Can I mix a 512mb stick with a 1gb stick? (Tyan K8WE S2895)

[fishquail]

Will this work? Current memory is 4 sticks of 512mb and I want to add two 1gb modules for a total of 4GB system memory. I am wondering if this will cause any problems with mismatched sizes . Motherboard: Tyan Thunder K8WE S2895

The current memory specks:

Brand CORSAIR
Model CM72SD512RLP-3200
Type 184-Pin DDR SDRAM
Capacity 512MB
Speed DDR 400 (PC 3200)
Cas Latency 2.5
Voltage 2.5V
ECC Yes
Buffered/Registered Registered

The memory I want to add with above:

Brand CORSAIR
Model CM72SD1024RLP-3200
Type 184-Pin DDR SDRAM
Capacity 1GB
Speed DDR 400 (PC 3200)
Cas Latency 2.5
Voltage 2.5V
ECC Yes
Buffered/Registered Registered

 

[glockman]

Should work fine, I just built 5 IBM servers for a customer that came with 2 X 512, the customer ordered 2 X 1Gb & 2 X 2 Gb upgrade kits for a total of 7Gb (odd number, but they work fine).

Just remember to consult your manual for slot choices - these IBM's had me putting the sticks in slots that seemed totally out of the ordinary A1 A2, B1, B2 scheme.

 

[Ninjaz7]

Nice job Glockman ,if it wasn't for guys like you I would have thought diffrent,gamers are a lil particular to memory(especially dual channel).I can say my server knowledge is vastly improveing 8O ,scary isn't it.

 

[glockman]

Just because I technically "can" do something doesn't mean I always will.
I would still prefer to build a server with matching RAM just as you suggest you would do in a gaming rig. The servers I mentioned were built with the non matching RAM per the customer's spec. I would have pulled the original 512's out if these were my servers and built them with 2Gb sticks from the get go.

I'd love it if someone with a better understanding of how RAM actually works to explain if mixing sizes would have any meaningful impact or none at all. Not only were the sticks my customer ordered by different manufacturers but the chips on them also differed - again, not the way I'd build a brand new server.

 

[Ninjaz7]

I believe if it were my machine I would do the same(put matching modules in),but for some of those cease to realize is you could be hindering the performance by adding mis matched modules.As in your case I try to tell people the best route, wether they listen or not is another story....More memory dosent actually mean more performance(those modules being mis matched).

 

[glockman]

I'm not sure I've ever seen anything suggesting that mixing different sized modules would reduce performance. Obviously, mixing sticks of differing speeds would bring everything down to the lowest common denominator but differing sizes might not matter.

I did recently read something that suggested slower timings would result if you built a box with 4 X 512 sticks instead of 2 X 1024 - I wish there was a website like www.ramgod.com where they posted every imaginable FAQ.

 

[fishquail]

So... There is still no definitive answer to the question; Does Size matter? Everything else, I know matters. Timing, speed, latency, voltage, all those nomenclatures I don't know what they mean but i do know they matter. But does size matter? And am I using the word "nomenclature" correctly?

 

[Mondoman]

As stated above, it should work. Size should not matter directly, as long as the memory controller can handle it. Check with Corsair if you need more solid assurance.

 

[glockman]

You could check with the RAM manufacturer as stated in the previous post but I think the better place to check is the mobo manufacturer. Again, it should work fine if all of the specs match - size shouldn't matter.

 

[chunkymonster]

I've used a couple TYAN boards, but not the 2895. From what I remember, you can mix the RAM sizes without any issue just so long as the specs (speed, timing, etc) are the same; which your's are, so you should be fine. Even dual channel mode *should* continue to work. What I don't know and was unable to find is at what total RAM size does the RAM speed drop from 400 down to 333 or 266MHz, and if I remember correctly it wasn't until you hit at least 8GB but don't quote me on that.

There was a regular poster in these forums called TabrisDarkPeace, haven't seen him in a while, but he had the same mobo, a Tyan 2895. Maybe you could PM him or something.

Just an opinion but, I suggest you get the 2 x 1GB modules, install them, then sell the 4 x 512 modules and you use the proceeds to snag another matching pair 2 x 1GB to reach your 4GB total RAM goal. Again, JMO...

Also, I hope you're using a 64bit OS because getting 4GB of RAM for WinXP 32bit is a waste.

 

[fishquail]

Well thats why I started this post; I want the best performance possible, and I'm worried, like you said, that mixing sizes might slow the performance of the RAM in some way. I tend to push my system to the limits. I do Hi Def editing compositing. I would like to able to have adobe premiere and after effects running at the same time and also running photoshop back and forth without slow downs. I will be using VISTA 32-bit with future release of Adobe production studio CS3 which I understand can use the 4GBs as its made for Vista32. Currently with 2GBs After effects really lags if you have another adobe application open.