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    explain dual channel ram to me please

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Cman, Feb 5, 2005.

  1. Cman

    Cman Notebook Consultant

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    I've gotten different answers from people AFA running DDR dual channel ram. Can someone explain what I need to do to run dual channel ram in a computer? Cases in point:

    I recently redid my desktop, it uses DDR PC3200 ram. I bought 2 idential 512mb ram and installed them into the two slots that the MB book recommended them to be installed to run dual channel mode. There are still 2 more available slots for me to add more ram if I need to later. So right now am I running 1G of dual channel ram? If I fill up the other 2 slots later do they also have to be 512mb each to run dual channel mode on all four rams?

    On my laptop there are 2 dimms avail. It uses pc2700 DDR ram, it came with 512mb (256mb on each dimm). I took one out replaced it with a 512mb ram. So right now I'm running 768mb of ram but is that running in dual channel mode? I bought another 512mb of ram on ebay (idential part # to the one I have now in the laptop) and will be replacing the other 256mb of ram. So after I put the other ram in will it be 1G of DDR dual channel ram in my laptop? Please sort out the confusion for me please. TIA!!

    Tony



    T. Chan

    Self built PC, P4 3.2Ghz HT

    Acer 1681WLMi
     
    Cman, Feb 5, 2005
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  2. Tacjam

    Tacjam Notebook Consultant

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    Your Ram is not dual channel, it's your motherboard that is dual channel. It's the way your motherboard reads your ram. Dual Channel gives you twice the bandwidth. A dual channel design can acess each channel as soon as it is ready to provide the memory location desired, which reduces delays. I recommend you check with the manufacture of your laptop to see if it has dual channel support.(or check the owners manual) As far as your desktop, I see you built it. Check your motherboards references that came with it. It should tell you what slots are for dual channel. If you fill all your slots in your motherboard with the same ram... and your bois is set correctly it will run dual channel. But make sure if your using only two sticks that they are in the correct slots (also check your bios)All 4 sticks have to have the same capacity. You can't put 256 in two slots and 512 in the other two and run dual channel.

    X6000 P-4 3.2GHz 2gigs PC2 4200(533MHz)Ram 7200RPM 60 gig HHD 8x DVD Burner and the Brightview!
     
    Tacjam, Feb 14, 2005
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