What are my RAM upgrade options with this CPU+Motherboard ?

[polm]

Here is the board : http://www.abit-usa.com/produc...p?categories=1&model=7

I am currently running an Athlon T-Bird 2100+ CPU and 512 (2 x 256) DDR RAM.

I am not too worried about upgrading the CPU, but I would like to boost my RAM up to 1Gig.

Based on my current Bus speeds what DDR types are available to me ?

 

[ts3433]

Buy one 512MB DIMM of DDR400. It should simply downclock to the proper FSB speed, and DDR400 is usually the same price as lower speed grades anyway. (I don't think the board will reject your RAM just for having a 3-DIMM combination with a DDR400 stick.)

Side note: Your 2100+ can't be a Thunderbird; they were rated by clock speed and only went to 1.4GHz.

 

[CrucialLabs]

Sure you could use PC3200 400MHz memory on that system but you will not see any benefits from it since your processor has a FSB of 266MHz. Any memory you install will default to PC2100 speeds. You do have an nForce2 chipset so you could use a 512MB module and it might stay in dual channel mode.

If you plan on keeping this system around for a while and do not want to upgrade your processor then stay with PC2100 memory for compatibility reasons.

 

[polm]

Originally posted by: CrucialLabs
Sure you could use PC3200 400MHz memory on that system but you will not see any benefits from it since your processor has a FSB of 266MHz. Any memory you install will default to PC2100 speeds. You do have an nForce2 chipset so you could use a 512MB module and it might stay in dual channel mode.

If you plan on keeping this system around for a while and do not want to upgrade your processor then stay with PC2100 memory for compatibility reasons.

Slot0 - 256MB
Slot1 - 256MB
Slot2 - 512MB *New DDR Module*

Is this the config you are suggesting ?

 

[polm]

I've added the 512MB PC2100 DDR to the third slot, and my system now registers the 1 GB of RAM. How can I confirm the "Dual Channel" mode ?

 

[hundesau]

when booting up there should be short notice that tells u the amount of Ram and "Dual Channel enabled". As u installed the Ram in the correct slots for working in Dual Chanel it should work already, but i had some problems with two stupid Hewlett Packard Rams on an ABit NF7-S and it wouldnt work with the Ram. Dunno why it wouldnt work but i didnt care cuz dual channel is a hoax on the nforce4 anyways. So trust me u wont recognize any difference it it working or not. But if its workin u will notice when booting as I said in the beginning. Another way to check it, is to run Everest or Sandra, those are system information tools and when u check the memory with it should say they running with 128bit as this means dual channel. If it says 64bit then u running single channel, but the advantages of dual channel on nforce2 are a hoax anyway....

 

[polm]

Thanks Hundesau, I do indeed have a message at post : Dual Channel DDR Enabled.