Usuable RAM slots

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Jul 27, 2013
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I currently have 2 sticks of 4gb ram installed on my mobo, however, I just ordered 16gb (8 x 2) and they are larger (physically) than the two I already have. The problem is that my CPU cooler is huge and I'm worried that this new ram won't fit behind my cooler like my current ones do due to the increased size.

What 8 would like to know is if RAM has to be inserted into certain slots or can it go in any of them?

My current RAM is in slots 1 and 3 if you like, is there any problem with me putting them in, say, slots 2 and 4, or even slots 3 and 4?
 
Solution
The Furys operate off PnP rather than XMP as do most sticks, so that, in addition to mixing DRAM in of itself can be problematic, if the sticks are 1600 or higher might have to do some voltage/timing adjustments to get them to play with the old (and they may not), otherwise the Fury should be fine in slots 2-4 (from CPU)
The memory should be able to go in any slot. However, you would usually want dual channel operation to maximize memory bandwidth.

For dual channel operation on most motherboards, either slots 1 and 3, OR, slots 2 and 4 are used. So if the new memory can't fit in slot 1 (and slot 3), then use slots 2 and 4 instead. But if slot 2 can't be used either, then use slots 3 and 4, but in this case the memory will run in single channel mode with reduced memory bandwidth.
 
Since the early 2000s ram has been designed to work in pairs. Thus the ram has to be in slots 1 and 3 (or whatever your mobo recommends) in order for it to work in dual channel mode. While it will work in the other slots there will be a 15% performance drop.

Consult your motherboard manual to see what slots are preferred for your board.

If you bought corsair vengeance ram then they don't fit well under coolers like the hyper 212 evo. If you have gskill ripjaws then they usually always clear (barley).
 
What are the model numbers for the cooler, motherboard and the new DRAM? With that info we can probably tell you whether it will fit or not, and if not, whether it can be made to fit.

Most mobos recommend slots 2 and 4 for primary fill dual-channel, but as stated in the previous replies, two sticks should be able to work in any of them. If you don't put them in matched banks though (i.e. 2/4, 1/3) your mobo will default to single channel DRAM access.
 

Crisis uk

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Jul 27, 2013
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HyperX Fury 16Gb (2x8gb) RAM
Asus P8Z77-V Motherboard
SPIRE GEMINI REV.3-THERMAX HDT TWIN FAN CPU COOLER
 

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
The Furys operate off PnP rather than XMP as do most sticks, so that, in addition to mixing DRAM in of itself can be problematic, if the sticks are 1600 or higher might have to do some voltage/timing adjustments to get them to play with the old (and they may not), otherwise the Fury should be fine in slots 2-4 (from CPU)
 
Solution

Crisis uk

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Jul 27, 2013
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Im going to remove my old RAM completely so i wont be mixing the new Fury RAM with the old one.

The sticks are 1866 so am i going to run into any stability issues ect? Or is the worse that will happen is that they will just run lower the the 1866Mhz that was advertised?
 

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