4GB x2 +1GB x2 will I get dual channel?

[7munkee]

My system currantly has 2GB of ram with 2 1gb sticks. i just ordered 2 sticks of 1600 ram @ 4gb each. Both pair are Geil 1600. What is the best way to set this up? My MB is dual chnnel ready. Each ram slot has a 4GB cap, and a total system cap of 32GB, according to the MB manual.

I want to retain dual channel mode.

 

[7munkee]

No one?

 

[notlaw69]

No one?

I'll give it a go, only because I did the exact same thing, only with older stuff. I have a Dimension E510, came to me with 2) 512MB sticks of PC2-5300 (@533Mhz). Not good, right? So I put in 2 sticks of 1GB PC2-6400 @ 800MHz. System said I had 3GB total, so I was happy, and things WERE FASTER. Then I read somewhere that using two different types of RAM will drop mobo from dual channel to single channel, if things even work to begin with. Worse, everything will be clocked DOWN to the slowest component. So I downloaded CPU-Z, ran test, and sure enough, I was running at 533MHz in single, even though I had installed 800 in dual. The new quickness was only due to the increase from 1GB to 3GB. So I went to Newegg, got 4 x 1GB sticks of "matched" RAM, now everything's copacetic Does this help?

 

[7munkee]

So I should run just the 2 four GB sticks, and not even bother putting the 2 one GB sticks in.

I was hoping to have 10 GB total memory, but I'll settle for 8 if it mean dual channel will still work. I was hoping that since i had 2 pairs from the same manufacturer rated at the same speed that I could use both pair.

 

[Cromation]

I believe that what he was saying is that if the speeds are identical it would stay dual channel. If you have the 2 sticks in your possession already might as well plop them in and run the CPU-Z test and see what you get.

 

[7munkee]

I just got the 4 GB sticks in the mail today. Will run CPU-Z tonight.

 

[7munkee]

I have 8 GB unganged memory running in dual channel.

The NB frequncy is 1995 Mgh and the Dram frequncy is 798 Mgh. This memory is rated 1600, so am I high or low? Or OK?

 

[webpro2k02]

To get dual-channel working, you just have to match pairs of modules, with the same size, speed and latency. In your case its perfect 2 x 4GB + 2 x 1GB. Always install the bigger size (i.e 4GBs) to the slots starting from closer to the processor and match the color coding of the slots.

 

[7munkee]

I could not get a sucsessful boot after installing all four sticks. My computer would run fine with the two 4GB sticks, and would run fine with the two 1GB sticks, but I could not get past the "Starting Windows" splash screen with all four installed.

Could be a power issue, I only have a 500 watt PSU powering a triple core AMD3+, a 640 GB Sata HDD, and an HD5770 with a 6 pin power conector. I even unplugged my optical drive to conserve power to no avail. I can also boot up with three 1 GB sticks.

Any thoughts as to why the failed boot?

 

[cin19]

Hi, guy, when you run dual channel you need
Same memory size (1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB, etc.)
Matched DIMM configuration in each channel
Matched in symmetrical memory slots
But the RAM do not need to be met: same brand, same timing specifications, same speed (MHz). But they will run in the lower speed, and timing just like notlaw69 said.

When you mix the RAM together, there is no guarantee to work. So what kind RAM (the one you had) do you have, 7munkee?

You can try to clean the CMOS by removing the small batterry, and also set the RAM mode in auto speed/timing in the BIOS after clean the CMOS, and try again.

 

[7munkee]

So all 4 slots must have the exact same memory. i was hoping that I could have identical pairs in each channel, even though each pir is a different size.

But even windows 98 would boot up with different size memory modules. So that dosn't expain the fail to boot.

I dont have a option for 1600 MGHZ memory in the BIOS, the highest it goes is 800 MGh, so I'm assuming that 2 modules in dual channel will give you the 1600 that each module is rated for?

Ill try a differnt speed setting in BIOS and try to boot with all 4 sticks.

