Is maxing out the RAM slots bad?

Onager1286 · 05-19-2007, 01:51 PM

Hey, I know that some motherboards slow down the RAM or something when you fill up all of the slots. I would simply like to know if this happens with the DFI Lanparty UT nf4 Ultra-D (I have 2 X 512 in there now and I'd like to add another 2 X 512). Thanks a lot!

**mattlock** · 05-19-2007, 02:07 PM

Hello again, you may have to bump your memory voltage up a tad to get it to run at 400mhz, and it probably won't run at 1t. On some occasions the Bios need to updated. It's not a bad thing at all, and the extra gig of ram will more than offset the inability to run at 1t.

Onager1286 · 05-19-2007, 03:00 PM

Lol hey again, what is 1t and 2t? Are there any good RAM guides that explain this type of thing? I hate to just ask a bunch of individual questions for you and others to answer - thanks.

**mattlock** · 05-19-2007, 03:28 PM

This is an audio visual presentation. As soon as you it opens it'll start playing so have your audio up. It will give more info about ram than you probably want know, but it that's a good thing.
The explanation about T1 command rate is under Memory Latency. Click any link at anytime to jump to that part a the presentation. Enjoy.

http://www.corsairmicro.com/memory_b...707/index.html

BTW we are here not only to troubleshoot problems, but also to help educate if we can. So ask all the question you want.

One thing to keep in mind however, is that if you are asking general questions about upgrading your PC then it's OK to ask those in the same thread. The tech or techs that start handling your original thread already has an idea of what going on and new techs that jump in have the entire history to review before replying, and don't have to ask questions that you may have already answered in a different thread.

Matt

**linderman** · 05-20-2007, 01:55 PM

In an ideal world you would want to populate only two ram slots to get the best performance possible out of a socket 939 motherboard

it will run with all four sticks at a decent performance rate ( i am running 4 sticks of crucial ballastix) in a 939 board but as Mattlock has said it will run at 2T instead of 1T

I personally dont see much diff, but I am not an extreme gamer

if you want the very best, then I suggest you sell off your 2 x 512 and get 2 x one gig matching sticks

otherwise; do as I have done and populate all four memory banks, if you choose this path you will have to enter the memory timings in the bios to up the FSB from the 333 which it will default to with 4 sticks occupied, change it to 400 and up the vdimm to 2.75 rather easy crap actually

we can walk you threw it no sweat

BTW a large part of this matter depends on the CPU as the AMD chip memory controller resides on the cpu not on the motherboard like an intel system >>>> this makes a faster path to the cpu for data processing but some cpus wont run 4 sticks of memory at 400 mhz ??????

which cpu do you have ?????????

edit ******** if memory serves me correctly, the DFI board you have was the first and only socket 939 board that could run four sticks of memory at 1T command rate

**linderman** · 05-20-2007, 02:08 PM

there is a DFI model which can run 4 sticks at 1T

but yours is not the model

unless maybe a bios update changed that ??????????? very possible

quote:

More and more games are coming out which benefit from having more than 1 GB of memory. Since most people are upgrading from 2x512 MB to 4x512 MB we wanted to test if this board might be able to run four 512 MB modules at 1T timing.

As many of you know the DFI LanParty NF4 non-Expert has major issues running four 512 MB modules at 1T, no matter the timings - usually the system doesn't even make it to the POST screen.

personally I would sweat 1T >>>>> be happy with 4 sticks and 2T

unless you want perrrrfection / then its off to 2 x one gig sticks

**linderman** · 05-20-2007, 02:25 PM

its the DFI lanparty EXPERT mobo that will run 4 sticks of memory at 1T

Onager1286 · 05-23-2007, 07:28 PM

Hey I forgot I made this thread lol... thanks for all that info linderman (and you too of course, mattlock, that link is very interesting).

05-19-2007, 01:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Onager1286 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 72 OS: XP	Is maxing out the RAM slots bad? Hey, I know that some motherboards slow down the RAM or something when you fill up all of the slots. I would simply like to know if this happens with the DFI Lanparty UT nf4 Ultra-D (I have 2 X 512 in there now and I'd like to add another 2 X 512). Thanks a lot!

