Latency, 32-bit Win, and adding 1 vs. replacing both

Status
Not open for further replies.

Rusty Shack

Distinguished
Dec 28, 2011
7
0
18,510
Current setup:
■Samsung R520 laptop
■Intel Pentium T4300 @ 2.10GHz
■Two memory slots: 1 empty, other has 2Gb Samsung M470T5663QZ3-CF7 PC2-6400S-666-12-E3 (CL=6)
■Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit (no plans to change OS)

1) Which options are likely to be incompatible? Which is likely to be fastest?
a. Replace CL6 sodimm with 2 so-dimms that are CL=5
b. Replace with 2 same-brand so-dimms (CL=6)
c. Add 1 so-dimm that is CL=5
d. Add 1 so-dimm (CL=6)
Assume everything matches the current so-dimm, unless stated.

2) If I try option 1.c, would it just work at the slower latency (CL=6)?

3) Since 32-bit Windows only addresses 3 Gb, wouldn't it work just as well to add a 1Gb sodimm?

4) Which is likelier to have compatibility problems:■Samsung M470T5663FBC-CF7 PC2-6400S-666-12-E3, or
■Crucial CT25664AC800
Both are DDR2 6400 with CL=6.

Thanks in advance.
 
Solution
you should be able to run 2 DIMMs at 5-5-5-15 without issues. When selecting RAM the timings must either be matched, or set to run at the speed of the slowest DIMM. I highly recommend replacing it with a matching pair as they are rarely sold otherwise.
you should be able to run 2 DIMMs at 5-5-5-15 without issues. When selecting RAM the timings must either be matched, or set to run at the speed of the slowest DIMM. I highly recommend replacing it with a matching pair as they are rarely sold otherwise.
 
Solution

Rusty Shack

Distinguished
Dec 28, 2011
7
0
18,510
Here's what I did, and results:

Bought a matching 2Gb DDR2 So-DIMM, and added it. They match, except for the product codes. (Not sure what the difference is, if any.)

So I've got:
Slot 1: Samsung M470T5663FBC-CF7 PC2-6400S-666-12-E3 (new one)
Slot 2: Samsung M470T5663QZ3-CF7 PC2-6400S-666-12-E3 (old one)

Both have 6-6-6-18 timing.

To find the product code of my original So-DIMM, I had to pull it out and flip it over. It was in slot 2. Replaced it carefully and (I thought) fully. Win 7 came up fine, and G. Chrome worked, and didn't notice any other problems.

It turned out that it wasn't seated properly. A week later, when starting MS Word, I got a BSoD: BAD_POOL_HEADER. :ouch: The cause was mysterious :??:, since I'd done a re-partition and a defrag in that week. However, I re-seated the old So-DIMM, installed the new one, and the BSoDs are gone. :) Since I'm using 32-bit Win7, I only see 2.96 Gb of RAM, but oh, well.

Samsung claims their memory runs on lower power, so maybe I'll have better battery life, and since they're both Samsung and timed identically, maybe it'll run better. It was cheaper than replacing with a pair of 5-5-5-15 memory modules, uses better quality memory, and we're $20 further from starving.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.