Single Sided vs Double Sided RAM?

[Verzagen]

Any difference? Should I have incompatibility issues? I'm using a Shuttle A31 - KT266 and it won't stay stable w/ 2 256MB sticks. What is the difference?

 

[stardust]

its a size difference...did u mean dual channel? or dual sides as in memory chips on both sides of the ram PCB?
as far as i kno, since PC133, ram has been dual SIDED.

 

[Verzagen]

Originally posted by: stardust
dual sides as in memory chips on both sides of the ram PCB

I've got two sticks - both PC2100 Crucial 256MB RAM, the older one I have has memory chips on both sides, while the newest one I just ordered has memory chips on only one side. Strange! 😕

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I don't think you can mix and match them...

So its either all single sided or all double sided, not too sure on this but it came to mind...

 

[LED]

No worries, it'll work...has for me on numerous occasions.

 

[Corporate Thug]

i dont think there will be any compatibility issues. there is a rumor that the dual sided ram is faster but it's just that, a rumor

 

[SUOrangeman]

According to a recent Q/A about GamePC's review of the new GigaByte nForce2 board, single- versus dual-sided RAM will make a difference. That board has 4 RAM slots (a first for an nForce2 board?) but can only use single-sided RAM when filling all for slots. I understand that the nForce2 can support 3 memory banks, but banks cannot be equated to RAM slots.

-SUO

 

[tommie]

single sided ram is faster......ive tested this .

tommie j

 

[Verzagen]

That's the thing, it isn't stable with the two sticks. I've switched them both for first slot, and nothing works. I've even tried slot 3 and 4. The computer will constantly restart and my games will restart the PC as well... 🙁

Even if they don't work - do you think it'd be a good idea to trade a friend of mine both sticks for a stick of 512? That might be the easiest thing to do.

 

[neutralizer]

I ran my 8KHA+ with Crucial PC2100, an older one with dual-sided RAM and a newer one with single-sided RAM, it ran fine even at very aggressive timings and FSB. I had no compatibility issues with it at all. Did you say KT266 chipset? That might be the problem. KT266 doesn't have the best memory controller.

 

[vicvon]

Check to see that you are not running your mem speed too aggresively. My guese is that one of your modules has slower timing specs.

 

[JBT]

I have a stick of single sided and a stick of double sided in one of my systems works fine. I have heard that single sided is faster and that it is better because there are less chips that could possibly be faulty. I think most newer corsair XMS is actaullly single sided now same with crucial.

 

[Verzagen]

Yeah - it's the KT266 chipset. Blast VIA. lol I'll probably try to get one stick of 512 - or just use the single sided 256.

 

[Kingofcomputer]

Single side = 1 bank
Double side = 2 banks
6 banks 4 slots motherboard = "2 single side + 2 double side" or 3 double side.
Single side is faster than same size double side, because single side uses half the number of memory chips than double side, the chips have to be newer double amount memory chip, newer chip is faster than old one normally.

 

[RalfHutter]

The problem with the single sided (double density) RAM is that some older MoBos don't support it.

I've seen this happen numerous times with older Socket 370 boards. You have to use low densitey (double sided) RAM on these boards.

 

[Ketchup]

Originally posted by: Kingofcomputer
Single side = 1 bank
Double side = 2 banks
6 banks 4 slots motherboard = "2 single side + 2 double side" or 3 double side.
Single side is faster than same size double side, because single side uses half the number of memory chips than double side, the chips have to be newer double amount memory chip, newer chip is faster than old one normally.

Also, single-sided dimms overclock better. Since all the chips are on the same side, they can dissipate heat much better when there is not another memory chip on the back side. There is also less inherent latency when only one bank of dimms has to be addressed. This is why a lot of people with Canterwood/Springdale boards are having trouble running two 512 MB sticks of RAM. Running 4-banks in dual-channel mode at tight timings is very stressful on RAM.