2 memory sticks needed for Dual channel setup?

[ImMersion]

Im not a total moron, dual channel does hint at using 2 memmory slots (and sticks) but I just wanna be sure.

I wanna go 2 sticks of 256 instead of 1 stick of 512, but the 2 sticks come out about to near 100 when 1 512 will be around 80-85

What should i do

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Yup. Dual channel needs dual sticks. Mind you, it'll give you a seriously healthy boost over single-channel.

I vote for "spend the extra and go dual-channel".

- M4H

 

[mechBgon]

edit: yeah, what he said ^

You're correct, two sticks are needed with any of the dual-channel DDR boards, either Intel or AMD. nForce2 can do dual-channel with three sticks as well, while Intel solutions will want an even number of sticks, either two or four. What are you building?

 

[ImMersion]

we'll leave that as a mystery right now hehe

Ok I just tell you guys. Im going for a Athlon xp 1700 tbred "B" year/week 0310
Epox 8rda nforce2 board <<<<<< can get really high fsb on this mofo, near 210 fsb
and winbond pc3200 cas 2 <<< said to go as high as 212fsb
and a basic vantec aeroflow hsf to cool it all
$300 for it all

gonna be using my current audigy, wd hd, and sony cdrw

 

[mechBgon]

That sounds like a good OC'ing setup A couple of tips: if you're going to use the Audigy, disable the motherboard's onboard audio, gameport and MIDI port in its BIOS. Jumper your WD drive as "Single Drive" if it will be solo on its own IDE cable. If you use WinXP, download SP1 if your WinXP disc doesn't have it already, and burn it to disc so you can install it before installing the nForce2 drivers (might want to download/burn them as well). When installing the nForce drivers, I would click "No" when it asks to install the SW IDE driver (causes problems with optical burners sometimes).

Good luck!

edit: got a reasonably good power supply for this rig?

 

[ImMersion]

oh yeah forgot to mention that I bought a Raidmax 400w psu a month ago, damn svc rocks I got so much sh1t from there for so cheap; check out their rounded cable blowouts :Q

 

[ImMersion]

OT/ where can I d/l a good iso or other image of xp with sp1 already included
my copy of xp is sorta ghetto/unreliable

We do not condone piracy on AnandTech. Consider this your first and last warning.

AnandTech Moderator

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: ImMersion
OT/ where can I d/l a good iso or other image of xp with sp1 already included
my copy of xp is sorta ghetto/unreliable

That's a taboo question around here :Q But if you call up Microsoft and explain that your original CD is scratched up, I think they'll sell you a new CD quite cheap. We lost our Win98 CD here once and I bought another one directly from MS for about $15.

 

[ImMersion]

wont that require actual proof that you once owned it?
I understand why it would be taboo, but Im not about to shell out 150 for a MICROSOFT product. If I had a choice I wouldnt use xp but I dont, but every prog is on the windows line of os's. I guess Im a victim of the system

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: ImMersion
Im not about to shell out 150 for a MICROSOFT product.

Your integrity is worth more than $150. Or mine is, anyway.

 

[zShowtimez]

"nForce2 can do dual-channel with three sticks "


Umm.. No. With 3 slots populated it wouldnt be dual channel anymore.

 

[mechBgon]

Incorrect. It does indeed run dual-channel with either two sticks or three, as counterintuitive as that may sound.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Incorrect. It does indeed run dual-channel with either two sticks or three, as counterintuitive as that may sound.

All Nforce2 boards??? If so *voice of Johnny Carson*"I did not know that"

 

[MercenaryForHire]

I heard you need to buy a legit copy of WinXP in order to run Dual-Channel, or it throws a "W4R3Z-M0NK3H" exception on bootup.

- M4H

 

[mechBgon]

All nForce2's, yeah, as far as I know. The northbridge has two memory controllers and load-balances between them; it doesn't require a symmetrical memory layout like Intel, which creates one 128-bit memory channel out of two 64-bit ones and therefore needs matching "geometry."

With nForce2, if three identical modules are used, one controller does have twice as much memory on hand as the other, but it still runs dual-channel. Asus says so specifically in their owner's manual, for instance. My 8RDA+ displayed "Dual-Channel Enabled" (or wording to that effect) with three DIMMs installed, before it quit working.

 

[ImMersion]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I heard you need to buy a legit copy of WinXP in order to run Dual-Channel, or it throws a "W4R3Z-M0NK3H" exception on bootup.

- M4H

I think this may just be your setup/winxp
try reinstalling it, and if oc'ed, reduce it a little.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: ImMersion

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I heard you need to buy a legit copy of WinXP in order to run Dual-Channel, or it throws a "W4R3Z-M0NK3H" exception on bootup.

- M4H

I think this may just be your setup/winxp
try reinstalling it, and if oc'ed, reduce it a little.

ImMersion ...

- M4H