can i use 2 sticks in dual channel and 1 not?

[banshee43]

im in quite a prediciment, maybe.. when i bought my build i got a 1x8gb corsair vengeance timing 10-10-10-27. little did i know at the time that 32 bit OS cannot use more than 4GB+-. my computer has been freezing up for a few seconds then resumes like nothing ever happened, wata ****! but i believe this to be a problem with the ram, so what i was thinking was buying http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233254
putting that in dual channel and then also running my 8gb stick on single channel in a different slot. is that ok? i have a gb-p67x-ud3-b3 and an intel 2500K

 

[Automata]

To run dual channel, each channel has to have the same memory (speed, timings, voltage, size).

 

[banshee43]

To run dual channel, each channel has to have the same memory (speed, timings, voltage, size).

but couldnt i have 2 of the slots on the board running dual channel and the other not?

 

[Knufire]

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/cs-011965.htm

 

[banshee43]

that was very informational so does that mean no?

 

[petteyg359]

I think it means no, but IIRC there were some boards (maybe a feature not present in IMC, just in older discrete chipsets?) that supported running dual-channel based on banks, so a four-slot board would have two banks, and one could be dual-channel, the other not. I may just be hallucinating, though.

Your best bet would probably be to get rid of the 32-bit OS. Your hardware is going to waste.

 

[Knufire]

that was very informational so does that mean no?

Yes, you can. Do this, replace 512MB with your 4GB sticks and the 1GB with your 8GB stick. It works because there's the same amount of memory in each channel.

 

[Automata]

Yes, you can. Do this, replace 512MB with your 4GB sticks and the 1GB with your 8GB stick. It works because there's the same amount of memory in each channel.

The memory has to match between the channels.

Rules to enable dual channel mode
To achieve dual channel mode, the following conditions must be met:

• Matched DIMM configuration in each channel
• Same density (128 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB, etc.)
• Matched in both Channel A and Channel B memory channels
• Populate symmetrical memory slots (Slot 0 or Slot 1)

It would not meet any of those requirements. It won't be dual channel.

 

[Knufire]

But they use different density sticks in the example? I'm confused.

 

[Automata]

Didn't see that, and heck if I know now. That is really confusing.

EDIT: Unless they mean it has to add up between the channels? I didn't think it worked like that.

 

[Knufire]

That's how I read it, each channel needs to have equal amounts of RAM.

What throws me off is that in one example, they have the two 512MB sticks in Channel A and the 1GB stick in Channel B. Next example, one 512MB stick and one 1GB stick in each channel. I'm not exactly sure what's supposed to be the same density.

 

[banshee43]

from what i can get from all this is that you can have dual channel with 2,3, or even 4 dimms!!!! but they will all be running at the lowest clock and the highest latencys...

 

[Automata]

from what i can get from all this is that you can have dual channel with 2,3, or even 4 dimms!!!! but they will all be running at the lowest clock and the highest latencys...

Correct. I still believe that the sizes have to match, but I don't have any to test out for you.

 

[Operant]

Correct. I still believe that the sizes have to match, but I don't have any to test out for you.

According to this, the sizes must match in the respective set of channels to take of dual channel. Timings, speed, and manufacturer do not have to match though.

However, they also cite that you can utilize dual channel bandwidth when two identical DIMMs are in the same pair of slots and add up to the available memory from the 3rd DIMM. I personally have never heard of this but I guess it can happen according to Intel. Note that sets that exceed the third DIMM's memory will instead go to single channel mode.

 

[banshee43]

I think this should solve everything... Intel online help is very helpfull

its a little bit of a read but this answered it for me.

Chat InformationPlease wait for a site operator to respond.

Chat InformationYou are now chatting with 'Jenny'

Jenny: Hello. Thank you for using the Intel Customer Support chat service. We are glad to be of service. How can I help you today?

: hi i have a technical question about the dual channel memmory set up

: on the motherboard

Jenny: Can I have your motherboard model please?

: i actually havnt bought one yet i want to know if it is possible to 2x4GB and dual channel them, and the place another 8GB card on the motherboard

Jenny: I see. Dual channel mode can be achieved with two, three, or four DIMMs.

Jenny: If you have 2 x 4 GB and 1 x 8 GB, you can achieve dual channel mode with all three DIMMs.

Jenny: You can install 2 x 4 GB on Channel A, DIMM 0 and 1, and then the other 8 GB on Channel B, DIMM 0 to achieve dual channel mode.

Jenny: You can also check on our website for reference on how to do this.

: and will all of the 8GB be utilized? or will it be dimminished to 4GB?

Jenny: Memory configuration for dual channel mode

: i looked at the website depiction it was just very hard to understand

: so in the rules to enable dual channel mode it says you need a matched dimm configuration. what is that then?

: is DIMM 0 Channel A and DIMM 0 Channel are different

: if*

Jenny: Let me verify on that inquiry first.

: ok thankyou

Jenny: Please wait for 3-4 minutes. Thank you.

Jenny: Thank you for waiting.

: youre welcome

Jenny: Before we proceed, may I first ask you to provide the following information for our records: 1. Name 2. Email Address 3. Country 4. Product 5. Issue of the product

Jenny: Sorry, please disregard that message.

Jenny: It would be better if you have a specific motherboard model in mind.

: does it need to be an intel board?

Jenny: Yes, so that I can explain it based on our information.

Jenny: In general, if you are going to install a 64-bit OS, it will utilize the total memory capacity installed.

: DP43BFL

Jenny: If it is a 32-bit OS, the maximum memory capacity is only 4GB.

Jenny: Thank you. Let me further check the memory specifications for this motherboard model.

Jenny: Thank you for waiting.

Jenny: I have checked on the motherboard model you provided.

Jenny: Yes, it will also apply on this motherboard that if you have a 64 bit OS, it will utilize the total memory size.

Jenny: If you have a 32 bit OS, it will be about 4 GB only.

: so are you saying if i have a 32 bit OS i can only dual channel 2GB cards to be efficient?

Jenny: If different speed DIMMs are used between channels, the slowest memory timing will be used.

Jenny: Yes, that is correct.

Jenny: We will not be able to take advantage of the memory size if we are not going to use a 64 bit OS.

Jenny: Is there anything else that I can help you with?

: ok that i do understand but what if the memory speed is different. 1600MHz and 1333MHz?

Jenny: It will utilize the slowest memory speed which is 1333MHz.

: ok and could you theoretically have 3 different size sticks? 512GB, 1GB, 2GB?

: or 4GB, 2GB, and 8GB?

Jenny: Dual channel mode can be achieved with up to 2 different size sticks.

: ok

: thankyou very much!

Jenny: You are welcome. If you need anything else, feel free to chat back with us.

Jenny: Thank you for chatting with us and have a good day!

 

[Automata]

Well, there you go: you taught me something.

 

[banshee43]

Well, there you go: you taught me something.

actually Jenny taught us all something.

 

[ChanceCoats123]

I had no idea. This is actually pretty cool.

 

[Evilsizer]

Not really taught but some have forgotten they could do this. With the three sticks some board runs in a mixed mode kinda of hybrid dual channel. For size running dual channel, size never mattered just as long as speed ,timings , voltage are the same.