upgrading my RAM...

S

SpetzNaz

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So, I'm looking to upgrade from 2 GB to 4 GB of RAM, since I've recently moved over to Vista (no, I haven't had any trouble with Vista whatsoever).

Right now, I have the following, according to a program CPU-Z:

DDR2 PC2-6400 (400 mhz), 2 x 1 GB.

Now, I know I have 4 slots, but what would be better to purchase, 2 more 1 GB sticks, or just replace everything with 2, 2 GB sticks?

Also, it seems the 400 mhz speed noted above is unusual, or perhaps old, as I can't find it at newegg or tigerdirect. is that something odd, or?
 
What mobo do you have ? Some ppl like to run 2x2GB and other like 4x1GB, I can't really tell the difference... It's possible that your mobo supports more then 400MHz
 
Ok, http://www.evga.com/products/moreInfo.asp?pn=122-CK-NF68-AR on that website you can see your mobo supports up to 1200MHz... so you'd better take that.... and I assume you're going to run 64-BIT... your mobo supports up to 8GB...

(If for any reason that website's info is wrong, check your mobo's manual... you can see what DDR2 ram it supports..
 
OR, to really save space on your memory slots, you should just get one single stick of 4GB RAM. It helps save money if you're going with after-market heat sinks. Unfortunately, if it turns out, you've got nothing else to run on except your old sticks.
 
Cryptex said:
OR, to really save space on your memory slots, you should just get one single stick of 4GB RAM. It helps save money if you're going with after-market heat sinks. Unfortunately, if it turns out, you've got nothing else to run on except your old sticks.
Click to expand...

I've never seen a single stick of 4GB, and I'm sure it'd be very, very expensive. I imagine you won't need more than 4GB of RAM for the entire life of your system, unless you do heavy video editing and stuff like that. I'd just get two 1GB sticks, which would max out your system at 4GB.
 
wait you have PC6400 Ram?

If so thats 800hmz DDR2 ram thats really common still, I mean both my old comp and new use that ram
 
I would skip on "faster" ram because that will only be marginal... go for an ADDITIONAL 4GB (2x2gb) and run 6GB...
 
yea the sweet spot for ram is 800 mhz or you could get 1066 mhz :D

i prefer you going with 2 sticks of 2 GB... so you can upgrade again later.
 
Sticks of 2GB is best. Less strain on the northbridge.

And I don't think there's a 4GB sticks for non-server boards.

~Gooda~
 
I've got 2x2GB and it works out fine, even if you could get 1x4GB stick.. it would be a bad idea... 2x sticks run in dual channel a single stick couldn't do that.

I ran out of memory the other day it was horrible... I wasn't doin anything THAT intense (no video or graphic editing just everyday stuff) I thought... but no... 4GB in use.. it got down as low as 10MB free...
 
I never used all of ma memory.
Got 2*2Gb PC-6400 DDR2 Kingston HyperX
Had do downclock it to overclock ma CPU :D

And you can get 4*4Gb stick if you find em :p
that would be overkill :o (and useless)
 
Hmm, thats new.

Still, most/all non-server motherboards only support 8GB of RAM, not sure if they'd accept a 4GB stick in a DIMM slot.

~Gooda~
 
To answer your last question first, CPU-Z accurately reports the "actual" frequency your ram runs at as 400 mhz. However, to make clear the advantage of dual channel over single channel architecture, ram is marketed according to its "effective" frequency. In your case, since you use dual channel ram, its "effective," advertised frequency is 800 mhz. Thus, your PC2-6400 ram is perfectly normal, quite common, and you have nothing to worry about in that regard.

Unfortunately, if you run a 32-bit operating system, you will have access to 3.5 gigs of ram at most (usually about 3.2 gb, sometimes much less) no matter how much ram you put in. So, if you run a 32-bit version of Vista, 1 gig of ram might be a decent upgrade since going beyond that would become increasingly wasteful. If you want to use all 4 gb, you need a 64-bit operating system. Since your original post does not specify, I have no way of knowing which is the case.

If you do have a 64-bit operating system, which necessarily supports much more ram, then putting a 2 gb stick in isn't a problem. It costs about the same as 2 sticks of 1 gb each, leaves a slot open, and provides the same performance.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about regarding 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems, then I recommend starting with a 1 gigabyte upgrade. Make sure it's the same type (PC2-6400), uses the same timings as the ram you already have (I'm guessing 5-5-5-15), and the same voltage (guessing 1.8 volts).

If you want advice specifically tailored for YOU, give specific information about your setup, what you want to use it for, and how long into the future you foresee sticking with it.
 
Last edited:
Pat Bateman II said:
To answer your last question first, CPU-Z accurately reports the "actual" frequency your ram runs at as 400 mhz. However, to make clear the advantage of dual channel over single channel architecture, ram is marketed according to its "effective" frequency. In your case, since you use dual channel ram, its "effective," advertised frequency is 800 mhz. Thus, your PC2-6400 ram is perfectly normal, quite common, and you have nothing to worry about in that regard.
Click to expand...

Close, but no. CPUz reports the "actual" frequency (like you said), but because it's DDR (double data rate), not because it's running in dual channel, it is advertised at 800Mhz.

Like my DDR2-1000 kit is reported as 500Mhz in CPUz.

~Gooda~
 
Havegooda {A|R} said:
Close, but no. CPUz reports the "actual" frequency (like you said), but because it's DDR (double data rate), not because it's running in dual channel, it is advertised at 800Mhz.

Like my DDR2-1000 kit is reported as 500Mhz in CPUz.

~Gooda~
Click to expand...

You're right. I mixed up double data rate and dual channel around in my head. Thanks for correcting it, and I apologize for any confusion I may have caused for the original poster.
 
CCCCOOOOORRRRSSSSSAAAAAAAIIIIIIRRRRRRR

yeah get corsair or pny or ocz, best memory for gaming imo. also, corsair is pretty darn good for overclocking. I just replaced my 2 gigs of DDR2 XMS 2 pro with 4 gigs of dominator DDR2 ram @ 1066ghz. most awesomest memory ive ever encountered, and i work with computers a lot. absolutely no need for ddr3, and you really dont need anything more than 4 gigs unless you do serious media work such as vegas, photoshop, or acid.
 
Blue Stealth said:
CCCCOOOOORRRRSSSSSAAAAAAAIIIIIIRRRRRRR

yeah get corsair or pny or ocz, best memory for gaming imo. also, corsair is pretty darn good for overclocking. I just replaced my 2 gigs of DDR2 XMS 2 pro with 4 gigs of dominator DDR2 ram @ 1066ghz. most awesomest memory ive ever encountered, and i work with computers a lot. absolutely no need for ddr3, and you really dont need anything more than 4 gigs unless you do serious media work such as vegas, photoshop, or acid.
Click to expand...

Meh, Corsair is overpriced. G.Skill is cheap, OCs moderately well, and if you have a problem, they'll ship out another kit to you, no questions asked (in most cases). I frikken love them.

~Gooda~
 
Havegooda {A|R} said:
Meh, Corsair is overpriced. G.Skill is cheap, OCs moderately well, and if you have a problem, they'll ship out another kit to you, no questions asked (in most cases). I frikken love them.

~Gooda~
Click to expand...

yeah but ive never heard of anyone having issues with corsair. its not overpriced, its just better quality.

forgot about g skill, they make good laptop memory also
 
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