Need help understanding RAM being paired

bluestrobe

Platinum Member
Aug 15, 2004
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I've been asking a few questions on these servers of mine on here and got great help. My Intel SR1200 servers have a ServerWorks* ServerSet III HE-SL chipset. I found in a few spots I need to buy the RAM in identical pairs and they must be paired that way in the slots a lot like dual channel ddr systems. My question is, why do they have to be pairs in identical pairs with server grade chipsets? Also, does the RAM have to be identical in design or just the same size that can be different manufactures?

Reason being is RAM in my price range is hard to get I can get a stick here and there but matched pairs of low profile RAM are either non-existent or very hard and expensive to find.
 

Fullmetal Chocobo

Moderator<br>Distributed Computing
Moderator
May 13, 2003
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The memory has to be paired is all. On my old dual Xeon (dual Xeon 2.66s), the memory worked in dual channel mode in such a way that it would not operate in single channel mode at all. It just wasn't possible with the architecture. I used like pairs as much as I could, but I don't think I had matched pairs like they sell now. Remember, they didn't really sell two sticks together for matching purposes back then (I could be wrong, but I sure as hell never seen it).

EDIT: Also, you might get more information over here in the memory section.
 

bigsnyder

Golden Member
Nov 4, 2004
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Dual channel is not the correct way to look at it. Many of these server boards divide the memory into "banks". One stick only serves half the bank, the second is needed to fill the address space. Just like with current dual channel, you need to stick to identical sticks as much as possible.
 

bluestrobe

Platinum Member
Aug 15, 2004
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Originally posted by: bigsnyder
Dual channel is not the correct way to look at it. Many of these server boards divide the memory into "banks". One stick only serves half the bank, the second is needed to fill the address space. Just like with current dual channel, you need to stick to identical sticks as much as possible.

I was hoping they didn't have to be identical. Low profile PC133 ECC Reg. RAM is hard to find and then pricey in pairs.