Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (
More info?)
Paul wrote:
>In article <ZYE7e.8157$ff4.4313@trndny08>, NOvze4j6mvSPAM@verizon.net wrote:
>
>
>
>>Hi hope someone can help.
>>Before I buy the a8n-e is there anything I need to know about special
>>kinds of memory and placement in the slots.
>>For example, if I have two 512MB DDR 400 sticks should I install them in
>>slots 1 & 2 or 1 & 3 and is Mushkin RAM ok.
>>
>>TIA,
>>john
>>
>>
>
>Before buying a motherboard, it pays to download the user
>manual from the Asus download page. It will answer many of
>your questions, and there won't be any surprises about the
>feature set of the board, if you read the manual first. You
>can, for example, look at pictures of the BIOS screens, so
>you know what adjustments are available. (If you were buying
>a mATX board, with three PCI slots, reading the manual to
>see how stinko the BIOS is, is crucial.)
>
>http://www.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/socket939/A8N-E/e1911_a8n-e.pdf
>or
>ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/socket939/A8N-E/e1911_a8n-e.pdf
>
>In terms of RAM, A8N-E is a dual channel board. For best
>results, a pair of matched DIMMs can be used. One DIMM goes
>on one channel, and the second DIMM goes on the same
>corresponding spot on the other channel. Like A1 & B1 slots
>get matching DIMMs.
>
>You don't have to buy the RAM that comes two to a package,
>if you don't want. With some vendors, their product is
>consistent enough that you can buy two single sticks, and
>they will use exactly the same chips. With generic RAM, all
>bets are off, because the vendor could reserve the right to
>substitute anything he feels like that gives him the same
>quantity of memory on the DIMM. (I got to learn this first
>hand at one of my local computer dealers, when the bozos put
>_unmatched_ DIMMs in an 865G motherboard. One DIMM used x16
>chips and the other used x8 chips. On a return visit to their
>store, I got a second pair of unmatched DIMMs. Truly a
>clueless operation, and since this was a prebuilt computer
>in a weird form factor, they were disassembling the product
>and inserting the DIMMs for me - as a service :-( I could
>tell from memory benchmarks that the motherboard was
>operating in single channel mode, due to the mismatch.)
>
>There have been a couple of reports now, from people who have
>tried to use four sticks (a matched pair, plus a slightly
>different but matched pair), and they report that one of
>the pairs of DIMMs is being ignored. If all four DIMMs are
>exactly the same, all four DIMMs are recognized. If this
>happens to you, this is likely a BIOS bug, that will get
>fixed if enough people report this bug to Asus tech support.
>
>As for whether the Mushkin will work, determining compatibility
>via a newsgroup is extremely difficult. Some Asus manuals have
>a QVL (qualified vendor list), and you can see test results for
>the listed DIMMs. The list is pretty short, and next to useless
>in practical terms (much of the RAM is no longer available).
>
>Some of the major RAM vendors try to make their customers feel
>better, by having an online database containing compatibility
>information. Most of that info is _not_ established by testing,
>but is established by looking at paper specifications. But,
>generally, those major vendors back up their product, so that
>if it doesn't work, you can return it or work out some
>other arrangement.
>
>In the very worst case, you buy generic RAM from a "web only"
>store. If the RAM doesn't work, perhaps you can never return
>the RAM, or get satisfaction from the store. Looking in
>resellerratings.com might give a hint as to how bad a store it
>is, before you deal with them.
>
>If you visit the private forums, like abxzone.com, forums.pcper.com,
>nforcershq.com, http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/index.php,
>you can read thousands of posts, to determine if your choice of
>RAM will work with that board. You could also visit Anandtech and
>look at one of their many memory reviews (those memories are
>generally the more expensive performance memories).
>
>If you go to the Mushkin web site, click "DDR SDRAM", scroll to
>bottom of page, click "DDR Mainboard Qualification Page",
>then "Asus Motherboards", they have a review of the A8V Deluxe.
>Mushkin's comments there may help you select RAM for your board.
>Since the memory controller is inside the processor, all S939
>boards should share the same drive characteristics for memory.
>(Yes, the motherboard track impedance or termination schemes
>could differ, but let's hope there are no longer inferior
>designs from that point of view.)
>
>Or you can just buy the RAM, plug it in, and see. That is the
>one test you will be doing in any case.
>
>Good luck,
> Paul
>
>
>
Thanks so much for the detailed response. I read the manual and checked
with Mushkin, the RAM I have is fine
and the slot configuration is easy.
thanks again,
john
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram