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    What to do with extra RAM?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by mtarm1, Aug 18, 2009.

  1. mtarm1

    mtarm1 Notebook Evangelist

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    This is for a desktop but no one has been on desktop review in 2 days so ill post it here. i also couldnt post it in the desktop thread on here either...

    ok so atm i have 2 sticks of 2GB ram in thw two slots but i have an extra 512MB and 1GB stick.

    would it be ok to shove these in the two spare slots or would it decrease performance since they arnt paired...

    cheers
    mtarm1
     
    mtarm1, Aug 18, 2009
    #1
  2. Serg

    Serg Nowhere - Everywhere

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    Normally, dual channel ads little to no viewable performance increase.
     
    Serg, Aug 18, 2009
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  3. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    I think you will get slightly worse performence.

    5.5gb of ram is not going to be used anyway.
    Only add more ram if you find you're using 100% ram (when you have 4gb installed).
    for most people 4gb is enough.

    You can run some benchmarking software to be sure.
     
    moral hazard, Aug 18, 2009
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  4. mtarm1

    mtarm1 Notebook Evangelist

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    umm ok what benchmarjing software should i use for this?

    cheers
     
    mtarm1, Aug 19, 2009
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  5. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    moral hazard, Aug 19, 2009
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  6. Jasp

    Jasp Notebook Evangelist

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    Personally i wouldn't fill all 4 slots on a motherboard as it can cause issues, your also going to be running at the speed of the slowest ram in the system to keep it stable, so if you have got 1066mhz DDR2 and 667mhz DDR2 you are only going to get 667mhz.

    Another thing to note is that unless you are running a 64bit OS windows is only going to see and use 3.2-3.6gb of ram anyway anything over that is in effect wasted as a 32bit OS can't address it.

    Hope this helps.
     
    Jasp, Aug 19, 2009
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  7. mtarm1

    mtarm1 Notebook Evangelist

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    yer ive got 64bit... my 4gb is 800mhz, but im not sure what the others is...
    i think ive decided to use my old desktop as a server now so i will need this ram for that.

    thanks for everyones input though.

    cheers
    mtarm1
     
    mtarm1, Aug 29, 2009
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  8. rflcptr

    rflcptr Notebook Consultant

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    How'd you figure that?
    I've all six filled on my desktop, totally stable. The only issues I've seen come from overclocking which places additional stress on the memory controller which could cause problems when all slots are in use. Do we know that the OP is overclocking?
     
    rflcptr, Aug 29, 2009
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  9. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    show me a screenshot of 5.5gb being used.
    Most people dont need 5.5gb yet.
     
    moral hazard, Aug 29, 2009
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  10. hollis_f

    hollis_f Notebook Consultant

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    Correct me if I'm wrong, but won't Superfetch make use of any spare ram? So even if currently running processes aren't using more than 2GB, the other 3.5GB will be accessible to Superfetch - resulting in a slight speed increase overall?
     
    hollis_f, Aug 30, 2009
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  11. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Ok, you have a good point there.

    But I guess in this case it would not have given any performence increase due to the downclocking to the lowest frequency of the ram.
     
    moral hazard, Aug 30, 2009
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  12. rflcptr

    rflcptr Notebook Consultant

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    You don't know what the OP is doing with their system.
     
    rflcptr, Aug 30, 2009
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  13. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    true, but that's why I said "for most people".
     
    moral hazard, Aug 30, 2009
    #13