Atom D510 with 4 GB RAM? All usable in OS?

[Fjodor2001]

Hi,

The Intel Atom D510 supports 2 x 2 GB RAM = 4 GB RAM in total. However, will all 4 GB be usable/visible in the OS (assuming a 64-bit OS such as Windows 7 64-bit is used)? Or is there a similar problem as when using 4 GB RAM with 32-bit Windows or a 32-bit CPU, where only ~3 GB RAM is actually usable?

Thanks!

 

[Keysplayr]

Atom D510 supports Intel 64. But I would say it all depends on the mobo chipset as to how much RAM can be used. 32 and 64 bit Windows limitations, or lack thereof, still apply.
It's up to the OS.

Intel Atom D510:
http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=43098

Only the Intel NM10 chipset supports it:
http://ark.intel.com/chipset.aspx?familyID=46773
But no mention of max memory supported on Intel's site. It's blank.

EDIT: After reading up more on Pineview (Atom D510/NM10 chipset) it seems max support for the chipset is 4GB single channel DDR2 800. Max of 2 DIMMS.

So, like I mentioned, the usage of memory depends on the OS. 32 or 64 bit.
Don't forget, the integrated graphics will still use up some of that system memory, as always.

And it seems the integrated graphics didn't improve. Akin to the specs of Intels GMA 950.

Quote from review at TomsHardware:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/atom-d510-d510mo,2507-3.html

"In other words, you’re getting four pixel pipelines running at 400 MHz with DirectX 9 support via software-based Vertex Shader 3.0 support and hardware Pixel Shader 2.0 support. Video acceleration is limited to MPEG-2 playback, so don’t expect a desktop
based on the Atom D510 or D410 to accommodate Blu-ray movies. This actually turns out to be a bummer, because the US15W core logic already used to drive lower-power Atom-based devices includes licensed PowerVR SGX graphics able to accelerate MPEG-2, VC-1, and AVC in hardware."

 

[Fjodor2001]

I just found the following Microsoft knowledge base article regarding the same issue but for Windows Vista (should probably also apply to Windows 7): http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605

In the "Workaround" section the following is stated:

"For Windows Vista to use all 4 GB of memory on a computer that has 4 GB of memory installed, the computer must meet the following requirements:

1. The chipset must support at least 8 GB of address space.
2. The CPU must support the x64 instruction set.
3. The BIOS must support the memory remapping feature.
4. An x64 (64-bit) version of Windows Vista must be used."

Of these requirements, 2 & 4 seems to be fullfilled for an Atom D510 & NM10 system running Windows 7 64-bit. However, 1 & 3 I'm not so sure about?

 

[TurtleCrusher]

CPU_MC
Essentials StatusLaunched Launch DateQ1'10 Processor NumberD510 # of Cores2 # of Threads4 Processor Base Frequency1.66 GHz L2 Cache1 MB Instruction Set64-bit Instruction Set ExtensionsSSE2, SSE3, SSSE3 Supplemental SKUNo Processing Die Lithography45 nm Max TDP13 W

4 threads? This looks like it could be *THE* HTPC CPU for a while. Pair it with a cheap 4350 and this guy is certainly capable.

 

[soccerballtux]

4 threads? This looks like it could be *THE* HTPC CPU for a while. Pair it with a cheap 4350 and this guy is certainly capable.

why not just get a normal atom? My 1.3Ghz Atom keeps my GPU fed in my netbook with 1080p content.

 

[Fjodor2001]

Could we please stick with the original question?

Is there anyone who knows if requirement 1 & 3 in my previous post are fulfilled for an Atom D510 / NM 10 / Win7 64-bit system? Or is there anyone who has such as system, or for other reasons know if all of the 4 GB RAM is usable in Win 7 64-bit?

 

[Muse]

Here's one of the very best discussions I've encountered on the D510 and its implications. HTH:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=56609

 

[Fjodor2001]

Sorry, I could not find any answer to my questions in that discussion or in any of the webpages it contained links to?

