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Can dual-channel work with 256x2+512?

Forum Motherboards & Memory : Memory - Can dual-channel work with 256x2+512?

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nawat   01-02-2006 at 05:52:52 PM

I have 256x2 here but I need more memory so could I just buy one 512 module or I shuold buy 2 modules of 256mb.
My m/b supports dual channel so i would like to get it to work.

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mpjesse   01-02-2006 at 08:44:23 PM
- 0 +

For maximum performance results, get 2x256MB sticks. If you get 1x 512MB stick, it won't operate in dual channel. However, the old 2x256MB that you have still should.

-mpjesse

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nobly   01-02-2006 at 09:07:24 PM
- 0 +

It depends on your motherboard.
If its a dual-channel enabled, and you only have 3 RAM slots, its possible that you can get a GB of RAM with 2x256 and 1x512. Two of the slots would be one bank and the last slot would be the other bank. Thats how some ASUS boards work.

Refer to your motherboard manual or post what motherboard you have.

It kinda sounds like you have 4 slots, from your original post...

Reply to nobly
Vascular   01-03-2006 at 08:01:36 AM
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In some motherboards yes that is an option.
HOW EVER you need to check your manual from either the motherboard manufacture or system manufacture. Also memory timings, speed, simms or dimms, need to be identical.

Reply to Vascular
vagabond   01-03-2006 at 11:17:33 AM
- 0 +

Yes you can.

It's motherboard dependant though. Read your manual if it can do it. Might have to flash BIOS.

My system is in dual channel mode and I'm running 3x512 @2700 PNY sticks. 2 of the sticks are 3200 and 1 stick is 2700. My timings are a tad slower because of the one stick but I can open and close games a lot quicker and mutitasking is a bit faster. As I'm writing this post, America's Army is running in the background and my Anti-Virus program is checking the system and I've got my email client tapping the internet every minute for incoming mail.

According to SANDRA my timings are 2.5 4 4 7 2CMD. If I tried that with my second system it would lock up. Probably 'cause I'm still running 98SE on it.

Reply to vagabond
nawat   01-03-2006 at 02:09:44 PM
- 0 +

Thank you so much you guy for replying.
After having downloaded the manual from asus (I'm using Asus P4P800 SE), I found this in the manual.

"6. Three DDR DIMMs installed into any three memory sockets will function in single channel mode."

Well... I think I need to get 2 sticks of 256MB now. (I planned to get a stick of 512 because it's a bit cheaper.)

Anyway thanks again.

Reply to nawat
Crashman   01-05-2006 at 12:33:57 PM
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The only chipset that allowed dual-channel for three modules was the nForce 2. That's because the nForce2 does things differently than everything else.

Reply to Crashman
xientist   01-05-2006 at 01:05:26 PM
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How bout 512mb x2 + 1gb x2? will it still work as dual channel?

Reply to xientist
Crashman   01-05-2006 at 01:29:02 PM
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That is a valid configuration, you can have a matched pair of one module and a second matched pair different from the first. But some boards do have problems running four DIMMs stabley.

Reply to Crashman
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