Memory - so many questions...

Can anyone please tell me:

Is there a big difference using higher speed RAM?... what would be considered good speed and bad speed?

Are there limitations depending on your motherboard that will not allow you to use certain speeds?

Is it OK to mix different sticks of different speed RAM together?

Is it OK to mix different size RAM together (eg 2x 512mb + 1x 1GB in 3 slots)

Is there any particular order non equal RAM should be installed in the available (4) slots?

Thanks.

Can anyone please tell me:

Is there a big difference using higher speed RAM?... what would be considered good speed and bad speed?FamiBox

As long as the memory is as fast, or faster than the CPU front side bus (FSB) speed it's good enough.

Are there limitations depending on your motherboard that will not allow you to use certain speeds?FamiBox

Yes. Your motherboard determines what kind of memory you can use. Check your MOBO manual, or manufacturer's web site for the memory you need.

Is it OK to mix different sticks of different speed RAM together?FamiBox

Yes, if it's the same type of RAM (like all DDR2 sticks), but it can lead to memory errors. Some people have luck running mixed speed RAM sticks. It won't hurt anything to try it out.

Is it OK to mix different size RAM together (eg 2x 512mb + 1x 1GB in 3 slots)FamiBox

Yes, but when you run different sized modules together, you can't run in dual channel mode. Running in dual channel mode, effectively doubles the bandwidth for data to and from the memory. Like a two lane highway, instead of a single lane highway.

Is there any particular order non equal RAM should be installed in the available (4) slots?FamiBox

No. But, there is a physically shorter distance between those closest slots to the CPU, so theoretically they'd be slightly faster...though not noticeably so... Just start at the slot closest to your processor and work your way out from there...installation-wise.

Thanks.

FamiBox

Think nothing of it.

[QUOTE="FamiBox"]

Can anyone please tell me:

Is there a big difference using higher speed RAM?... what would be considered good speed and bad speed?Sentinel672002

As long as the memory is as fast, or faster than the CPU front side bus (FSB) speed it's good enough.

Are there limitations depending on your motherboard that will not allow you to use certain speeds?FamiBox

Yes. Your motherboard determines what kind of memory you can use. Check your MOBO manual, or manufacturer's web site for the memory you need.

Is it OK to mix different sticks of different speed RAM together?FamiBox

Yes, if it's the same type of RAM (like all DDR2 sticks), but it can lead to memory errors. Some people have luck running mixed speed RAM sticks. It won't hurt anything to try it out.

Is it OK to mix different size RAM together (eg 2x 512mb + 1x 1GB in 3 slots)FamiBox

Yes, but when you run different sized modules together, you can't run in dual channel mode. Running in dual channel mode, effectively doubles the bandwidth for data to and from the memory. Like a two lane highway, instead of a single lane highway.

Is there any particular order non equal RAM should be installed in the available (4) slots?FamiBox

No. But, there is a physically shorter distance between those closest slots to the CPU, so theoretically they'd be slightly faster...though not noticeably so... Just start at the slot closest to your processor and work your way out from there...installation-wise.

Thanks.

FamiBox

Think nothing of it.

What an utterly Awesome and informative reply! :D

Thank you sir!

Just remember, the rated speed of the memory (like DDR2 800Mhz) actually matches a FSB speed of double that number (1600Mhz). So DDR2 533Mhz perfectly matches a FSB of 1066Mhz... One reason people buy faster RAM...aside from the cheap price these days...is for overclocking the processor. Memory is less overclock tolerant (generally) than processors. By starting out with faster memory, you can underclock it to match the CPU FSB in a 1.1 ratio, allowing you to ramp the CPU speed higher, than if you left the memory at it's rated speed.Sentinel672002

Excellent. That's just what I need. My CPU has a FSB of 1066Mhz so DDR2 533Mhz sounds perfect.

Seems the memory I have at the moment is 333 MHz (512x2)

Question is, is if I want a total of 2GB of RAM, would it be better to buy 2 more 512mb (then all the RAM would be equal, apart from speed) or one 1GB.

Thanks.

[QUOTE="Sentinel672002"]Just remember, the rated speed of the memory (like DDR2 800Mhz) actually matches a FSB speed of double that number (1600Mhz). So DDR2 533Mhz perfectly matches a FSB of 1066Mhz... One reason people buy faster RAM...aside from the cheap price these days...is for overclocking the processor. Memory is less overclock tolerant (generally) than processors. By starting out with faster memory, you can underclock it to match the CPU FSB in a 1.1 ratio, allowing you to ramp the CPU speed higher, than if you left the memory at it's rated speed.FamiBox

Excellent. That's just what I need. My CPU has a FSB of 1066Mhz so DDR2 533Mhz sounds perfect.

Seems the memory I have at the moment is 333 MHz (512x2)

Question is, is if I want a total of 2GB of RAM, would it be better to buy 2 more 512mb (then all the RAM would be equal, apart from speed) or one 1GB.