 

[Fjodor2001]

I found the manual for the Intel D510MO motherboard, see here: http://downloadmirror.intel.com/18357/eng/D510MO_TechProdSpec.pdf

According to the manual the motherboard supports 2 x 2 GB RAM in the RAM slots, but unfortunately not all of it seems to be available to the OS. See chapter 2.1 in the manual for details.

The question is whether the "PCI memory range" (see page 36) is only reserved if you have a card in the PCI slot? In this case, almost all of the 4 GB is available to the OS if you have no PCI card. But if the "PCI memory range is reserved even if you do not have any card in the PCI slot it's not so good. Then there will be only about 3.2 GB available for the OS!

Does anybody know if the PCI slot can be disabled, thereby not reserving any memory for the "PCI memory range"?

 

[Muse]

Thanks for the link to the manual. I'm probably either going to get that board (or another D510 mobo) or possibly wait for 32nm boards that will maybe be around in a year or so. I'm probably more fixated on low energy usage than you, but don't know. Myself, I'm thinking WHS or Ubuntu at this point. Speaking of which, I think you might have less concerns about full RAM utilization if you run a Linux distro. Well, that's what I'm hearing. You might send the following Anandtech subscribers a PM asking them to jump in this thread. These guys are a lot more technically aware of these issues than I am:

Nothinman
alyarb
taltamir

They post in the barebones PCs forum, etc.

Edit: I just read a review at Newegg for this mobo that says Intel does and will not support server OSs for this. That's probably a showstopper for me. Read the review by radman on 02/04/2010:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...1399&cm_re=D510-_-13-121-399-_-CustomerReview

 

[Fayd]

why not just get a normal atom? My 1.3Ghz Atom keeps my GPU fed in my netbook with 1080p content.

i wasnt aware there was a 1.3 ghz atom.

and my netbook struggles on 720P content.

i think you're thinking of an SU7300 based system, or an ion chipset.

 

[tweakboy]

Its performance comparable to core e3xxx series

 

[pjkenned]

4 threads? This looks like it could be *THE* HTPC CPU for a while. Pair it with a cheap 4350 and this guy is certainly capable.

As another thought... I've bought an i3-530 and i5-650 in the past 10 days. The 32nm chips + the Intel retail HSF have been quite amazing sound wise (you can't hear in a closed case). Not much more expensive than the Atom but much faster.

 

[soccerballtux]

i wasnt aware there was a 1.3 ghz atom.

and my netbook struggles on 720P content.

i think you're thinking of an SU7300 based system, or an ion chipset.

your netbook struggles on 720p content because the graphics chipset cannot accelerate video. The GMA950 (the chipset used in most netbooks until more recently) can't. The GMA500 in mine can.

In other words, all the cpu has to do with the GMA500 is dump the data from the disk to the GPU and the GPU handles the rest.
GPU only uses 5 watts too...it's pretty nice. Tradeoff is that I can't do...hardly any gaming. It plays FF7 though.

So, my cpu runs ~20% when handling 1080p content. Acer Aspire One ao751h

 

[Fjodor2001]

pjkenned: For me, choosing an Atom D510 instead of an i3-530 is mainly because I intend to use it in a server that will be turned on 24/7, so it should have as low power consumption as possible. An Atom D510 system (with 4 GB RAM / 1 x HDD) can consume as little as ~20 W when idle vs ~40 W for an i3-530 (all of course depending on what additional hardware you add).

Anyway, still noone that knows the answer to the original question in this thread?

 

[Muse]

pjkenned: For me, choosing an Atom D510 instead of an i3-530 is mainly because I intend to use it in a server that will be turned on 24/7, so it should have as low power consumption as possible. An Atom D510 system (with 4 GB RAM / 1 x HDD) can consume as little as ~20 W when idle vs ~40 W for an i3-530 (all of course depending on what additional hardware you add).

Anyway, still noone that knows the answer to the original question in this thread?

May I ask: Why are you so concerned with maximizing the DDR2 utilization in that server machine? What will you be doing with it that makes such demands?

 

[Fjodor2001]

I don't consider 4 GB that much on a system running e.g. Windows 7. Also 4 GB RAM is not that expensive.

