Clarification on running 3 modules

Hey all,

For the last couple months I've been looking for a module of Corsair PC3500 XMS 512MB CAS2 to complete a dual channel setup. However, it seems corsair has stopped producing them. Can I run two Corsair PC3500 XMS 256MB CAS2 modules in synch and maintain dual channel, while still having the 512mb stick in the other?


Thanks

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Yes, as long as your mother board has 3 slots. Which motherboard do you have?

-Andy

8rda3+

The nForce2 chipset allows for the ram to be configured in a couple of different ways and still allow it to operate in dual-channel mode. Besides the normal matching sticks in each channel, you can use the setup you described above. The maximum memory that will run in dual-channel mode is always calculated as two times the amount of ram in the single DIMM, therefore, if you insert the 512MB stick in the single DIMM, then x 2 = 1 gig max.

Say you were to insert a 256 stick in the single DIMM, then 512MB would be the max accessible concurrently by both memory controllers (2 x 256). Any additional ram would only be accessible by one of the two controllers and it would be operating in single-channel mode with respect to the additional ram over 512MB. Interestingly, if you were to go to CPU-Z it would show you operating in dual-channel, but it would not differentiate between the amount of ram operating in dual channel mode (512) and the excess operating (256) operating in single-channel mode.

Put the two 256MB sticks in the two slots clostest to the cpu. Then put the 512 MB stick in the other.

The two slots clostest to the cpu are channel 1 and the slot three away is channel 0 so as long as the totals (512 MB each) match in the two channels, you'll be in dual channel.

Good luck,
-Andy