Mixing Ram / Compatible?

[adamwb]

Upgrading to an E8400 with this mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813136038

I'm planning on getting the Gskill 4GB kit:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231122


My question:

In my current setup my i have 2x1GB:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820220142


With the DFI board, can I fill the first 2 dimm slots w/ the Gskill and the other 2 with the patriot for a total of 6GB? Would that be bad?

 

[Moobox]

I personally don't think it's bad. Not much experience though. I have an old comp with a 512mbx2 corsair dual channel and a 256mb corsair with no problems at all. Do you need 6gb? The 2gbx2 might be enough for you? I'm about to buy that ram in a new computer too.

 

[nova2]

it might work just fine, but if not... return it for something else. there really is a chance that it wont work, but I'm not experienced on the statistics for running different brands together, to say whether the chance is low or high.

you may wish to do an overnight run of memtest plus
http://www.google.com/search?&q=memtest%20plus

one thing i will say, the less memory sticks you run, the better.
possibly even more true if you are overclocking significantly.
i would personally run two 2GB sticks instead, if you can, but if not then perhaps another time.

 

[0roo0roo]

unless you really need 6gb its better not to mix.
memtest away
plus are you running 64bit os?

 

[Billb2]

When a computer boots up, it reads the SPD data from the memory stick in the memory slot that is closest to the CPU. It uses this data to set the timings and voltage for all the memory sticks. If the other sticks can not run with these settings the computer will not boot.

The workaround is to boot with one stick and manually set the requires memory parameters in the bios, then add the other sticks. ote that timings will have to be those of the slower memory, and a voltage compatable with all the sticks may not be possible.
Check the voltage requirements of the memory before you purchase it.

 

[wwswimming]

i've had zero luck getting different DDR2 to work together.

e.g. Corsair OEM (no heat sink) with Patriot Low Latency (the kind that
was considered fast in 2005). i have 2 x 1 GB of the former, & 2 x 512
of the latter. they will not co-exist in my Asus P5GD which has a P4 @
3.6 GHz.

 

[adamwb]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
unless you really need 6gb its better not to mix.
memtest away
plus are you running 64bit os?

Yes I will be running Vista 64.

I guess I don't really NEED 6GB, but I always like to go overkill on the RAM.

Does anyone sell 8GB Kits?

I would get 2 of the 2GBx2 kits, but it would limit my upgrading later on, and I've heard that it's bad to completely fill up DIMM slots in the mobo, I don't know how true that is though.

 

[adamwb]

Originally posted by: wwswimming
i've had zero luck getting different DDR2 to work together.

e.g. Corsair OEM (no heat sink) with Patriot Low Latency (the kind that
was considered fast in 2005). i have 2 x 1 GB of the former, & 2 x 512
of the latter. they will not co-exist in my Asus P5GD which has a P4 @
3.6 GHz.

Well even though they are different brands, you can see they are the exact same speed however the patriot timings are: 4-4-4-4-12 2.2v,

While the Gskills are 5-5-5-5-12 and 1.8-1.9v.

Not sure if that will screw things up.



One thing I am thinking, shoudl I just buy 2 more of the patriot sticks (since I already have 2), and call it good with 4gb? I would therefore have 4x1GB sticks. Not sure if that's a good thing since most people buy in pairs, not quads.

 

[lxskllr]

I've never had problems mixing ram, but that's not to say you won't. I'd go ahead and get the 2*2gb set. If it works with your current ram great, if not that's ok too. 2*1gb sets are cheap enough that you aren't out much money, and you can live with 4gb, or buy some more ram. I would keep each set in it's own channel though when you install them. Eg. 2*2gb in channel 1, and 2*1gb in channel 2.