But I just want to know if it's any use putting 4 GB in it instead of 2 GB. If only ~3.2 GB will be usable then I don't think it worth it (despite the RAM being quite cheap).

 

[aigomorla]

does the atom even have EMT64?

*scratches head*

i thought thats why its preloaded with win xp 32.

May I ask: Why are you so concerned with maximizing the DDR2 utilization in that server machine? What will you be doing with it that makes such demands?

I like to have 18403985039284703928403924732 word documents open at the same time and not lag between cycling though them.

:X

 

[faxon]

Why not just put ing 3gb if the board doesn't support it? The memory is single channel ao it shouldn't matter what you put in

 

[taltamir]

I don't consider 4 GB that much on a system running e.g. Windows 7. Also 4 GB RAM is not that expensive.

But I just want to know if it's any use putting 4 GB in it instead of 2 GB. If only ~3.2 GB will be usable then I don't think it worth it (despite the RAM being quite cheap).

true on all accounts. I agree that 4GB would be useful and its not exactly expensive. But it does seem like a waste instead of getting 3GB if only 3.XGB can be addressed.

You have already listed the possible issues and which ones are certainly ok and which are supposedly ok. The only way to know for sure is to find someone who has a similar machine and ask if it works. (to clarify, you can know for sure if it will not work. for example, you know for sure a 32bit windows will not see all 4GB; but if everything seems in order, then the only way to know for sure is to ask someone with a similar machine. But if everything does seem in order, then it is unlikely that it wouldn't work.)

 

[pjkenned]

pjkenned: For me, choosing an Atom D510 instead of an i3-530 is mainly because I intend to use it in a server that will be turned on 24/7, so it should have as low power consumption as possible. An Atom D510 system (with 4 GB RAM / 1 x HDD) can consume as little as ~20 W when idle vs ~40 W for an i3-530 (all of course depending on what additional hardware you add).

Anyway, still noone that knows the answer to the original question in this thread?

Been playing around a bit with the i5-650. Without underclocking/volting, it is sitting at 27w idle on the Kill-A-Watt with an X18-M G1 and 4GB DDR3 (1.56v I think, I do have more 1.5v coming). I loaded it up with an Adaptec 5805 (the Areca card was in the new WHS testing the new Supermicro motherboard), a HP SAS Expander, two Intel Pro/1000 GT NICs and it was in the low 70w range. That is, for the record, over 40 ports of SATA connectivity, and three GigE ports at 70w.

This weekend I'm going to pull the other Kill-A-Watt and run the ION box side-by-side to see the difference in idle power consumption.

I've heard from a friend that I might be able to get the i3-530 on the Intel board (apparently more efficient) down to sub 20w.

 

[Fayd]

does the atom even have EMT64?

*scratches head*

i thought thats why its preloaded with win xp 32.



I like to have 18403985039284703928403924732 word documents open at the same time and not lag between cycling though them.

:X

i thought only the baseline 1.6 ghz atom wasnt capable of 64bit operation. the rest of the series was...

 

[Fjodor2001]

I've heard from a friend that I might be able to get the i3-530 on the Intel board (apparently more efficient) down to sub 20w.

Wow, that's amazing if it's true! I'm looking for a Mini-ITX motherboard though, and I don't think Intel has one out yet with the H55/H57 chipset? However, I've seen that Zotac has such a motherboard, called ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi. Don't know if the power consumption matches the one from Intel though.

 

[Fjodor2001]

If anyone is still interested in the answer to the original question in this thread:

I have now tested an Intel Atom D510MO motherboard (which has an on-board Atom D510 CPU) and 2x2 GB RAM. Running Windows 7 64-bit, I get 4 GB RAM available in the OS (minus the amount of RAM allocated for the integrated graphics). I.e. in my case 4192 - 128 MB = 4064 MB. This is the amount of RAM that shows up in the Windows Task Manager under "Physical Memory - Total:".

 

[ELopes580]

Fjodor2001, how's the overall feel and responsiveness?