Adding to Discontinued RAM

[plaid311]

I'm wanting to add another two gigs of RAM to my existing setup, and since the specific GSkill sticks I'm using are no longer sold, I need to find a suitable replacement.

Here is my current RAM:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231065

Here is my current motherboard:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130082


When running cpu-z, the timings are currently running at 5-5-5-15, which is (obviously) a looser timing than the RAM is rated.

Is it ok to add a single 2GB stick to the existing 1GB-per-stick pair that I'm using, or should I stay with another pair of 1GB sticks? (does it matter?)

I'm looking at these choices:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231087

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231121

Are either one of these ok, or do I need to keep searching?

Any help is much appreciated.

 

[Mongox]

Plaid,

I seem to be in a voltage-watching mode so I've been looking at that a lot. I'm not an expert on all things RAM, but have been reading the forums a lot while upgrading my system.

I would look for RAM that most closely matches your current RAM in terms of voltage. It shows 2.0-2.1 but verify that on the mfg website. And check your motherboard settings now, see if you've changed that - if you haven't it might explain your less-than-specs performance. The 1st choice you listed shows 1.9-2.0, but if you're running 2.1V now on motherboard, then doing so with new RAM would be over-clocking it. If running 2.0 now, should be fine.

As for adding a single stick, this would result in the loss of your dual-channel capability - again, to the best of my knowledge.

I couldn't find your board on the MSI website. If you can find it, might post the link.

 

[plaid311]

Plaid,

I seem to be in a voltage-watching mode so I've been looking at that a lot. I'm not an expert on all things RAM, but have been reading the forums a lot while upgrading my system.

I would look for RAM that most closely matches your current RAM in terms of voltage. It shows 2.0-2.1 but verify that on the mfg website. And check your motherboard settings now, see if you've changed that - if you haven't it might explain your less-than-specs performance. The 1st choice you listed shows 1.9-2.0, but if you're running 2.1V now on motherboard, then doing so with new RAM would be over-clocking it. If running 2.0 now, should be fine.

As for adding a single stick, this would result in the loss of your dual-channel capability - again, to the best of my knowledge.

I couldn't find your board on the MSI website. If you can find it, might post the link.

Thank you very much for your response! I couldn't initially find it on MSI's site, but eventually stumbled across it:

http://www.msicomputer.com/index.php?func=proddesc&maincat_no=1&prod_no=1141#

Oh, and I haven't changed any voltage settings in the bios.

 

[Mongox]

First make sure you've got the plain P6N SLI and not one of the other versions. The link here shows you the choices and downloads.
http://www.msi.com/index.php?func=searchresult&keywords=P6N+SLI&table=download

If you're running now at 1.8V as the specs show the default, you might try changing it to 2.0 or 2.1 to test your current RAM. I think you'll find choices for only one RAM voltage setting, so again, what you choose determines what RAM you buy. I wouldn't only look at G. Skill, don't think it matters since the 2nd pair of slots only have to self-match - but definitely buy a matched pair of dual-channel. So if your current RAM runs best at 2.1V, then find RAM that likes that speed too - and doesn't want 1.9 or 2.2.

Always download everything you can get from the MSI site on your board, including saving the main webpage (w/all files), any photos, downloads, etc.. Even if you don't intend to install any updates, it's good to have them. Never can tell when a site will stop showing all your want. Same with the pages and photos at the Egg site - although I just copy the specs from there, with the addr, into a txt file in Notepad. Keep everything in a special folder - for me it would be \Master\Motherboards\MSI_P6N