05-19-2007, 02:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
mattlock moderator hardware team Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,822 OS: XP SP2, Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon My System	Re: Is maxing out the RAM slots bad? Hello again, you may have to bump your memory voltage up a tad to get it to run at 400mhz, and it probably won't run at 1t. On some occasions the Bios need to updated. It's not a bad thing at all, and the extra gig of ram will more than offset the inability to run at 1t. __________________ Matt Everest-Thermal Paste Instruction-Power Supply Info-Sensorview PSU Calculator-Speedfan-Bench Test Help TSF Fight Disease. It's Free!

05-19-2007, 03:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
Onager1286 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 72 OS: XP	Re: Is maxing out the RAM slots bad? Lol hey again, what is 1t and 2t? Are there any good RAM guides that explain this type of thing? I hate to just ask a bunch of individual questions for you and others to answer - thanks.

05-19-2007, 03:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
mattlock moderator hardware team Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,822 OS: XP SP2, Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon My System	Re: Is maxing out the RAM slots bad? This is an audio visual presentation. As soon as you it opens it'll start playing so have your audio up. It will give more info about ram than you probably want know, but it that's a good thing. The explanation about T1 command rate is under Memory Latency. Click any link at anytime to jump to that part a the presentation. Enjoy. http://www.corsairmicro.com/memory_b...707/index.html BTW we are here not only to troubleshoot problems, but also to help educate if we can. So ask all the question you want. One thing to keep in mind however, is that if you are asking general questions about upgrading your PC then it's OK to ask those in the same thread. The tech or techs that start handling your original thread already has an idea of what going on and new techs that jump in have the entire history to review before replying, and don't have to ask questions that you may have already answered in a different thread. Matt __________________ Matt Everest-Thermal Paste Instruction-Power Supply Info-Sensorview PSU Calculator-Speedfan-Bench Test Help TSF Fight Disease. It's Free!

05-20-2007, 01:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 14,066 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	Re: Is maxing out the RAM slots bad? In an ideal world you would want to populate only two ram slots to get the best performance possible out of a socket 939 motherboard it will run with all four sticks at a decent performance rate ( i am running 4 sticks of crucial ballastix) in a 939 board but as Mattlock has said it will run at 2T instead of 1T I personally dont see much diff, but I am not an extreme gamer if you want the very best, then I suggest you sell off your 2 x 512 and get 2 x one gig matching sticks otherwise; do as I have done and populate all four memory banks, if you choose this path you will have to enter the memory timings in the bios to up the FSB from the 333 which it will default to with 4 sticks occupied, change it to 400 and up the vdimm to 2.75 rather easy crap actually we can walk you threw it no sweat BTW a large part of this matter depends on the CPU as the AMD chip memory controller resides on the cpu not on the motherboard like an intel system >>>> this makes a faster path to the cpu for data processing but some cpus wont run 4 sticks of memory at 400 mhz ?????? which cpu do you have ????????? edit ****** if memory serves me correctly, the DFI board you have was the first and only socket 939 board that could run four sticks of memory at 1T command rate __________________ If you cant be polite and friendly; then please be silent.** Last edited by linderman : 05-20-2007 at 01:59 PM.

05-20-2007, 02:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 14,066 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	Re: Is maxing out the RAM slots bad? there is a DFI model which can run 4 sticks at 1T but yours is not the model unless maybe a bios update changed that ??????????? very possible quote: More and more games are coming out which benefit from having more than 1 GB of memory. Since most people are upgrading from 2x512 MB to 4x512 MB we wanted to test if this board might be able to run four 512 MB modules at 1T timing. As many of you know the DFI LanParty NF4 non-Expert has major issues running four 512 MB modules at 1T, no matter the timings - usually the system doesn't even make it to the POST screen. personally I would sweat 1T >>>>> be happy with 4 sticks and 2T unless you want perrrrfection / then its off to 2 x one gig sticks __________________ If you cant be polite and friendly; then please be silent.

05-20-2007, 02:25 PM	#7 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 14,066 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	Re: Is maxing out the RAM slots bad? its the DFI lanparty EXPERT mobo that will run 4 sticks of memory at 1T __________________ If you cant be polite and friendly; then please be silent.

05-23-2007, 07:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
Onager1286 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 72 OS: XP	Re: Is maxing out the RAM slots bad? Hey I forgot I made this thread lol... thanks for all that info linderman (and you too of course, mattlock, that link is very interesting).