Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (
More info?)
"Paul" <nospam@needed.com> wrote in message
news:nospam-1410042152540001@192.168.1.177...
> In article <yFEbd.1161$HG3.573@lakeread04>, "Norm" <I'm here@here.net>
> wrote:
>
>> "DaveW" <none@zero.org> wrote in message
>> news:GTDbd.183217$wV.171074@attbi_s54...
>> > If you add a third stick, then you CANNOT use the dual channel memory
>> > feature.
>> >
>> > --
>> > DaveW
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > "Norm" <I'm here@here.net> wrote in message
>> > news:Xvmbd.1128$HG3.540@lakeread04...
>> >>I currently have Geil ultra series value dual channel 512MB (two 256MB
>> >>sticks) DDR PC-3200 w/the blue heatspreaders and a A7N8X MB. It's time
>> >>to
>> >>increase to1gig. What are my best options? I have a third slot, should
>> >>I
>> >>just go ahead and add one stick of 512MB of similar memory?
>> >>
>> >> Thanks
>> >> nc
>> >>
>> I figured as much.....thanks for the response. Maybe I'll sell or trade
>> my
>> current memory and replace with dual 512MB sticks!!
>
> You can move the 2x256 to slot 1 and slot 2. Place a new 512MB module
> in slot 3. (If the chips are the same type, so much the better, as
> then the performance of all sticks will scale with voltage the same
> way.) As long as the sum of slot1 + slot2 = slot3 capacity, the
> board runs in dual channel mode. If the totals are unbalanced, the
> board runs in composite mode, where one portion of memory is dual
> channel, and the other portion is single channel. For example, stuffing
> 3x256MB in the board would run it in composite mode. The BIOS would
> display "dual channel" during startup, but it is physically impossible
> for an unbalanced configuration to be dual channel for the entire
> memory.
>
> Unbalanced config gives composite operation -
> Will display "Dual Channel" in the BIOS, but one chunk
> of memory has no mate.
>
> Slot1 256MB <--- This memory in single channel
> Slot2 256MB 256MB Slot3 <--- This memory in dual channel
>
>
> Balanced config for dual channel -
>
> Slot1 256MB ^ <--- Both channels are stacked to
> 512MB Slot3 the same height, so can be
> Slot2 256MB v accessed dual channel.
>
> Dual channel isn't such a big deal anyway, except when benchmarking.
> For normal use, dual channel only makes a few percentage points
> difference. (In single channel mode, memtest displays 1010MB/sec
> at 12x200 on the processor, and the memory at 3-3-3-8. In an
> unstable dual channel config, slot 2 and slot 3, I got 1361MB/sec
> at 10x198 on the processor. But, in Windows the difference detected
> will be smaller than this.)
>
> As I've just placed an order for some DDR DRAM, I'll be able to test
> this stuff out in a few days. My current ram turned out to be bad
> (as determined by testing with Prime95), so I'm in the process of
> replacing it. I noticed that it was possible to run a higher
> stable FSB in single channel mode (the two sticks in slot 1 and
> slot 2, with no stick in slot 3). But for benchmarking, the dual
> channel config is the one I want to use. At least long enough to
> do some application testing.
>
> So, I guess my answer is, you have two options. Buy one 512MB and
> use with the current 2x256 sticks. Or buy 2x512MB and sell the
> 2x256MB. Both configs will be fully dual channel. If the 256MB
> sticks are single sided, then there is effectively no difference
> between the solutions. If the 256MB sticks are double sided, then
> a single 512MB double sided stick will perform better than two
> 256MB double sided sticks (i.e. for overclocking).
>
> Paul
Thanks Paul. Very interesting!! The manual sure doesn't tell you this.
Purchasing one stick of 512MB is less of a hassle and the most economical
than the other option.
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