Newbie: Installing RAM

HardwareNewbie3 · 08-20-2006, 02:12 AM

Hi guys.
As my name suggets, I'm a basic newbie.

I've opened my case and re-mounted both of my 256 MB ram chips before.
Now, I'm buying these. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145477

My motherboard is this: MSI 865PE Neo2-LS
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/produc...il.php?UID=433

Questions:
1) The RAM operates at 2.6V but the motherboard site says "Supports four unbuffered DIMM of 2.5V DDR SDRAM"
Will the RAM work or should I find another type of RAM?

2) My motherboard has 4 channels for the RAM. Each channel can hold 1 GB of RAM. Right now, there is 256 RAM in two different channels. Am I supposed to place the new RAM into those same channels or should I place them in the remaining two empty channels? Does it matter?

pcbored · 08-20-2006, 02:29 AM

should work fine,put the new ones into 1st and second slot

**MunkyPhil** · 08-20-2006, 08:17 AM

You are buying a dual channel RAM kit so look to see in your mainboard manual what the dual channel configrations are and read what it says carefully. I've got a similar board to you and dual channel works when the RAM pairs are in either odd or even numbered slots. I.e. 1&3, 2&4 or both at the same time. Dual channel functions are sensitive to all aspects of your RAM including capacity mixing.

I think you have two options:

1. Place the new sticks in either slots 1&3 or 2&4 and sell the other two sticks.

2. Place the new sticks in 1&2 and the old ones in 3&4.

The first option will give you dual channel but lower total capacity. Your RAM will be faster this way with a 15-20% performance increase.

The second option gives you higher capacity but lower performance. I would use this if you really need 1.5Gb.

You should know that mixing RAM speeds, capacities and timings can be dangerous for your system in dual channel configurations. You could experience instability among other things.

HardwareNewbie3 · 10-19-2006, 05:29 PM

Wow, this is an old topic but now I'm actually buying the RAM.

I'm confused about this:
Are RAM sticks all the same physical size? Meaning that a 256MB Ram Stick is the same length as a 512MB Ram Stick, both are 4 inches long (random number)?

chauffeur2 · 10-19-2006, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HardwareNewbie3

Wow, this is an old topic but now I'm actually buying the RAM.
I'm confused about this:
Are RAM sticks all the same physical size? Meaning that a 256MB Ram Stick is the same length as a 512MB Ram Stick, both are 4 inches long (random number)?

Hi,
RAM stick modules, of the type that you are talking about, are all the same physical size.
What determines the capacity [in MB] of each stick is the way that the modules are manufactured.
What this means is; if one stick of RAM is, say, 512MB and another stick is 256MB, they will both more than likely be the same physical appearance, however the modules are different in their manufacture.
Now just to confuse the issue, there are RAM sticks that are 'double-sided' and those that are 'single-sided'. What this means is, that a single-sided stick has modules on one side of the stick, and these modules are manufactured to be 'equal' to the capacity of a double-sided stick.
However, the operational 'pattern' may vary; hence, it is best to have "matched" pairs of RAM.
That is use a pair of either 'double' or a pair of 'single' rather than one of each.
Hope this clarifies your query.

HardwareNewbie3 · 10-20-2006, 12:44 AM

Alright, I ordered this RAM.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145477

My mobo has 2 channels that are compatible with dual channel RAM.
Is it better to stick this new dual channel RAM into Slot A and move my generic RAM to Slot B?
Or should I just add this new dual channel RAM into Slot B and leave Slot A untouched?
Does it even matter?

chauffeur2 · 10-20-2006, 12:50 AM

Hi,

I would suggest that you follow MunkyPhil's advice regarding the installation.

HardwareNewbie3 · 10-20-2006, 09:30 PM

Alright, so my mobo has 4 slots.
Slots 1 & 2 = Dual Channel A
Slots 3 & 4 = Dual Channel B

So I'm going to put the new dual channel RAM in 1 & 2.
and the older generic RAM in 3 & 4.
I'm confused about how RAM works. When the computer is processing information, does the information go to channel A before channel B or does it divide equally?

