? about dual channel memory

jpk

Senior member
Mar 30, 2001
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Is this capability implimented on the mobo or does the memory also have to be dual channel in order for it to work? For example if I have a mobo that has dual channel capability will memory modules of the same size and type work as dual channel? Or, do the modules also have to be dual channel capable? Thanks
 

Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
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Motherboard, yes silimar modules will work as dual channel there is no real difference between dual channel kits and 2 normal sticks.
 

jpk

Senior member
Mar 30, 2001
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Great. I currently have 2x512mb Micron/Crucial running dual on my board now. Just bought 2 more modules same specs but just plain Micron. Wanted to fill the last two remaining slots with like modules running in dual mode in addition to the others.
 

Salacious Sith

Junior Member
Oct 17, 2005
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So what's the scoop on this scenario:

A dual-channel mobo with 4 RAM slots, 2 seperate colors--purple and blue. Obviously the two slots of the same color are the dual-channel slots.

So I insert two sticks of identical 512mb dual-channel memory in the purple slots. These two sticks are now being accessed by the CPU as dual-channel.

But then I insert two sticks of 512mb dual-channel memory in the blue slots, only they aren't the same brand/manufacturer. They ARE identical to each other, but not to the sticks in the purple slots. Will the system recognize the two different sets of memory as dual-channel, amounting to 1gbX1gb of memory?

If so, are there other factors that could prevent this, such as memory speed or amount differences between the two SETS of RAM?
 

JimPhelpsMI

Golden Member
Oct 8, 2004
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Hi, Remember folks, DDR stands for DOUBLE DATA RATE. Look up DUAL CHANNEL on the web and that's what you will get. Luck, Jim
 

m1ldslide1

Platinum Member
Feb 20, 2006
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Originally posted by: Salacious Sith
So what's the scoop on this scenario:

A dual-channel mobo with 4 RAM slots, 2 seperate colors--purple and blue. Obviously the two slots of the same color are the dual-channel slots.

So I insert two sticks of identical 512mb dual-channel memory in the purple slots. These two sticks are now being accessed by the CPU as dual-channel.

But then I insert two sticks of 512mb dual-channel memory in the blue slots, only they aren't the same brand/manufacturer. They ARE identical to each other, but not to the sticks in the purple slots. Will the system recognize the two different sets of memory as dual-channel, amounting to 1gbX1gb of memory?

If so, are there other factors that could prevent this, such as memory speed or amount differences between the two SETS of RAM?


I don't think it's the same concept as dual-graphics cards where they have to be identical. I have never tried sticking a ddr333 and a ddr400 into the dual-channel slots of a MoBo so I can't attest to what would happen with drastically different sticks of RAM but I can say that my ASUS mobo manual recommends identical stock latency timings.

Bottom line is that your Mobo is going to use one setting for both and if that setting doesn't work on one stick then you're going to have instability.