Toshiba A660-BT3G25X memory upgraded past limit

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The Technophant

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Sep 21, 2016
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Several years ago I bought a A660-BT3G25X (PSAW9U-0705020) with a Intel Core i7-2630QM and Nvidia GT 540m and I've been quite pleased with it. I do heavy web browsing and sometimes use Vmware so I decided upgrade the ram. It came with a 2GB/4GB configuration.

I decided to ignore everything I've read online about the 8GB memory limit that Crucial and Toshiba says and bought a Crucial 8GB DDR3L-1600 module to replace the factory 2GB module. It works!. I believe that this model is the only A660 that came with a Sandy Bridge so that is likely why it is able to be upgraded past 8GB. I also upgraded to a SSD drive which had a major impact in overall performance.

HWiNFO says that the my memory is running dual channel at 666MHz with the factory 4GB has a maximum memory speed of 666MHz while the Crucial (which has the same clock timings at that speed) can go to 800.

If I buy a second matching 8GB would this increase the memory bus to 800Mhz? Am I really running in dual channel at this time as my bios and info says? Would a further uprade have much affect on my overall speed?
 
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Barty1884
'Official' support isn't always 100% accurate. Sometimes things will max at 2x4GB, yet may accept a single 8GB module instead. That's fairly common.

Sometimes any limitation to stock configuration is removed following a BIOS update, and sometimes it's just outright incorrect.

As for getting to 800MHz........ "DDR" is "Double Data Rate". so running at 666MHz means your existing module (the 4GB) is rated for 1333MHz. Your new RAM is limited by the older module at lower speed.

If you replace the 4GB 1333MHz module with another 8GB module at 1600MHz, you should see the memory bus @ 800MHz.

There's still a slight chance that 16GB (2x8GB) won't work on the board, but considering you're running at 12GB, you shouldn't have any...
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Barty1884

Barty1884

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'Official' support isn't always 100% accurate. Sometimes things will max at 2x4GB, yet may accept a single 8GB module instead. That's fairly common.

Sometimes any limitation to stock configuration is removed following a BIOS update, and sometimes it's just outright incorrect.

As for getting to 800MHz........ "DDR" is "Double Data Rate". so running at 666MHz means your existing module (the 4GB) is rated for 1333MHz. Your new RAM is limited by the older module at lower speed.

If you replace the 4GB 1333MHz module with another 8GB module at 1600MHz, you should see the memory bus @ 800MHz.

There's still a slight chance that 16GB (2x8GB) won't work on the board, but considering you're running at 12GB, you shouldn't have any issues.

I dont know if 16GB is worthwhile though? You've just doubled your memory (6GB to 12GB) and that should be more than sufficient for your needs. The difference between 12GB @ 1333MHz and 16GB @ 1600MHz isn't likely to yield any performance improvement unless you're still maxing out the 12GB.
 
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