Upgrading RAM, what to buy!?

[Jgilland]

I currently have two sticks of the following RAM: 512MB PC3200 (200MHz) Corsair XMS CMX512-3200LL DDR (CAS# 2, RAS# to CAS# 3, RAS# Precharge 2, TRas# 6. This makes a total of 1GIG of RAM. I have four available RAM slots on motherboard. One stick is in the first slot and one stick is in the third slot. The setup came this way from the PC maker.

Here is the problem. I want to upgrade to 2GIG of total RAM. I want to do this by buying something as close as possible to what I already have. I tried searching for the Corsair product number, but could not find the RAM for sale anywhere. Does anyone have any links to RAM (2x512MB sticks) that is as close as possible to what I already have?

Thanks!

 

[RichPLS]

As long as the DDR ram you select has same or tighter timings, it will intergrate fine, most likely, but there is some chance of problems if different manufactures are used, albeit slight.
Corsair XMS DDR fits that spec.

 

[Jgilland]

As long as the DDR ram you select has same or tighter timings, it will intergrate fine, most likely, but there is some chance of problems if different manufactures are used, albeit slight.
Corsair XMS DDR fits that spec.

The problem is, I don't know what "same or tighter timings" are. I just used CPUz to provide that information. Well, obviously I know what the same timings are. But what about tighter?

Thanks for the very fast reply!

 

[RichPLS]

You have CAS# 2-3-2-6 timings.
Tightest they make are 2-2-2-5 which they make in the XMS and or xpert series.

example
http://www.corsairmicro.com/corsair/products/specs/TWINXP1024-3200XL.pdf

 

[Jgilland]

Also, as an aside, what does ECC and registered/unregistered mean in relation to what I need to buy? Thanks!

 

[RichPLS]

If you have a nforce 4 or a ATI CF board, no.

ECC is error correcting code, used in servers and early nforce chipsets for stability at the expense of performance.

 

[Jgilland]

Awesome! One more question. Here is the search I used on NewEgg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Submit=ENE&N=2000170147+50001666+70001273+70002900+70002123+70001265+70001271&Subcategory=147&description=&srchInDesc=&minPrice=&maxPrice=

The timings I can find are either 2-3-3-6 or 2-2-2-5. Would I be okay with the cheaper 2-3-3-6 or do I need to get the tighter 2-2-2-5?

Thanks in advance.

 

[RichPLS]

If it strains your budget the cheapest will work. You either install them in the first bank of board or/and set timings manually in BIOS.

 

[Jgilland]

If it strains your budget the cheapest will work. You either install them in the first bank of board or/and set timings manually in BIOS.

So to recap: cheaper RAM is okay, but it needs to be in the first bank (cheap RAM slot 1 & 2, current RAM slot 3 & 4) and the timings should be set in the BIOS to match the new RAM)... but better to buy the more expensive stuff (what would the slot setup be here?).

Thanks for helping me.

 

[RichPLS]

the same slower first slot... but doesnt matter if you overide settings manually in the BIOS

 

[Jgilland]

the same slower first slot... but doesnt matter if you overide settings manually in the BIOS

One final question and I promise I will leave you alone.

Why is the RAM currently in slot 1 & 3? Why is it not in slot 1 & 2?

 

[RichPLS]

motherboard design, and dual channel configuration.

It will work in one and two, just single channel mode~meaning slower...

 

[Jgilland]

motherboard design, and dual channel configuration.

It will work in one and two, just single channel mode~meaning slower...

Thanks for the great, fast information. If there were a point system here I would be sure to award you a bunch!

 

[RichPLS]

There is, you can vote for quality of response at bottom left of each post that helped you without demeaning you.