 

[7munkee]

I have all four sticks installed and I am running in dual channel mode.

here is the CPU-ID dump


CPU Arch : 1 CPU - 3 Cores - 3 Threads
CPU PSN : AMD Athlon II X3 425 Processor
CPU EXT : MMX(+), 3DNow!(+), SSE (1, 2, 3, 4A), x86-64, AMD-V
CPUID : F.5.2 / Extended : 10.5
CPU Cache : L1 : 3 x 64 / 3 x 64 KB - L2 : 3 x 512 KB
Core : Rana (45 nm) / Stepping : BL-C2

Freq : 798.22 MHz (199.56 * 4)

MB Brand : ASRock
MB Model : M3A770DE
NB : AMD 770 rev 00
SB : AMD SB700 rev 00


GPU Type : Radeon HD 5770
GPU Clocks : Core 399 MHz / RAM 1200 MHz
DirectX Version : 11.0


RAM : 10240 MB DDR3 Dual Channel
RAM Speed : 665.2 MHz (3:10) @ 9-12-12-30
Slot 1 : 4096MB (12800)
Slot 1 Manufacturer : GEIL
Slot 2 : 4096MB (12800)
Slot 2 Manufacturer : GEIL
Slot 3 : 1024MB (10700)
Slot 3 Manufacturer : OCZ
Slot 4 : 1024MB (10700)
Slot 4 Manufacturer : OCZ

 

[7munkee]

I have all four sticks installed and I am running in dual channel mode.

here is the CPU-ID dump


CPU Arch : 1 CPU - 3 Cores - 3 Threads
CPU PSN : AMD Athlon II X3 425 Processor
CPU EXT : MMX(+), 3DNow!(+), SSE (1, 2, 3, 4A), x86-64, AMD-V
CPUID : F.5.2 / Extended : 10.5
CPU Cache : L1 : 3 x 64 / 3 x 64 KB - L2 : 3 x 512 KB
Core : Rana (45 nm) / Stepping : BL-C2

Freq : 798.22 MHz (199.56 * 4)

MB Brand : ASRock
MB Model : M3A770DE
NB : AMD 770 rev 00
SB : AMD SB700 rev 00


GPU Type : Radeon HD 5770
GPU Clocks : Core 399 MHz / RAM 1200 MHz
DirectX Version : 11.0


RAM : 10240 MB DDR3 Dual Channel
RAM Speed : 665.2 MHz (3:10) @ 9-12-12-30
Slot 1 : 4096MB (12800)
Slot 1 Manufacturer : GEIL
Slot 2 : 4096MB (12800)
Slot 2 Manufacturer : GEIL
Slot 3 : 1024MB (10700)
Slot 3 Manufacturer : OCZ
Slot 4 : 1024MB (10700)
Slot 4 Manufacturer : OCZ

 

[cin19]

So all 4 slots must have the exact same memory. i was hoping that I could have identical pairs in each channel, even though each pir is a different size.

But even windows 98 would boot up with different size memory modules. So that dosn't expain the fail to boot.

I dont have a option for 1600 MGHZ memory in the BIOS, the highest it goes is 800 MGh, so I'm assuming that 2 modules in dual channel will give you the 1600 that each module is rated for?

Ill try a differnt speed setting in BIOS and try to boot with all 4 sticks.

Because you have two RAM speed is 1333MHz, when you set to 1600MHz mean you do OC the RAM. And that RAM is not stable under the OC. So you PC will not boot when you use all four RAM that set at 1600MHz. You can try to either set to 1333MHz first, if PC can boot. But I will recommend to set the speed in auto or 1333MHz because I don't know what your bios screen looks like.

Also when you set the speed in either 1333MHz or 1600MHz, the perfomances have only small difference between them, most important is the PC run stable. Read the review for the memory performance in variable speeds.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/core-i7-870-1156,2482-6.html

 

[7munkee]

If I am reading this right, I Am in dual channel mode with different size ram modules. Not only are they different sizes, they are also different brands.

RAM : 10240 MB DDR3 Dual Channel
RAM Speed : 665.2 MHz (3:10) @ 9-12-12-30
Slot 1 : 4096MB (12800)
Slot 1 Manufacturer : GEIL
Slot 2 : 4096MB (12800)
Slot 2 Manufacturer : GEIL
Slot 3 : 1024MB (10700)
Slot 3 Manufacturer : OCZ
Slot 4 : 1024MB (10700)
Slot 4 Manufacturer : OCZ

Any thoughts?

 

[cin19]

Yes, the RAM run the dual channel mode and the speed is the 1333MHz (665,2MHz x2=1330MHz).

I think you boot the PC and use it right now.

 

[7munkee]

That clarifies it. I am happy with this set up. thanks all for the replies.

 

[7munkee]

Best answer selected by 7munkee.