BX RAM questions. *** EDIT *** Is 32Megx64 256 MB memory an 8-chip stick?

[Eug]

Currently I've got a Celeron 880 with a humungous Alpha setup on a slocket, leaving me with only 2 slots open.

Both are filled with 128 MB sticks. I'm in need of an upgrade. Does anyone know if my Asus P2B (BX) will work properly with most 512 MB memory? Can I swap one out and replace it with any 512? If not, what should I look for? Or should I just get two 256 sticks?

I'm just wondering if it makes any difference to XP. I note that with TweakXP you can force all of XP into 512 MB already.

 

[AndyHui]

The BX chipset cannot handle 512MB DIMMs. The largest is 256MB 16 chip, double sided DIMMs, and that is on the latest revision of the BX chipset.

Early revisions of the BX chipset will only handle 128MB DIMMs.

The following S-Specs (printed on the 440BX North Bridge) can handle 256MB DIMMs: SL2VH, SL378. Other steppings will not.

You should also be aware that much of the RAM available today is High Density RAM, in which case you should read this: What is High Density SDRAM? Can it work with BX motherboards?

 

[Eug]

Thanks Andy. Stupid me. When I checked the faqs I only checked the recent ones and not general hardware.

EDIT: When I check the RAM, am I correct in thinking that I can simply look at the RAM and see if it is ...x4?

Also, are there freeware software apps that will tell me what stepping of BX I have? Board is an Asus P2B Rev. 1.10 (BIOS 1012).

 

[Eug]

According to Crucial this RAM should work fine on my BX board. I'm not sure if I understand their specs properly, but its SDRAM, PC133 ? CL=2 ? Unbuffered ? Non-parity ? 7.5ns ? 3.3V ? 32Meg x 64.

Moreover, it seems that at crucial, they don't sell any 256 MB RAM that's 64Meg x 64. ie. All of their standard PC100+ 168-pin 256 MB DIMMs would work. The only 64Meg x 64 RAM I see are 512 sticks, which don't work with my Asus P2B.

Are you saying that Crucial.com only sells 16 chip solutions which are still 32Meg x 64? Or is it possible to have an 8-chip 32Megx64?

Sorry if my post seems like a newbie post, but I don't understand this stuff. I'd like to be able to just go into the store today and pick up another at least 1 256 MB stick to swap out with one of my 128 MB sticks, to bring the total to 384.

I've noticed that on my machine sometimes 256 MB just crawls (Windows XP).

 

[AndyHui]

Seems to me that those 256MB DIMMs are single sided 8-chip modules.

The stepping of your chipset is printed on the North Bridge. Simply lift the heatsink off.

As far as I can see, something like WCPUID is no good, as I have no correlation between stepping ID and stepping mask.

SL2VH, SL378 are the C1 stepping of the BX chipset.

 

[Eug]

<< Seems to me that those 256MB DIMMs are single sided 8-chip modules.

The stepping of your chipset is printed on the North Bridge. Simply lift the heatsink off.

As far as I can see, something like WCPUID is no good, as I have no correlation between stepping ID and stepping mask.

SL2VH, SL378 are the C1 stepping of the BX chipset. >>


Yes I could check that (hope the chipset heatsink isn't glued on), but I was under the impression from your post that NONE of the 8-chip solutions would work with BX. Crucial seems to suggest otherwise if they truly are 8-chip cards. Or maybe I just misread your post?

By the way, I do know it is a later iteration of the mobo if that's any indication. Revision 1.10, which added a fair amount of features not on the 1.0-1.09 versions.

 

[AndyHui]

With rev 1.10, it *should* be the C1 revision.

As I understand the BX specifications, 8 chip 256MB DIMMs should not work with the BX chipset.

I know Crucial seems to claim otherwise from your link, but I am still somewhat doubtful.

 

[Eug]

<< With rev 1.10, it *should* be the C1 revision.

As I understand the BX specifications, 8 chip 256MB DIMMs should not work with the BX chipset.

I know Crucial seems to claim otherwise from your link, but I am still somewhat doubtful. >>


Hmmm... I just read this other FAQ. It seems that Crucial's 32Meg64 doesn't mean anything. ie. 32x64=2048 bits = 256 MBytes, but says nothing about the number of chips. Maybe something to add to the FAQ?

I just e-talked to crucial, and the guy said that the 256 MB modules they sell "should be" 16-chip 16Mx8, even though they're labelled 32Meg64.

Thanks. I'm going shopping today for a 16-chip module. I just hope it ain't one of those 32Mx4 ones.