Max memory questions keep hitting dead end.

panish · Feb 4, 2014

I have the Dell XPS 410/Dimension 9200 with OWG855/P965/G965 Motherboard running Win8. Dell insists this system will take a maximum of 4GB even though I've offered to show them CPU-Z and Win Sys Info indicating that it runs with 6GB just fine. I have 2x2GB DIMM and 2x1GB. I'd like to know if this mb will work with 4GB or 8GB modules.

Anyone have any suggestions as to where I can determine this? Everyone seems to want to refer back to the circa 2006 specs indicating that there is a 4GB max. Clearly this is not true.

Cons29 · Feb 4, 2014

borrow some from a friend and try it out, sounds easy enough right?

rehed21 · Feb 4, 2014

From a Dell forum:

More accurately, the XPS 410 chipset supports 8 GB of address space. The system needs a section of addresses in the 3 GB to 4 GB range which precludes being able to address any memory that shares that space. You can install 8 GB of memory; just don't expect the system to be able to use all 8 GB. It will be instead something on the order of 7 GB, perhaps a bit more, and in some cases a bit less.

The XPS 410 has four memory connectors associated with a dual channel memory controller. Each pair of memory connectors should have a matched set of memory modules, but you don't need to have identical memory in all four connectors. It is perfectly ok to have a set of 2 GB modules in the first set (total=4 GB) and a set of 1 GB modules in the second set (total=2 GB) for a total of 6 GB. Since the machine is capable of remapping the memory in the 3 GB to 4 GB range to the space above 6 GB, the OS should have access to all 6 GB. Unfortunately, 8 GB is the max, so if you place two pairs of 2 GB modules (total=8 GB), the chipset has nowhere to re-map the unused memory between 3 GB and 4 GB.

Whether you go for 6 GB or 8 GB depends on what makes the most sense. From an economic point of view, if you find a sale on 2 GB modules, by all means get the 2 GB modules and just forget the memory in the 3 GB to 4 GB space. It doesn't cost that much and you still have the advantage of having the larger amount of memory.

panish · Feb 4, 2014

Cons29 :

Ha. If only I could. Unfortunately I have no friends, so I'll have to rely on a more technical solution. Thanks anyway.

panish · Feb 4, 2014

rehed21 :

From a Dell forum:

More accurately, the XPS 410 chipset supports 8 GB of address space. The system needs a section of addresses in the 3 GB to 4 GB range which precludes being able to address any memory that shares that space. You can install 8 GB of memory; just don't expect the system to be able to use all 8 GB. It will be instead something on the order of 7 GB, perhaps a bit more, and in some cases a bit less.

The XPS 410 has four memory connectors associated with a dual channel memory controller. Each pair of memory connectors should have a matched set of memory modules, but you don't need to have identical memory in all four connectors. It is perfectly ok to have a set of 2 GB modules in the first set (total=4 GB) and a set of 1 GB modules in the second set (total=2 GB) for a total of 6 GB. Since the machine is capable of remapping the memory in the 3 GB to 4 GB range to the space above 6 GB, the OS should have access to all 6 GB. Unfortunately, 8 GB is the max, so if you place two pairs of 2 GB modules (total=8 GB), the chipset has nowhere to re-map the unused memory between 3 GB and 4 GB.

Whether you go for 6 GB or 8 GB depends on what makes the most sense. From an economic point of view, if you find a sale on 2 GB modules, by all means get the 2 GB modules and just forget the memory in the 3 GB to 4 GB space. It doesn't cost that much and you still have the advantage of having the larger amount of memory.

Fantastic. Thanks so much! I'm feeling an investment in an SSD as the system drive is a better course of action.

panish · Feb 5, 2014

rehed21 :

From a Dell forum:

More accurately, the XPS 410 chipset supports 8 GB of address space. The system needs a section of addresses in the 3 GB to 4 GB range which precludes being able to address any memory that shares that space. You can install 8 GB of memory; just don't expect the system to be able to use all 8 GB. It will be instead something on the order of 7 GB, perhaps a bit more, and in some cases a bit less.

The XPS 410 has four memory connectors associated with a dual channel memory controller. Each pair of memory connectors should have a matched set of memory modules, but you don't need to have identical memory in all four connectors. It is perfectly ok to have a set of 2 GB modules in the first set (total=4 GB) and a set of 1 GB modules in the second set (total=2 GB) for a total of 6 GB. Since the machine is capable of remapping the memory in the 3 GB to 4 GB range to the space above 6 GB, the OS should have access to all 6 GB. Unfortunately, 8 GB is the max, so if you place two pairs of 2 GB modules (total=8 GB), the chipset has nowhere to re-map the unused memory between 3 GB and 4 GB.

Whether you go for 6 GB or 8 GB depends on what makes the most sense. From an economic point of view, if you find a sale on 2 GB modules, by all means get the 2 GB modules and just forget the memory in the 3 GB to 4 GB space. It doesn't cost that much and you still have the advantage of having the larger amount of memory.

I have a follow up question. Is there any reason this MB needs non-ECC memory? I know you cant mix ECC and non-ECC (at least I've read that and it makes sense to me) but I've seem something recently to suggest that I could swap out all the non-ECC I have for less expensive ECC. Can this mb/chipset take ECC memory?

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Max memory questions keep hitting dead end.

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