Adding a third module to dual-channel mode: do-able?

Poofy McPoofjohnson

Junior Member
Oct 21, 2006
10
0
0
Can I add a third stick of 1GB memory to a 2GB dual-channel setup and still be able to run in dual channel mode? The third stick will be the same brand of memory (Corsair) with the same timings and of course the same speed. The third stick however is from a different product line within Corsair called the Value Select series while the other two are from the XMS Platinum Series. Do you think that adding this third stick to this dual-channel configuration would either cause compatibility problems or disable dual channel mode?

I am running an older PC using DDR PC3200 RAM. The motherboard I am using is an MSI K7N2-Delta, if that makes any difference. The two products of RAM that I mentioned are listed below if that helps at all:

Corsair XMS
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=44434&...acture=Corsair

Corsair ValueRAM
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=15556&...acture=Corsair

Thanks for any help you can give.

Poof.
 

Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
Of course you can add a third DIMM to your setup.
But "dual channel" operation requires "sets" of DIMMs.

From the MSI manual...
"Please note that the system will support dual channel DDR when you install
DDR modules on DIMM1(purple slot) and DIMM3(green slot), or DIMM2(purple slot)
and DIMM3(green slot)."
 
Last edited:

nenforcer

Golden Member
Aug 26, 2008
1,782
24
81
You can not add just a single additional module and expect to remain in dual channel.

As Blain said you must add 2 new memory sticks to remain in dual channel.

Ideally if you can get 2 Corsair Value Select 1GB and add them to the same channel (the second) you will still remain in dual channel and only the second channel will run at the slower timings.