I want more memory for my Athlon 64 System, please help !!!!

[Harry0711]

Hello Everybody,
first of all I want to thank you for your help.
Sorry for my bad english, i am not a native speaker...

I want to upgrade my system memory.
I have a Nforce 4 ultra chipset mobo with Ahtlon 64 3500 @ 2500Mhz
dual channel 2 * 512MB
I plan to upgrade to at least 2 GB!

Questions:

1.) Is it true, because of dual channel I'll have to sell my old memory and have to buy 2 * 1024MB. If i won't, with 4 * 512MB my system will slow down?

2.) What do you think about develoment of prices? Should I wait for AM2?

3.) I plan to overclock my system. Should I buy some PC500 memory with bad timings or PC400 with fast timings?
I am not sure if my mobo will mange it to run with 250 FSB?
My CPU is running with 250MHZ FSB and multiplier 10. (total 2500Mhz)
Because of memory devider the ram is running at 210MHz...

4.) Is it better to use fast timings or high frequencies?

5.) Which 2 * 1024Mb modules would you buy?
I thought to spend more or less 200 Euro...

Thanks a lot for your help !!!

 

[mesarectifier]

You won't have to sell your memory but I'm pretty sure dual-channel only works in pairs. Until Vista comes out I doubt you'll appreciate the extra 512mb RAM but you probably will appreciate the extra speed.

 

[jap0nes]

yeah, no need to sell your memory... but you'll have to buy 2 more 512 sticks to work in dual channel

 

[vulefu]

Two more of 512 the same as two you have if possible.

 

[thechristopher]

Try to get two more sticks with the same timings preferably from the same manufacturer. You did not say if the motherboard setings in bios are set to auto or a specific timing. CL, Tras Ect....

I think the motherboard will try to run all of your sticks at the slowest timings. If you cannot find equivalent memory get sticks as close to what you have as possible then set the mobo to run the sticks at the speed of your fast memory. This can be a bit unstable but it works most of the time!!

If you want a truly stable system - THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR MATCHED RAM WITH THE SAME TIMINGS!!

 

[thechristopher]

Try to get two more sticks with the same timings preferably from the same manufacturer. You did not say if the motherboard setings in bios are set to auto or a specific timing. CL, Tras Ect....

I think the motherboard will try to run all of your sticks at the slowest timings. If you cannot find equivalent memory get sticks as close to what you have as possible then set the mobo to run the sticks at the speed of your fast memory. This can be a bit unstable but it works most of the time!!

If you want a truly stable system - THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR MATCHED RAM WITH THE SAME TIMINGS!!

 

[jodo]

well if you run 4x512 you will HAVE to run at 2T which will hurt your ram speed. Are you planning on upgrading your CPU anytime soon? if so, then possibly waiting till you can up your RAM, CPU, and MB to run AM2 would be advantagous. Also if your running an OLD 3500+ the revision might still bump your ram to 333 from 400 with all 4 dimms active.