MSI K8N Memory Configuration - Confused

[zumzum]

I though I had the placement of the memory on the board figured out. I have two 512MB Crucial Ballistix PC3200 sticks and placed them close to the CPU, next to each other, occupying one green slot and one purple slot. I was looking and the Anandtech website reviewing the board and came across a picture with the two green slots occupied.
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/sh...c.aspx?i=2128&p=10

Can anyone give me some feedback on this subject.
Thanks.

 

[Peter]

(double post, nevermind)

 

[Peter]

Welcome here!

The most obvious place to look for advice about things like these is the board's manual. Read it

 

[Aries64]

though I had the placement of the memory on the board figured out. I have two 512MB Crucial Ballistix PC3200 sticks and placed them close to the CPU, next to each other, occupying one green slot and one purple slot. I was looking and the Anandtech website reviewing the board and came across a picture with the two green slots occupied.

zumzum,

This question has been asked and answered many times over the past several months, which may be why Peter's second post was rather useless and unhelpful. Next time do a search and/or try a little research first. That said:

Peter IS correct - all you need to know is in the manual on pages 2-7 and 2-8. Specifically, page 2-8 shows the various recommended memory configurations for using both Single-Sided and Doubled-Sided DIMMs. Read it.

Now, that particular photo shows the memory in a single-channel configuration (both Green Slots filled). Must of been a photo flub because Anandtech said they used an FX-53 processor for testing, and they tested both 512MBx2 and 512MBx4 in dual-channel.

However, the answer is that if you have a dual-channel Socket 939 processor (FX-53, FX-55, 4000+) you want to populate DIMM1 and DIMM2 (As you have correctly done to enable dual-channel operation. Obviously, if you have a couple more sticks you can install them in their respective slots and they too can run in dual-channel.

However, as Anandtech pointed-out in their article (and as I just YESTERDAY answered this very question again!) when filling all (four) memory slots your Command Rate will have to be 2T. If you set your Command Rate manually to 1T with all slots filled your system won't even boot. You'll get intermittent beeps, you'll have to power-down the system, and you'll have to reset the CMOS by jumpering PIN2 and PIN3 on the BAT1 jumper cluster on the mobo for about five seconds. This resets the BIOS to the factory defaults. After that, return the shunt to the default position (shunt on PIN1 and PIN2) and boot back to the BIOS and check/reset your BIOS settings to where you want them.

It goes without saying that you want to unplug the power cable before messing with anything on the mobo!
Hope this helps.