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"RAM Question"

I currently run 512MB PC2700 in Dual Channel (2x256).

Just ordered a single 512 stick to boost to 1GB for now, but will eventually have 2 matching 512's for running in Dual Channel again.

My questions are (albeit slightly n00b-osh:

1. What effect will dropping the 512 stright in have?

2. Will leaving the current 2x256 in Dual still allow them to work in Dual or will the 512 in channel 3 cancel this out?

I currently run 512MB PC2700 in Dual Channel (2x256).

Just ordered a single 512 stick to boost to 1GB for now, but will eventually have 2 matching 512's for running in Dual Channel again.

My questions are (albeit slightly n00b-osh:

1. What effect will dropping the 512 stright in have?

2. Will leaving the current 2x256 in Dual still allow them to work in Dual or will the 512 in channel 3 cancel this out?

I can't find any specific info but from what I have read you'll be running in single channel mode unless all your RAM is dual channel.

If you put the two sticks of 256 MB in one channel and the 512 MB stick in the other, it will stay in dual channel mode. The channels just have to be the same size.

The performance hit varies from application to application, but it isn't all that big really.

OK, but more detail:
n.b the 256's are exactly the smae make and model.

Current setup:
Slot 1 - 256MB PC2700 DDR
Slot 2 - Empty
Slot 3 - 256MB PC2700 DDR

This set up currently runs in Dual Channel. (As per instructions for my Mobo)



Eventual Setup:
Slot 1 - 512MB PC2700 DDR
Slot 2 - Empty
Slot 3 - 512MB PC2700 DDR

This set up will run in Dual Channel.



Temporary Setup *this is the one in question
Slot 1 - 256MB PC2700 DDR
Slot 2 - 512MB PC2700 DDR
Slot 3 - 256MB PC2700 DDR

What happens here? Will 1 & 3 stop working in Dual?

Notorious Biggles wrote:
> If you put the two sticks of 256 MB in one channel and the 512 MB
> stick in the other, it will stay in dual channel mode. The channels
> just have to be the same size.
>


So I should be looking et:

Slot 1 - 256MB PC2700 DDR
Slot 2 - 256MB PC2700 DDR
Slot 3 - 512MB PC2700 DDR

I have having such a no-brainer this morning!

Yes, provided of course that slots one and two are the same channel. On my NF7-S they are, but I don't know if that would be the same for all motherboards, perhaps slots 2 and 3 are a channel on some or whatever. But basically yeah.

Notorious Biggles wrote:
> Yes, provided of course that slots one and two are the same channel.
> On my NF7-S they are, but I don't know if that would be the same for
> all motherboards, perhaps slots 2 and 3 are a channel on some or
> whatever. But basically yeah.

On my mobo (Leadtek WinFast K7NCR18D PRO)

Slot 1 - Black - Channel 1
Slot 2 - Blue - Channel 2
Slot 3 - Blue - Channel 2


So the set up would be:

Slot 1 - Black - 512
Slot 2 - Blue - 256
Slot 3 - Blue - 256

Yay! I am elightened, just awaiting Crucial to ship my RAM now!

On my DFI there are two slots together and one which is about 1cm further away, bizarrely you have to have the RAM in the first slot and the last slot which is furthest away.

I thought it was a bit unintuitive.

I wonder if my GA-7VAX is capable of Dual-Channeling.

Nope because it is a VIA KT400 chipset, and the only Socket A chipset with dual channel capabilities was the nForce/nForce 2 chipset.