HELP! Combining Ram Types/Speeds

[DaCurryman]

Hello,

I recently got in on the Dell 4550 deal. I don't have the computer yet, but I want to solve this before hand. The Dell will come with 128MB DDR 333MHz ram. I definitely want to upgrade and so I also got in on the deal for Kingston 256 DDR 266MHz ram from Office Depot. (I got 2 of those).

Now the question is if I mix a 333MHz chip and the Kingston 266MHz chip, will my 128 chip now run at the reduced speed of 266MHz or will they run their own speeds independently?

Also, one of the 3 chips will go into my brother's Athlon XP 1600+. So if the above mix will work with independent speeds, would it be faster for me to keep the 128 333MHz and one of the 256 266MHz chips or should I just install both 256 266MHz and put the 128MHz chip in my brother's computer?

I know it sounds kind of complicated, but if you can help or offer suggestions, I'm all ears. =) Thanx everybody!

 

[DaCurryman]

bump for help

 

[thorin]

"Now the question is if I mix a 333MHz chip and the Kingston 266MHz chip, will my 128 chip now run at the reduced speed of 266MHz or
will they run their own speeds independently?"

Yes.

"Also, one of the 3 chips will go into my brother's Athlon XP 1600+. So if the above mix will work with independent speeds, would it be faster for me to keep the 128 333MHz and one of the 256 266MHz chips or should I just install both 256 266MHz and put the 128MHz chip in my brother's computer?"

Hmmm few typos there.....anyway give the 128MB 333MHz to yer brother.

Thorin

 

[Spleenus]

my belief is that it will run at the slowest speed. But in all due course you should try not to really mix different RAM types up.

 

[DaCurryman]

" 'Now the question is if I mix a 333MHz chip and the Kingston 266MHz chip, will my 128 chip now run at the reduced speed of 266MHz or
will they run their own speeds independently?'

Yes. "

Yes to which one?

 

[blade2]

i dont mean to be misleading but doesnt the RAM run at the speed of the slowest module, in this case 266Mhz???

in the old days with plain old SDRAM, the ram would run at the speed of the slowest RAM module...but of course technology has advanced greatly since then.... so what is the answer???

 

[Passions]

I think they run at the slowest speed, I'd be very impressed if they ran independantly.

 

[MrPhelps]

The slowests.

I think hard drives work the same way, A 7200rpm with a 5400 will run at 5400. Or so I am told.

 

[DaCurryman]

Thanx for you help guys. So I guess I'll keep two 256 chips (512 Total) running @ 266MHz and I'll put the 128 chip in my brother's computer. Would've been nice if they ran independently. =)

I kind of expected it to run at the slower speed. However, I wouldnt of guessed that the same occurs in hard drives. That just sucks.

 

[thorin]

Think of all the buffering etc that you'd have to do in order to implement independant device timing for RAM. In the end the whole setup would likely be slower then running at the speed of the slower piece of RAM.

Thorin

 

[blade2]

Originally posted by: MrPhelps
The slowests.

I think hard drives work the same way, A 7200rpm with a 5400 will run at 5400. Or so I am told.

no i dont believe that is true:

if you are talking RPM speeds then it isnt true, it revs at its designated revs...

if ur talking about ATA 100/133 then i believe it is also untrue...

 

[thorin]

The IDE bus does support independant device timing. Thus you can mix ATA33/66/100/133 devices on the same channel and still get the best speed out of all of them. Of course if you're copying from an ATA66 device to a ATA33 device the system has to do a bunch of buffering for you, however if you copy from a ATA33 device to a ATA66 device it will obviously be able to keep up no problem.

Thorin