Can i use 2 512 mb stix and 2 1 gig stix in a dual chanel mobo

Single channel is slightly slower than dual channel. If your system didn't require more memory, i.e., there was no swapping, then adding memory couldn't make it faster. Running 2 GB instead of 3 GB certainly can't make it faster. You now have enough memory to load large documents, etc.

so im assuming that it is ok to run one channel on 2 one gigs stix and the other channel on two 512 mb stix im a noob and dont know if ther was any swapping
or not. but i do know that xp 32 bit will only use up to almost 4 gig, so will i see a differance if i install a 1 gig stik in each slot for a total of 4 gig

Your setup is fine. On most systems, XP can use up to 3.25 GB of memory. Increasing memory to 4 GB will provide absolutely no benefits.

thanks for you time and answer it is greatly appreciated

Very good advice above!


> would it be faster to use just the two 1 gig stix on a single channel

The way you have phrased that, you would be putting
one 1 GB stick in the first blue DIMM slot, and
one 1 GB stick in the first black DIMM slot
(counting outwards from the CPU socket):

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E168...


This would be slower, because you would force the
motherboard to operate in single-channel mode.

Dual-channel mode is faster, but possibly not by
enough of a difference for you to notice it
without careful measurement software.

The two blue slots are typically called "Channel A"
and "Channel B".

Likewise, the two black slots are also called "Channel A"
and "Channel B".

To achieve dual-channel operation, one needs to
put identical DIMMs in opposite channels.

Installing the 1GB sticks in the blue DIMM slots
will assign those RAM modules to the lowest
hardware addresses in your memory subsystem.

Similarly, installing the 512MB sticks in the
black DIMM slots will assign those RAM modules
to the highest hardware addresses.


It should work BEST with a total of 3 GB
all operating in dual-channel mode.


p.s. I've read a lot of ASUS motherboard manuals,
and this is the color scheme ASUS adheres to:
please confirm the advice above by finding the
section of your User Manual that discusses
DIMM installation:

http://usa.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=e1h9yUaMZAsTwIEN


MRFS

From your motherboard manual:




Hope this helps.


MRFS

Thanks it seems i got a bad wire from the sales guy at frys electronics
ok so i looked at the diagram you posted (thanks by the way) and i swapped the
memory around i.e. first blue first black now have the one gig stix, and the
second blue and black now have the 512 mb stix, and you are so right i really
cant tell a differance, is this what you mentioned in your post?
although i have built two computers M3A76CM im going to go back through them
both and make sure they are in the right config as per your post
i had manuals with them and both ASUS mobos were very easy to build
but this computer was given to me with no mobo manual, the owner had norton
on it and it was still infected and was locking up and he didnt know what to do so he
bought a laptop and gave me his problem, (HE HE) sweet, cause at the time i think it
was about $900 to build this one so i yanked norton and installed PCtools Spywear
Doctor/Anti virus and there Regestry Mechanic, Shed a few ungodly huge games and
softwear and WHALHA i think i can sell it for a few bucks.
Thanks Again