08-20-2006, 02:12 AM	#1 (permalink)
HardwareNewbie3 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 31 OS: ME & XP	Newbie: Installing RAM Hi guys. As my name suggets, I'm a basic newbie. I've opened my case and re-mounted both of my 256 MB ram chips before. Now, I'm buying these. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145477 My motherboard is this: MSI 865PE Neo2-LS http://www.msi.com.tw/program/produc...il.php?UID=433 Questions: 1) The RAM operates at 2.6V but the motherboard site says "Supports four unbuffered DIMM of 2.5V DDR SDRAM" Will the RAM work or should I find another type of RAM? 2) My motherboard has 4 channels for the RAM. Each channel can hold 1 GB of RAM. Right now, there is 256 RAM in two different channels. Am I supposed to place the new RAM into those same channels or should I place them in the remaining two empty channels? Does it matter?

08-20-2006, 08:17 AM	#3 (permalink)
MunkyPhil Mentor Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Liverpool, England Posts: 1,124 OS: Win XP Pro SP2 My System	You are buying a dual channel RAM kit so look to see in your mainboard manual what the dual channel configrations are and read what it says carefully. I've got a similar board to you and dual channel works when the RAM pairs are in either odd or even numbered slots. I.e. 1&3, 2&4 or both at the same time. Dual channel functions are sensitive to all aspects of your RAM including capacity mixing. I think you have two options: 1. Place the new sticks in either slots 1&3 or 2&4 and sell the other two sticks. 2. Place the new sticks in 1&2 and the old ones in 3&4. The first option will give you dual channel but lower total capacity. Your RAM will be faster this way with a 15-20% performance increase. The second option gives you higher capacity but lower performance. I would use this if you really need 1.5Gb. You should know that mixing RAM speeds, capacities and timings can be dangerous for your system in dual channel configurations. You could experience instability among other things. __________________ "Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds." - J. Robert Oppenheimer, July 16th 1945. CPU-z -- Memtest -- Speedfan -- Prime95 -- SandraLite Important Power Supply Info -- Applying Thermal Paste -- Posting System Specs

10-20-2006, 12:50 AM	#7 (permalink)
chauffeur2 Manager, TSF Articles Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 9,386 OS: Xp Sp3 with all updates + Vista™ Ultimate SP1. My System	Hi, I would suggest that you follow MunkyPhil's advice regarding the installation. __________________ Dave T. Submit New Articles If it works, Don't fix it! Especially if Bill Gates had anything to do with it!!

08-20-2006, 02:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
pcbored Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 19 OS: xp pro	should work fine,put the new ones into 1st and second slot

10-19-2006, 05:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
HardwareNewbie3 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 31 OS: ME & XP	Wow, this is an old topic but now I'm actually buying the RAM. I'm confused about this: Are RAM sticks all the same physical size? Meaning that a 256MB Ram Stick is the same length as a 512MB Ram Stick, both are 4 inches long (random number)?

10-20-2006, 12:44 AM	#6 (permalink)
HardwareNewbie3 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 31 OS: ME & XP	Alright, I ordered this RAM. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145477 My mobo has 2 channels that are compatible with dual channel RAM. Is it better to stick this new dual channel RAM into Slot A and move my generic RAM to Slot B? Or should I just add this new dual channel RAM into Slot B and leave Slot A untouched? Does it even matter?

10-20-2006, 09:30 PM	#8 (permalink)
HardwareNewbie3 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 31 OS: ME & XP	Alright, so my mobo has 4 slots. Slots 1 & 2 = Dual Channel A Slots 3 & 4 = Dual Channel B So I'm going to put the new dual channel RAM in 1 & 2. and the older generic RAM in 3 & 4. I'm confused about how RAM works. When the computer is processing information, does the information go to channel A before channel B or does it divide equally?