adding ram

[zak_swan]

i've got 2 Samsung DDR-SDRAM PC2100 - 256 MB sticks which run at 5:4 ratio and they are dual channel
.
i've got 3 sockets so can i just stick a 512MB stick in extra socket to take me up to 1 GB or is it a bit more complicated?
have been searching net for ages and still have'nt got a clue.

[fmctm1sw]

Something tells me dual channel RAM has to be installed in pairs (I may be wrong). But my dual channel motherboard (broke) has color coded slots. That's what leads me to believe pairs. Do a google search on that, it's got to be out there somewhere.

[zak_swan]

yes but can i not have dual channel and another stick? honestly have spent hours trying to find out.
i just hate going into shop to buy something and the smarmy git knows more than me but probably feeds me cr@p information in my ignorance.
anyway i suppose i will have to take out old sticks dump them and buy 2 512mb sticks?

[Cobra]

yes but can i not have dual channel and another stick?

That's what I did on my old Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe. You shouldn't have a problem.

What motherboard do you have?

[fmctm1sw]

From what I have read, I think you can add another stick but if you don't do it in pairs, it won't run in dual channel mode.
http://www.techspot.com/vb/archive/index/t-3457.html

[zak_swan]

got a little known LEX BNNF2 motherboard.

[Cobra]

See if you can borrow another stick of RAM and try it out. I had a quick search on Google and it came up with nothing on the board so I can't say anything for sure.

What chipset does it use? CPU-Z should be able to tell you this.

[zak_swan]

dunno what chipset is i'm an amature!

so can i just add 512mb to this?

[zak_swan]

had too much newcastle brown.
will this help?

[rallynavvie]

Yeah, it should work, though I think the third stick needs to be PC3200 for a 400 FSB CPU does it not? The two dual-channel slots works as such but the third needs to be faster memory? Or am I thinking of something completely different.

[Cobra]

You are indeed.

Just drop in some PC2100 or faster RAM and it should be fine! Your current dual-channel kit will work as it always has, but you will have another stick running in single-channel mode too. I do this in one of my machines.

[glockjs]

dual channel WILL work with a third stick. brand isnt all that important(most ram uses samsung chips anyways) i would make sure to get a stick with the same speed and timings or u might have probs


you might be better off just ditching that ram and upgrading to something like pc3200

[Cobra]

I would suggest running the boot-from-floppy Memtest86+ once you get your RAM to ensure it is working flawlessly.

http://www.short-media.com/review.php?r=276

[ViRaL1]

dual channel WILL work with a third stick. brand isnt all that important(most ram uses samsung chips anyways) i would make sure to get a stick with the same speed and timings or u might have probs

How does that work?

you might be better off just ditching that ram and upgrading to something like pc3200

Wouldn't the benefit depend on his processor? What's the advantage of running your memory FSB at 400 is your processor FSB is only at 266?

[glockjs]

dual channel WILL work with a third stick. brand isnt all that important(most ram uses samsung chips anyways) i would make sure to get a stick with the same speed and timings or u might have probs

How does that work?

you might be better off just ditching that ram and upgrading to something like pc3200

Wouldn't the benefit depend on his processor? What's the advantage of running your memory FSB at 400 is your processor FSB is only at 266?

how does what work? the 3rd stick? i dunno ask the people who invented it all i know is it worked in my system....


well im runnin a 2800+(333fsb) with pc3200 and everything work fine benchmarks showed good last time i ran sandra

[zak_swan]

thanks for replies.
got major hangover and still not sure. so will this help any?

[Cobra]

It will work!

Give it a try. You should be able to install a third module and use it as single-channel, whilst keeping your two dual-channel modules operating in dual-channel.

[zak_swan]

thanks
going to treat myself and buy a nvidia 6600gt too.
lucky me

[glockjs]

i dunno. maybe it's just the way shuttle has it worded that has me confused

Note: For AN35 Ultra/AN35N Ultra, installing a DIMM in any
single slot leads to a 64-bit data transfer rate. To activize
the dual-channel feature of a 128-bit data transfer rate, install
DIMMs in any of the following sequences:
ØDIMMs 1 & 3,
ØDIMMs 2 & 3, or
ØDIMMs 1 & 2 & 3.

[glockjs]

....stupid computer

[rallynavvie]

We never figured out why there were three DIMM slots on those things did we

I can understand the CPU bus utilizing the dual-channel to use non-1:1 memory ratios but does it use a different ratio on the third slot to maintain its bus speeds? Or maybe the third stick is relegated to PCI or ICH functions?

I forgot how confusing this was before

As for using faster RAM on a system that can't utilize it you can tighten the crap out of your latencies with faster RAM on a slower memory bus system.

[ViRaL1]

at 'to activize'

[zak_swan]

if u guys can't figure it out how the hell am i supposed to?
RAM: random access mystery

[Cobra]

We have told you - YOU CAN ADD THE MEMORY!

(agreed about Random Access Mystery though, sooo true)

[glockjs]

think i finally found the answer to this q once and for all....

In addition, on nForce2 motherboards, you may use three modules in Dual Channel Mode, by filling the third unoccupied slot. With three sticks, slots 1 remains as channel 0 while slot 2&3 become channel 1. To maintain 128-bit mode, with all three slots filled, each channel must have an equal amount of memory. For example, slots 1 should be filled with a 512 Mb module, while slots 2 & 3 are populated 256 Mb modules. If you were to use three modules of the same size, then only the first two modules would be running in 128 bit Dual Channel Mode. Example, using 3x 256 Mb modules will have the first 512 Mb running in 128 bit Dual Channel mode, while the remaining 256 Mb will be in 64-bit Single Channel mode.

http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=320351


alot of good info from that link. enjoy