Thanks.

333Mhz memory is standard DDR memory. A CPU with a FSB of 1066Mhz (conroe/kentsfield) should require DDR2, or DDR3 depending on your motherboard. You can't mix DDR with DDR2, or DDR3 memory. I would guess your board takes DDR2. If it does, here is some inexpensive, high performance memory...

Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 $27.99 after mail-in rebate

Hi.Thanks for all your help.

I'm a little confused though.

This is what my memory is

Speed DDR2-666 (333 MHz)

Memory Type DDR2 SDRAM

The motherboard can support

DDR2 667/533 (Dual-Channel DDR2 667)

So... should I buy 667 memory? (PC5300) I guess if I go above it it doesn't matter?...

Thanks for the info on the memory.

Hi.Thanks for all your help.

I'm a little confused though.

This is what my memory is

Speed DDR2-666 (333 MHz)

Memory Type DDR2 SDRAM

The motherboard can support

DDR2 667/533 (Dual-Channel DDR2 667)

So... should I buy 667 memory? (PC5300) I guess if I go above it it doesn't matter?...

Thanks for the info on the memory.

FamiBox

Sorry 'bout that. You have DDR2 667 memory. I thought you had DDR 333 memory. If you already have DDR2 667 sticks, they'd be fine for a 1066FSB speed. The best option would be to buy some more sticks of equal speed. Like I said before, you can mix sticks of different speeds, but it might lead to memory errors. Since you haven't purchased the new memory yet, you might as well avoid any possible problems by just getting the same brand and speed memory to match the ones you already have...or at the very least, match the speed, if you can't match the brand.

OK. Thanks for all your help. ;)

What I'll do is just order two new sticks of 667 1GB and dump the other two 512mb ones.....

... (or should I keep them and have 3GB ...... hmmmm?.......) nah that would not be equal, right?

Sorry... it seems these questions go on forever... :oops:

3GB of memory is fine. You can run in dual channel with 3GB. You just match the memory modules together. The two sticks of 512MB together and the 1GB sticks together. Your motherboard manual, or the manufacturer's web site will tell you which slots to install the memory for dual channel mode. Most of the time (not always) you'd put one matched pair in slots 1 and 3 and the other pair in slots 2 and 4. Sentinel672002

Great. I found that my memory slots are color coded.

so It will be 1GB in slot 1 and 3 (yellow) and 512MB in slot 2 and 4 (black)

Thanks for all your help. No more questions. :D :!

Wait... I have one more question... I have Windows XP.... maybe 3GB of RAM is useless?

I read in a few places on the net that XP really doesn't use more than 2GB of RAM (and that you have to fiddle with the ?boot.ini? file to use more)

Perhaps I should just get 2x512mb (it's dirt cheap)

go wit hthe 3gb, XP can see up to like 3.4gb or something to that extent. And if Microsoft released the same type Service pack as they did with Vista than your PC should theoretically see up to 4gbShrinekeeper

Yeah, actually I know that XP can "see" the 3GB. The problem I've heard is that it simply doesn't use it. That programs in XP can't use more than 2GB tops, and that it wouldn't increase performance having 3GB rather than 2GB at all. Perhaps I'm wrong.

Thanks.

[QUOTE="Shrinekeeper"]go wit hthe 3gb, XP can see up to like 3.4gb or something to that extent. And if Microsoft released the same type Service pack as they did with Vista than your PC should theoretically see up to 4gbFamiBox

Yeah, actually I know that XP can "see" the 3GB. The problem I've heard is that it simply doesn't use it. That programs in XP can't use more than 2GB tops, and that it wouldn't increase performance having 3GB rather than 2GB at all. Perhaps I'm wrong.

Thanks.

XP can use it, just not all on the same task. Windows XP can allocate a maximum of 2GB to any one application. The OS itself is also limited to using a maximum of 2GB. Of course, with 3GB, you could have one app using a full 2GB, leaving the remaining 1GB for the OS and background apps to use.

[QUOTE="FamiBox"]

[QUOTE="Shrinekeeper"]go wit hthe 3gb, XP can see up to like 3.4gb or something to that extent. And if Microsoft released the same type Service pack as they did with Vista than your PC should theoretically see up to 4gbSentinel672002

Yeah, actually I know that XP can "see" the 3GB. The problem I've heard is that it simply doesn't use it. That programs in XP can't use more than 2GB tops, and that it wouldn't increase performance having 3GB rather than 2GB at all. Perhaps I'm wrong.

Thanks.

XP can use it, just not all on the same task. Windows XP can allocate a maximum of 2GB to any one application. The OS itself is also limited to using a maximum of 2GB. Of course, with 3GB, you could have one app using a full 2GB, leaving the remaining 1GB for the OS and background apps to use.

Oh I see. Thanks agian. ;)

I'll think about it. But I'm not sure whether I'll need 3GB or not.