4GB DDR on an nForce4 desktop

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Rossyra

Weaksauce
Joined
Jun 17, 2003
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78
Hi all,

I'm wondering if I can track down a good memory upgrade for my ageing desktop.

It's an X2 4800+ currently on a DFI LanParty UT4 Deluxe, with a choice of XPsp3 or Vista64Deluxe for OSes

It has 2GB of OCZ Gold 1T timing ram running.

I could do with 4GB in the form of 2 x 2GB modules.

I'd rather get decent branded stuff, but not having much luck finding it in the UK.

Is it even possible? Most of the stuff I see on Google, eBay etc says it is server-only.

I'd sooner not drop up £500 on a new mobo, and CPU just so I can have more RAM

Running StarCraftII and it's regulary crashing running out of memory

Anyone have any ideas?

Many thanks
 
If you run 4 sticks your cpu will down clock, the memory controller on 939 mobos can only do 333mhz with all 4 slots filled. But as you said if you go 2gb x 2 of ddr it is hard to find and I'm sure it will be really expensive if it isn't server memory. I haven't seen any us store/websites sell new kits of 2gb x2 ddr1, you could try ebay for something used. You might be able to put server memory in that board but I honestly don't know if it is compatible.
 
i don't remember 2 gb ddr1 dimms. i've personally never seen them.

like what was said above, if you run 4 dimms your ram will downclock to 333mhz.
 
Rossyra said:
Hi all,

I'm wondering if I can track down a good memory upgrade for my ageing desktop.

It's an X2 4800+ currently on a DFI LanParty UT4 Deluxe, with a choice of XPsp3 or Vista64Deluxe for OSes

It has 2GB of OCZ Gold 1T timing ram running.

I could do with 4GB in the form of 2 x 2GB modules.

I'd rather get decent branded stuff, but not having much luck finding it in the UK.

Is it even possible? Most of the stuff I see on Google, eBay etc says it is server-only.

I'd sooner not drop up £500 on a new mobo, and CPU just so I can have more RAM

Running StarCraftII and it's regulary crashing running out of memory

Anyone have any ideas?

Many thanks
Click to expand...

The problem with that is, the Socket 939 memory controller cannot handle DIMMs with more than 512MB per rank. This limits you to 1GB modules - and the 1GB modules to be used must be double-ranked ("double-sided"). There are a few 1GB DDR modules that are single-ranked or "single-sided"; those will not work with that CPU.
 
munkle said:
If you run 4 sticks your cpu will down clock, the memory controller on 939 mobos can only do 333mhz with all 4 slots filled. But as you said if you go 2gb x 2 of ddr it is hard to find and I'm sure it will be really expensive if it isn't server memory. I haven't seen any us store/websites sell new kits of 2gb x2 ddr1, you could try ebay for something used. You might be able to put server memory in that board but I honestly don't know if it is compatible.
Click to expand...

Hrmmm... that's funny. When I had my 939 setup, I had all 4 slots filled and was running DDR1-400(PC3200) at 450Mhz.

HAHA.. only 333mhz with all 4 slots filled.. that is a good one. Maybe that is the specification, but in reality it is not the limit.
 
"If you run 4 sticks your cpu will down clock, the memory controller on 939 mobos can only do 333mhz with all 4 slots filled. But as you said if you go 2gb x 2 of ddr it is hard to find and I'm sure it will be really expensive if it isn't server memory. I haven't seen any us store/websites sell new kits of 2gb x2 ddr1, you could try ebay for something used. You might be able to put server memory in that board but I honestly don't know if it is compatible."

This was not true in my case. I ran all 4 banks with 1GB PC3200 sticks at 400MHz with no problem on my old NF4 mainboard.
 
That gives me some hope.

I found a NOS OCZ platinum 2 x 1GB dual channel set on eBay.

The LanParty board has tons of tweaking options, so I'll keep y'all posted on how it goes with all four slots populated as I'd sooner keep it at around 400-420Mhz - The stuff I have is sunning at 420 atm.

Thanks again for the replies guys
 
cyclone3d said:
HAHA.. only 333mhz with all 4 slots filled.. that is a good one. Maybe that is the specification, but in reality it is not the limit.
Click to expand...

In fact, this is part of the official JEDEC specification for DDR1 memory. Only two ranks per channel (one double-sided module per channel) for DDR400. With four ranks per channel, DDR333 or lower is suggested (and some motherboard BIOSes default the DRAM speed to DDR333 with all four slots populated when the memory speed is set to AUTO). But neither suggestion stops you from manually setting the DRAM clock to DDR400 with all four DIMM slots populated.
 
cyclone3d said:
Hrmmm... that's funny. When I had my 939 setup, I had all 4 slots filled and was running DDR1-400(PC3200) at 450Mhz.

HAHA.. only 333mhz with all 4 slots filled.. that is a good one. Maybe that is the specification, but in reality it is not the limit.
Click to expand...

i would love to see a cpuid screen shot of 4gb on a nforce 4 939 setup with the ram running at 225mhz (450 ddr). you might be able to get it to boot, but no way it is stable.
 
Consider selling your 939 gear and getting a cheap Core i3 or AM3 setup.
 
tricky0502 said:
i would love to see a cpuid screen shot of 4gb on a nforce 4 939 setup with the ram running at 225mhz (450 ddr). you might be able to get it to boot, but no way it is stable.
Click to expand...

I ran that system like that for at least a year.

The board and CPU are currently in a relative's computer that I built when I upgraded to a Q6600.

The CPU is an Opty 170 which I de-lided. De-liding dropped the CPU load temps by about 10c compared to the IHC being on and lapped.

Not really sure if the same RAM is currently in that computer... Seems like I used that RAM for something else... hrmmm.
 
Turns out I had OCZ Platinum sticks in the first place.

So I've added the new 2GB set and it's been rock solid all day at 400mhz 2T.

Thanks again for the help
 
Rossyra said:
Turns out I had OCZ Platinum sticks in the first place.

So I've added the new 2GB set and it's been rock solid all day at 400mhz 2T.

Thanks again for the help
Click to expand...

can you show a cpuid screen shot on the memory tab please?
 
No problemo!

4g.jpg


4gcpu.jpg
 
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