Dual Channel and Socket939

[geort45]

Hello,

I'm currently using my ol' but trysty AthlonXP system, however I'm in need for more power so I'm gonna buy an A64 system based on the socket 939 platform. I know it _supports_ dual channel, however I don't know if it means just that you can use dual chan DDR, or that you MUST use dual channel... damn it would increase the necessary budget, having to pay for double the amount of memory =/

thanks

 

[Amaroque]

Ya know, on my K8N Neo2 Platinum, it did post with one RAM stick.

It also hasen't posted with only one RAM stick installed.

 

[AncientPC]

Dual channel RAM is optional, you can always use non-dual channel RAM.

 

[Amaroque]

Actually, I tried it again... It just says 64 Bit memory, and not 128 Bit.

 

[ts3433]

"Paying for double the amount of memory?" I don't see where you get this, as you're probably using the system for an application where you want at least a gig anyway. 2x512MB is the most cost-effective way to do this (dual channel doesn't somehow make your sticks run at half capacity for more theoretical bandwidth...).

In any event, you should be able to POST with one RAM stick; you'll just sacrifice about 5% of your performance, because the 939s are PR-rated with dual channel in mind. (This is why a 939 3000+ (1.8GHz), for example, is rated the same as the 754 3000+ (2GHz, single channel).)

 

[Slug]

You can run single channel only with no problems, at least on the A8V anyway. Sandra mem scores are cut in half, for what that's worth.

 

[mdahc]

Dual or single channel, it doesn't matter.

System:
AMD Athlon64 3200+ (s939, Winchester core, OC'd to 2.2GHz)
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum (BIOS v. 1.4)
1GB OCZ DDR466 Rev. 3 (@ 2.5, 4, 4, 10, 2.8V, 220MHz)
single WD 36.7GB Raptor
eVGA AGP Geforce 6600 GT
Antec NeoPower 480W PSU
Lian-Li PC-V1000
Sony CPD-E540/B 21" Trinitron

 

[geort45]

what I meant for "paying for double the amount of memory" is because I thought dual chan mem was like Raid 0, 2x512MB=512MB of memory

 

[mordantmonkey]

uh wouldn't that be raid 1. raid 0 stripes data. so 80 gig + 80 gig = 160gigs. mirrored raid 1 would be 80+80=80

anyway dual channel means twice the rate of transfer. like raid 0 except it has real world performace gains. you put in 2x512 sticks you still get 1g total mem just twice the transfer rate.