Registered RAM for KG7-RAID... why?

[BKnight]

I ordered the Abit KG7-RAID motherboard and 1 GB of PC2100 RAM from Crucial. Some of you kindly pointed out that the KG7 will only take two unbuffered chips or four registered chips. This is my second time exchanging the RAM I have received from Crucial and they have charged me three times for it so I hope this is the last time. I will now be getting 1 Gig of registered PC2100 DDR RAM and sending back my unbuffered Gig of the same. Now I am wondering why this motherboard needs this registered RAM, what the heck the difference is between registered and unbuffered and if there is a perfomance hit for using this more expensive (although slightly) type of RAM? This is the time for all of you RAM gurus to shine... thanks!

 

[Athlon4all]

Well because AMD 760 has strict Memory Settings and that's why it supports only 2 DIMM's of unbuffered, but and I'd hate to break it to ya, but KG7-RAID does support 4 DIMM's of unbuffered DDR, now this isn't supported by Abit or AMD, but it is avialable. Yes, Registered does run slighthly slower, Registered has chips (you can see them) between the pin contacts, and the memory chips, basically it's for Server's that need higher reliability.

 

[BKnight]

<< ...and I'd hate to break it to ya, but KG7-RAID does support 4 DIMM's of unbuffered DDR, now this isn't supported by Abit or AMD, but it is avialable. >>



Where exactly has this been confirmed because everything I have heard was basically rumors and there was no solid evidence other than someone somewhere may have gotten this to work once (stable?) in this configuration.



<< ...Yes, Registered does run slighthly slower, Registered has chips (you can see them) between the pin contacts, and the memory chips, basically it's for Server's that need higher reliability. >>



When you say slightly slower, are we talking in the neighborhood of 10% or 20% or higher/lower? Also, will using registered RAM affect my overclocking abilities at all?

 

[BKnight]

...bump...

 

[Athlon4all]

In VH's review, they state this and that they successfully put 4 unbuffered DIMM's in the board. Click here, scroll down to the 5th paragraph on this page. And no, like >5% difference.

 

[BKnight]

Thanks Athlon4all...

Very informative review on the motherboard. I am still glad I exchanged my RAM for registered though. It was the same price as what I paid for the unbuffered a week and a half ago so no extra charge anyway. How high do you expect I can push a 1.4 Ghz Athlon (266) to realistically with this board and a good fan? I have a week or so until the motherboard actually makes it in but I am getting excited about it now. Looks like I might have to trade it in kind of early though if the KR7-RAID pans out to be as good as some people have expressed. That is the down side to being a computer enthusiast... it gets expensive!