Does it matter which slots RAM go in?

[SL97]

Just built a PC and unsure whether or not it makes a difference if I use 2 adjacent slots or 2 alternating slots.

MB: Asus m5a97 evo r2
RAM: Corsair vengeance 1600mhz DDR3 8gb (x2)

If I use adjacent slots (not colour coded) then will it run slower or will windows read each stick separately? Or will it make little difference?
Asking this because I don't have access to one of the slots due to my cpu cooler.

 

[USAFRet]

1 & 3 or 2 & 4. Same color (channel) for 2 RAM sticks.

Put them in 3 & 4, and it will run, just slightly slower.

 

[derek3ton]

Should be going in your A2 and B2 slots. So put them in the blue slots...

 

[manutd604]

This is actually my system but back to the point I have a pure rock cooler and I've noticed that slots 1 and 2 are block by it. Furthermore one of the ram sticks doesn't work and yes ive tried it on a different system :/
I'll have to send that back

 

[derek3ton]

Does the cooler itself block your slots or is it the fan on the cooler? If it's the fan, you should be able to just adjust the fan up a bit to sit higher on the fins of the cooler to make room for your ram. Also, have you tried installing the ram before the cooler?

 

[Tradesman1]

2-4 or 1-3 for dual channel, and yes the fan height is adjustable on the fans

 

[manutd604]

Does the cooler itself block your slots or is it the fan on the cooler? If it's the fan, you should be able to just adjust the fan up a bit to sit higher on the fins of the cooler to make room for your ram. Also, have you tried installing the ram before the cooler?

It is the actual cooler. The motherboard I have is a m5a97 evo r2.0 which rotates the cpu 90 degrees.
http://imgur.com/skbwvHe

 

[USAFRet]

Does the cooler itself block your slots or is it the fan on the cooler? If it's the fan, you should be able to just adjust the fan up a bit to sit higher on the fins of the cooler to make room for your ram. Also, have you tried installing the ram before the cooler?

It is the actual cooler. The motherboard I have is a m5a97 evo r2.0 which rotates the cpu 90 degrees.
http://imgur.com/skbwvHe

You should be able to rotate that cooler 90 degrees.
Fans near the RAM, blowing out the back.
Slide the fans up a bit to clear the #2 slot.