Memory for Gigabyte P35-DS3L board-assistance needed please

Grundalizer

Distinguished
Jan 11, 2008
26
0
18,530
I am working on building my first computer ever. I have been reading these forums for about two months. I have a p35-DS3L board from gigabyte, and will be getting an e8400 when they are in stock. I am using this machine mostly for gaming and surfing the web and the usual. I might try overclocking in the future after I understand what I am doing so I don't fry the machine I just made for myself.

My question is, 1. is 4 GB 4 x 1GB really bad for OCing? Is 2 x 2GB preferred?
2. This ram which I am looking into getting because it is so cheap, is not on the supported memory list of the mobo. mostly 512MB sticks and some 1 GB sticks are on the preferred, which are all old. This memory will still work correct?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146565


I appreciate any info on these two questions.

 

Grundalizer

Distinguished
Jan 11, 2008
26
0
18,530
also, a side note, I heard the P35-DS3L might need an updated BIOS version, which is version 8.0 on the site. There are serveral versions before that update, is it generally the case that the newest BIOS update will have all the older updates included, or do i need to do patch 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 before I do 8?
 

DiscoDuck

Distinguished
Mar 10, 2006
314
0
18,790
If you plan to update the bios be very careful and follow the instructions to the letter. A wrong move during bios flash can kill a motherboard. If you update to version 8, it only requires one step.
 

andrei3333

Distinguished
Feb 1, 2008
97
0
18,630
use the @baio program that came on the mobo CD, it updates it from within windows and downloads everything from the gigabyte server automatically....worked for me, i got F8a beta bios
 

blacksci

Distinguished
Jan 25, 2008
818
0
19,010
From what i understand a e8400 will work just very slowly with your board, until you update your bios, but it will post. Also instead of using the @bios program, which gives you a risky bios update while the windows is running, i suggest getting a flash drive for 7 dollars and use the q flash feature, windows isnt running, and if you have a issue with your bios upgrade, you can go to someone elses comp, download a diffrent driver, and reinstall it again. Also i have seen quite a few remarks where people have used the @bios proggy and there board crashed on them, with gigabyte telling em sorry, your board is now toast, buy another.
 

andrei3333

Distinguished
Feb 1, 2008
97
0
18,630
well mine worked with that software, i do admit that the software semms kinda oldschool/low end, but it worked....

just DIY or leave it alone
 

ZozZoz

Distinguished
Dec 7, 2006
487
0
18,780
And DO consult Gigabyte's website to find what memory that board supports.

I have a P35-DS4, and I was stupid enough not do that when I bought Corsair XMS2 for it. Now, instead of running that RAM at 1.8V, the boards feeds it 2.1. If it weren't for the ram heatsinks, it would have been toast by now. Not that I'm complaining about the fact that I raised the frequency and lowered the timings :)
 

balearic

Distinguished
Aug 24, 2007
132
0
18,690
The E8400 works right out of the box with the Gigabyte P35-DS3L motherboard Ver 2.0. Newegg sells the 2.0 mobo's you will not have to flash your bios. Mine came with the F7 bios and I was able to OC mine to 4.0Mhz. After I overclocked everything and it was stable I decided to update the bios. Just use the mobo CD and download the @bios program. Very easy to do, it detects the newest bios automatically and takes about 5 minutes. By the way gigabyte website has a new update for the P35-ds3l for CPU-Z. I'm going to update the bios again (F8f 2008/03/27 beta BIOS
update CPU ID). Its probably a temperature fix because it was really faulty.

btw I have 2 gigs of crucial ballistix tracers DDR2 800. These are great but are unstable at 4-4-4-12 probably because it requires more voltage. I keep them 5-5-5-15. The yellow ones you listed are probably better though. I say get the 4 gig since the prices are so cheap now. OC'ing ram really requires increase in voltages and creates more heat so just be cautious.