Can I add more RAM??

[butski]

I have an AMD Sempron 3200+ 1.8gh processor with 256k L2 cache

I now have 3 of the 4 memory slots filled. 2x 512mb and 1x256mb for a total of 1280 of Ram. I have one more slot open.

QUESTION: Should i add one more Ram module[a 512mb]? That would give me a total of 1792 RAM.


the Ram is 3200 DDR RAM[single dimm]. the specs say it is expandable to 4 GB.

My computer is running fine, i just thought that more Ram can't hurt.

thanks for your advice,
butski

 

[Pain]

More ram can't hurt, but is it necessary? What are you doing with your machine?

 

[HYST3R]

it wont hurt at all!

but just remember that when you use all four dimms sometimes the motherboard down clocks the ram to 333mhz. so when you do add that last chip just check the speed in the bios and ull be fine. 8)

 

[rabidbunny]

you should be able to add more. My intel 845 board in my Dell 4550 was supposed to support only 1gb of ram and in 2x512mb sticks. I popped in a 1gb and left my old 256 in with it, and wow it worked. no problems. So you should be fine.

 

[darkstar782]

I'm an advocate of lots of ram, but more ram CAN ad slight amounts of latency, so its not true to say 'more ram cant hurt'.

I'd be more interested in making sure I had high quality, Low latency ram than 'all the slots filled'

Apart from anything else, for proper Dual Channel operation you want the DIMMs in matched pairs.... although if its a Socket 754 sempy it wont support Dual Channel anyway (the Socket 939 and AthlonXP based Socket A - depending on chipset Semprons can)

Standard DDR and DDR2 DIMMS are on a parralell shared bus, similar to PCI.

This is the reason why you dont see more than 6 PCI slots on most motherboards (unless there are 2 separate PCI busses) and you rarely see more than 4 DIMM slots.

This is also the reason why a 4th (and sometimes even a 3rd) DIMM prevents 400MHz operation.

the wires are kind of like this (primitave ASCII diagram to follow )
``````````````````` DIMM1 ` DIMM2 ` DIMM3
[memory controller]______|_______|______|___(etc)

Each DIMM socket creates a kind of 'speedbump' for the electrical signals, causing signal degradation. Basically, the more slots filled the lower the max *stable* speed.

Some motherboards will let you fill all slots and run in 400MHz, but this isnt good from a stability standpoint.

The solution to all this is FB-DIMMS but I wont bore you even more :/

Basically, if I were you I'd be looking towards replacing all your RAM with two high quality 1gb Low Latency DIMMS.

 

[Pain]

I think the question is still: What is he doing with the machine? Adding more memory, replacing it with low latency memory, etc, etc is all well and good. But if he is just surfing the net and writing emails then why bother?

 

[butski]

Well i installed the additional ram 512mb

all is working o.k. but i did notice that the 3200 number has been reduced to 2700.

should i concern my self with that? Can it be changed back to 3200?

thanks,

burt

 

[darkstar782]

That will be it dropping from 400MHz to 333MHz as detailed above, some mobos will let you run at 400MHz anyway but this is likely to cause system instability, especially when under high memory loads and the last DIMM (the 'furthest away' electrically) is being heaviliy utilised

 

[butski]

I forgot to mention that my system was running at 2700 when i had the 1x256mb and 2x512mb. After adding this last ram[512mb] the reading stayed the same at 2700 or 333hz

I can live with the reduction, the machine appears to be stable.

Would I notice any appreciable slowing down from 3200[400hz] to 2700[333hz]?

thanks again,

butski

 

[darkstar782]

Try pulling out the module you added before the last 512 (was that the 256?) you may find that that one is only rated at 333MHz and your ram will run at the slowest speeds and latencies of all the chips.

As to weather you'll see a difference - it depends what you are actually *doing* with the system. There are some things for which you'll be better off with more RAM, but if you are not using all your RAM, then there is a 20% speed boost in going back to 400MHz.

If you are doing alot of Gaming, then 1GB is pushing it slightly, but if its the 256 slowing things down I'd rather have 1536MB @ 400MHz than 1760@333MHz, especially as the 400MHz (or 2x200MHz) speed gives a 1:1 divider to the HTT base speed (which is 4x200MHz on the 754 sempys i believe)