Memory Upgrade Advice 3

[BoulderBum]

For Vista, I want to beef up my memory.

My system currently has 1GB of PC3200 memory, and I am considering getting 2GB of additional PC3200 memory:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227210

I want to use the two of the four slots still available in my computer, but my concern surrounds the fact that it's fancier memory than the OEM memory that's in there now. Will I get the full effect of the higher-quality memory if I don't replace the OEM sticks, or will the higher-quality memory slow down to meet the speed of the factory-issued stuff?

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[Lemon13]

check the manual of ur mainboard what/how much/timings it supports

 

[paparazi]

Yes indeed!
The new memory will work at the slower timings if the original is left installed.

Martin


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[paparazi]

But then again, a lot of mainboards run slower timings when all four slots are accupied anyway (2T instead of 1T)
Check your motherboards manual (downloadable as a pdf if you don't already have it)
Post you system specs if you need more advice (always helps)

Martin


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[cdogg]

Well, having all four slots doesn't necessarily mean that the motherboard is going to use slower timings. It will use the highest common denominator among all four memory sticks. If they are different makes/models, there's a good chance that the timings won't match up. So you could say that it's slowing the faster ones down.

But Anandtech.com did a study a while back that showed using all four slots was actually better than using 1, 2, or 3. This of course only applies when all 4 DIMMs are the same make/model.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
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[ArizonaGeek]

Ok, here is a question though. Will slowing down the faster memory be negated by the fact that he will have 3 gigs of memory as opposed to 1 gig?

Obviously faster memory is faster but unless he is really using some REALLY high memory hogging programs (graphic intense games, video encoding, graphic rendering) slightly slower memory wouldn't be all that big of a deal correct?

Cheers
Rob

 

[BoulderBum]

I am upgrading the Gateway GT5032, which apparently has the "Foxconn C51GU01" motherboard:

http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/FIC/105552/105552nv.shtml

So where does this leave me?



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[paparazi]

Hi cdogg, hows things?
quote:
Well, having all four slots doesn't necessarily mean that the motherboard is going to use slower timings.

In this case I think it does:

These fast OCZ parts need 2.8volts to run at their tight
2-3-2-5 timings.
I have Some similar Corsair XMS Platinum (PC3200) it won't even boot at default timings and voltage, it has to be cranked up to 2.8volts just to run, so even if this OCZ runs at 2.6volts those timings would undoubtedly have to be relaxed, expensive ram running at value ram timings!

So combining this OCZ ram with standard 2.6volt Cas 3.0 modules MAY cause a whole lot of problems if BoulderBum insists on mixing the two.
Personally I would examine the existing modules and see if they are Cas2.5 or Cas3.0 and then buy some value ram of the same rating, something like Corsair or kingston Value ram.
You will save yourself a packet and likely a big headache in the bargain.
Martin

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[cdogg]

Martin,
Hey man, I'm on your side!

I only brought that up because there are SOME situations where using all four slots doesn't hurt you. And according to some tests I've seen using DIMMs with the same specs, it can actually help.

But you're right in this situation, since we are mixing different types, voltages, CAS, etc.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[BoulderBum]

So, in summary, it doesn't make any sense to buy the faster RAM as an add-on, because it would just be held up by the OEM stuff?

If I went a little crazy and just replaced all the memory with the faster stuff, what kind of complications might I face?

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[paparazi]

BoulderBum
The only complication you should have is initially entering the bios to reset memory voltage and timings, once they are set the system should boot and run without issue.

It is obviously worth checking that your motherboards bios has the ability to overvolt (to 2.8V) and that timings can be set as specified manually.
If it hasn't got these adjustments a bios flash may be the answer but lets make those decisions when we know for sure.

cdogg, I regard you as a friend and friends should be able to say anything to one another.
Respect as always.
Martin

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[cdogg]

Martin,
The respect is there, I wasn't doubting that. I was only pointing out that your comment, "[blue]a lot of mainboards run slower timings when all four slots are accupied anyway...[/blue]" is not often true when using identical memory sticks.

When you quoted me above, you left out the following:

"[blue]If they are different makes/models, there's a good chance that the timings won't match up...[/blue]"

That part agrees with everything else you've been saying all along. No need to restate yourself a second time, my "friend"!

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[BoulderBum]

I ended up just getting 2 GB of value RAM because of the cost prohibitiveness of replacing all the memory. Thanks everyone for the advice!

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[paparazi]

I think that was the most sensible outcome.
Good luck.
Martin

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Participate and help others.

 

[cdogg]

BoulderBum,
Hopefully you were able to at least match up the CAS Latency rating (2.5 for example) as the OEM that was in there. That part is still important, regardless if it's expensive or cheap.

Also, there were other options. You could have sold the OEM RAM on eBay, so that it wasn't a complete loss to replace all the memory. The other point we should have brought to your attention more (though Lawnboy tried) was whether or not you really needed 3 gigs. There is a point of "diminishing returns", and for most needs, that's right around 1GB. So making the jump to 2GB would likely help in some areas (particularly gaming), but going from 2GB to 3GB might not make any noticeable difference at all. It depends on how you use your PC. A memory upgrade, in general, is mostly hype. The tech at your local BestBuy or the one over the phone at Gateway can be quick to recommend one. But that doesn't mean they know what they're talking about!

So scrapping the 1GB OEM and replacing with 2GB of faster memory could have been the best option and not necessarily that much more expensive.

Oh well, hope that works out for you!

 

[BoulderBum]

That wouldn't have been a bad idea (just going with 2GB of the fast stuff).

I'm a software developer, however, so if I'm doing things like running virtual machines/servers, the memory can get eaten up pretty darn quick, believe it or not.

My laptop only used to have 1GB and it was painful to run a virtual machine even with just XP (it was writing hundreds of megs to virtual memory on a slow hard disk). With Vista, I wanted a little breathing room.

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[mh3]

Cdogg mentioned an an article on anandtech.com about this question. The results show that four slots of the same double-sided PC3200 memory (i.e., 2 matched pairs of the same memory) on an Intel 875/865 mb running a 400MHz FSB gives better performance by 7-10% than just 2 slots. Performance for 2 matched pairs where one pair is not identical to the other pair, however, can be considerably lower. Results are also different for 256/333 FSB speeds, single-sided memory sticks, etc.

http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1839&p=1

The article also cites white papers by Intel about the chipset that agree with the conclusions that anandtech reached.

Note that the experiment that anandtech did was performed in 2003 and used sticks of 512MB (and 256MB for the mixed experiments), not 4 sticks of 1GB memory.

 

[cdogg]

Thanks. I had that bookmarked a long time ago and lost it.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884