Can this work on an nForce2 board?

skiddy

skiddy

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Ok well this question has probably been asked before, but the search feature doesn't seem to be working for me right now.

Anyways I currently have 2x256mb sticks of Corsair pc3200 running dual channel on my 8rda+. My question is, can I put another stick of 512mb pc3200 in the third slot and still run dual channel without any performance decreases? Sorry if its a dumb question, but I believe I heard someone talking about it before. Just need to clarify it. Thanks.
 
Actually, if you have mismatched sticks, then the nForce2 motherboards will default to single-channel memory operation. The same holds true for using all three memory slots on such motherboards.
 
I thought if you had 2x256 and 1x512 that the memory would run in dual channel if you had the first two on one channel and the other on the other channel.
 
Originally posted by Mad_Pyro
I thought if you had 2x256 and 1x512 that the memory would run in dual channel if you had the first two on one channel and the other on the other channel.
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This is my understanding also.
2x256 in slots 2 and 3 and 1x512 in slot 1 should get you dual channel.
 
yes it will work just fine, as long as both channels have the same size memory in it.. 2x256 in one channel, and 1x512 in the other..

BUT, not all boards are created equal, and can run at DDR400 speeds with all 3 dimm slots populated. The Abit NF7-S (and it's variants) all have big disclaimers stating the DDR400 will only work with 2 sticks, not 3... I do not know if this limitation is present on the epox board or not, but you might want to check the manual on that...
 
Originally posted by Barnaby
yes it will work just fine, as long as both channels have the same size memory in it.. 2x256 in one channel, and 1x512 in the other..

BUT, not all boards are created equal, and can run at DDR400 speeds with all 3 dimm slots populated. The Abit NF7-S (and it's variants) all have big disclaimers stating the DDR400 will only work with 2 sticks, not 3... I do not know if this limitation is present on the epox board or not, but you might want to check the manual on that...
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Yep it looks like its going to work according to the user manual. Guess I should have checked that in the first place *duh*. Anyways guys I appreciate the help and it looks like I'll be getting another 512mb soon.
 
I figured the epox board could handle it, as they're pretty well made...
 
thats funny i used 2x256 and 1x512 with the 512 being a different brand and speed and dual channel worked fine in my asus a7n8x dlx @200fsb
 
Most don't support it, doesn't mean they cant do it. 201 fsb is unpsupported as well. In other words you're on your own. Don't call them and ask why it won't work, nor return saying it's faulty.... it's not supported.

The responses are the best config for the nforce 2.

2*256 & 1*512
 
It also depends on which DIMM slot that you place that 512MB stick into. You put one 256MB stick into DIMM3, and a second 256MB stick into DIMM2, then sure, you got dual-channel operation on the nForce boards. But if you simply slap a 512MB stick into DIMM1, then all three memory sticks will default to single-channel operation, as the memory size between the single stick in DIMM3 and the sum of the pair of sticks in DIMM2/DIMM1 is mismatched to each other. So, if you want dual-channel operation in nForce boards, with your current memory configuration plus the stick of memory that you'll be buying, you're going to have to relocate the 256MB stick that's currently in the one DIMM slot that's far apart from the other two to the other free DIMM slot, and place the new 512MB stick into the lone far-apart DIMM slot in the place of the 256MB stick that was there.
 
Has anyone ever tried using 2x256 and 1x512 in an nforce2 mobo yet? I would like to know because I want another 512 but dont want to have to buy all new ram.

This setup is said to work at pc2700 speeds, but not pc3200 speeds. I want to know if overclocking would fix this... or if they did this as a precaution in case you used mismatched ram.

I want someone to figure this out, NOW! :D
 
Originally posted by killernoodle
Has anyone ever tried using 2x256 and 1x512 in an nforce2 mobo yet? I would like to know because I want another 512 but dont want to have to buy all new ram.

This setup is said to work at pc2700 speeds, but not pc3200 speeds. I want to know if overclocking would fix this... or if they did this as a precaution in case you used mismatched ram.

I want someone to figure this out, NOW! :D
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Actually, those memory module/speed restrictions are due to the limitations of the nForce2 chipset itself. If you fill up all three memory slots, then your memory speed will be capped at PC2700 (DDR333) even if all of your modules are PC3200 (DDR400). And of course, overclocking (or more precisely, setting a processor FSB that's not one of the standard stock FSB settings on an Athlon XP) will automatically disable dual-channel memory support (i.e. the memory will default to single-channel operation).
 
i dont know about the other Mobo's but on the 8RDA+, you can have 2 sticks of identical ram and have a third one that is different and still get dual channel enabled....

have the two identical ones in 2 & 3 and the other one in 1
 
Originally posted by E4g1e
Actually, those memory module/speed restrictions are due to the limitations of the nForce2 chipset itself. If you fill up all three memory slots, then your memory speed will be capped at PC2700 (DDR333) even if all of your modules are PC3200 (DDR400). And of course, overclocking (or more precisely, setting a processor FSB that's not one of the standard stock FSB settings on an Athlon XP) will automatically disable dual-channel memory support (i.e. the memory will default to single-channel operation).
Click to expand...

On an Abit NF7- Your memory speed is not "capped" at PC2700 or even at PC3200. If you fill all the memory slots with PC3200, and have the memory at default settings in the BIOS... then the board will run the memory at PC2700 speed (166mhz). If however, you set the memory to run synch with the CPU's fsb, it will run at that speed regardless of how many memory slots are filled.
I'm at a "non-standard stock fsb setting" on an Abit NF7 (220mhz), and I am definately running @ PC3500+ in dual-channel mode.
 
Originally posted by RobB
On an Abit NF7- Your memory speed is not "capped" at PC2700 or even at PC3200. If you fill all the memory slots with PC3200, and have the memory at default settings in the BIOS... then the board will run the memory at PC2700 speed (166mhz). If however, you set the memory to run synch with the CPU's fsb, it will run at that speed regardless of how many memory slots are filled.
I'm at a "non-standard stock fsb setting" on an Abit NF7 (220mhz), and I am definately running @ PC3500+ in dual-channel mode.
Click to expand...


do you have all 3 slots full?
 
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