Memory question

[jpk]

I have 2gb's of ram, 4x512mb pc2700 Micron sticks. The 1 gb set I originally had in my machine had chips on one side of the stick. I bought another 2 sticks to bump up to 2gb and I started to have issues, random reboots, programs wouldn't load, etc.. I removed the second set and all is now fine, programs load, no reboots. The second 2 sticks have chips on both sides of the pcb so I was wondering if I had inadvertantly bought ECC sticks by mistake. The two sets look the same except for one set have chips on both side of the sticks. Is there any way to tell if they are ECC or non ECC? The labels on them have no indication as to what they are. Thanks.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: jpk
I have 2gb's of ram, 4x512mb pc2700 Micron sticks. The 1 gb set I originally had in my machine had chips on one side of the stick. I bought another 2 sticks to bump up to 2gb and I started to have issues, random reboots, programs wouldn't load, etc.. I removed the second set and all is now fine, programs load, no reboots. The second 2 sticks have chips on both sides of the pcb so I was wondering if I had inadvertantly bought ECC sticks by mistake. The two sets look the same except for one set have chips on both side of the sticks. Is there any way to tell if they are ECC or non ECC? The labels on them have no indication as to what they are. Thanks.

How many chips are on there? IIRC, ECC has 9 chips instead of 8. I think. I've been at work for a long time, so I could be wrong.

 

[jpk]

The second set has 8 chips on each side while my original set has 8 on one side.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: Fullmetal Chocobo
How many chips are on there? IIRC, ECC has 9 chips instead of 8. I think. I've been at work for a long time, so I could be wrong.

Even number = Non-ECC
Odd number = ECC

 

[lobbyone]

Originally posted by: jpk
The second set has 8 chips on each side while my original set has 8 on one side.

They are both non-ECC
here

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: Blain

Originally posted by: Fullmetal Chocobo
How many chips are on there? IIRC, ECC has 9 chips instead of 8. I think. I've been at work for a long time, so I could be wrong.

Even number = Non-ECC
Odd number = ECC

Excellent. My memory serves me well, even now.

 

[jpk]

Originally posted by: lobbyone

Originally posted by: jpk
The second set has 8 chips on each side while my original set has 8 on one side.

They are both non-ECC
here

So then since both sets of memory have even numbers of chips on them even though the second set has double the number of chips, why was my machine running so poorly with the 2gbs installed? I was running the sticks in dual channel and the bios recognized the memory properly both the amount, speed and dual channel.

 

[Blain]

DIMMs aren't twins, just the same size.

 

[jimmyj68]

I don't have the technical explanation for this but some motherboards will not function properly if you mix two sided and single sided memory strips. I recall seeing this in motherboard setup booklets. Check yours and be sure it doesn't advise against mixing memory stick structures. I think that is your problem.

 

[jpk]

With the concern over ECC/Non ECC solved, it must be the chip structures then. I've read the mobo manual regarding memory install and specs and it doesn't mention anything about dual sided vs single sided. I'll get a set of matching sticks to what I had originally installed and see if that solves the issue. One last question, would it then be better to go with the dual sided or single sided in a matched set? I would think single sided because there are few chips for the signals to pass through?....if that would affect speed at all.

 

[jpk]

I think what I may do is just buy 2x1gb pc3200 sticks and unload the 4x512 ones I have. Probably solve the issues and since I will have to spend some cash anyway.

 

[Blain]

ASRock
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://download.asrock.com/manual/939Dual-SATA2.pdf">For dual channel configuration, you always need to install identical (the same brand, speed, size and chip-type) DDR DIMM pair in the slots of the same color.
In other words, you have to install identical DDR DIMM pair in Dual Channel A (DDR1 and DDR2; Blue slots; see p.8 No.7) or identical DDR DIMM pair in Dual Channel B (DDR3 and DDR4; Black slots; see p.8 No.8),</a>

 

[jpk]

My Bad!......need to read closer.

By the way....thanks to all that gave their input.