just downclock itself to match the speed of the slower one.

If you want to know why: In dual channel configuration, Channels 1 and 2 must run at equal speed. Logically, if one of the channels is faster than the other, the slower one cannot physically match the speed of the other channel. Therefore the faster channel will automatically downclock itself to the speed of the slower channel to make them work in synchronous operation together.

Examples
(Dimm1/3) & (Dimm2/4):
(ddr333/ddr400) & (ddr333/ddr333) = everything runs at ddr333 speed.
(ddr400/ddr400) & (ddr333/ddr400) = everything runs at ddr333 speed.

[goofball]

Not at all. The faster channel will just downclock itself to match the speed of the slower one.

If you want to know why: In dual channel configuration, Channels 1 and 2 must run at equal speed. Logically, if one of the channels is faster than the other, the slower one cannot physically match the speed of the other channel. Therefore the faster channel will automatically downclock itself to the speed of the slower channel to make them work in synchronous operation together.

Examples
(Dimm1/3) & (Dimm2/4):
(ddr333/ddr400) & (ddr333/ddr333) = everything runs at ddr333 speed.
(ddr400/ddr400) & (ddr333/ddr400) = everything runs at ddr333 speed.

that's good explanation but don't forget about the timings, which can cause the system to not post. if they are left on SPD, then you are safe. if they were manually set in the bios, then you had best set it to SPD before installing the new memory, to be on the safe side. Also, if the memory speed was set manually in the bios, then you should set it to auto as well, before putting in the memory.

Cafe's explanation works if you do not set manually your memory speed settings in the bios.

[Cafe_333]

Good additional points. It's just that I didn't want to confuse the guy since it seems he's a dual channel newbie :)

[bokep]

haha yep i am

right now my sticks are running 3-3-3-8 (i know i know) and i just wanted to know if there would be conflict i bought a pair of 256's with different timings.

[goofball]

shouldn't be a problem. as mentioned already, make sure your memory timings/speed are set by the bios automatically, as opposed to manually by you, and you should be alright.

as long as the memory is compatible with the motherboard, there should be no conflicts.

with the price of ram about as low as it is gonna get for DDR (for the foreseeable future), you should just go to 1.5GB and get 2 x 512mb sticks instead of just 2 x 256mb.

[bokep]

yeah i was thinking that, but wouldn't it require 10 extra watts per 128mb of memory? (i heard this somewhere, but not really sure)

right now i only have a 350W psu... maybe i should upgrade it too..

[goofball]

you should just list all your components, including your PSU (model/spec's), before we can give you a definite answer. not all PSU's are created equally. Saying 350w doesn't mean anything solid enough to give a proper answer to your question.

[bokep]

pentium 4 520, 2.8ghz, 800mhz fsb
2x256 ddr400
160gb sata 7200rpm seagate
8x sony dvd burner
48x liteon cdrom
pcx 5300 (thinking of upgrading, to x800gt maybe? within the next few months)
mobo msi ms-7046

since i dont know much about psus, i'll list everything
psu is fsp350-60umdn rev.a by fsp group
+3.3V - 28A
+5V - 30A
+12V - 19.5A
+5Vsb - 2A
-5V - .3A
-12V - .5A
(+3.3V & +5V & +12V = 320W max) (+3.3V + 5V = 180W max)

[Cafe_333]

I've never heard of the psu brand name FSP - it sounds to me like it is a generic psu that probably came with the case you bought. For a system like yours, I would really recommend investing in a good quality brand name psu. You don't need to go very high on the watts either because most modern systems today barely even peak out at 300W. However I would go with at bare minimum 380W but even 420-450W would be more ideal to be on the safe side - especially since Intels are so power hungry.

Anyway, i wouldn't worry *too* much about the psu right now. Upgrade your ram for now but seriously consider a better psu for your next upgrade.

[goofball]

I've never heard of a psu branded with FSP - it sounds to me like it is a generic psu that probably came with the case you bought.

Fortron Source Power.

you should be fine, fortron tends to under rate their psu's somewhat. Very good manufacturer though, and you should look to them when you buy a new PSU as well.

if you do go with a new video card though, upgrade your current PSU.

It's not really wattage that is important but the amperage outputs on the rails that are going to be stressed. Prescott's use a lot of the +12v, as would the new video card.

[Cafe_333]

ahh... Fortron. I only knew them as Fortrons and not FSP. Scratch what I said in my above post then! Fortron is actually a very good psu. :D

[bokep]

ahh... thank you very much guys. more help than i could have ever asked for.

thanks again!