[smky143]

Ok i got robbed on a pair of 512mb corsair ram. It says its pc3200 but only runs at 333mhz. My question is should I run this pair with another pair of real pc3200(400mhz) ram which makes it run with 1gb but only 333mhz ram or should I just run the one pair of 512 which actually runs at the 400mhz it should. So 1gb 333mhz or 512 400mhz? Also Im running a p4@ 3.4 ghz and my mb can run up to 4gig of ram, would all this ram make it that buch better or should I just use about 1g

Edited by smky143, 17 February 2006 - 02:26 AM.

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i think the 333MHz will be something to do with other than you're RAM. If you have older CPUs with a lower FSB then RAM can't go higher than the FSB. I've got two 256Mb DDR400 sticks in my PC and it runs at 333MHz because i've got a Athlon XP and a FSB of 133MHz
If you're mobo can take dual channel then the two sticks will be best but 512 at 400MHz won't make that much a difference to 333MHz. Plug the other stick in on it's own and see if it still goes at 333MHz, if it does it's the FSB not RAM. If it's the FSB, you can't do anything so just plug both in

[Hammm]

i think the 333MHz will be something to do with other than you're RAM. If you have older CPUs with a lower FSB then RAM can't go higher than the FSB. I've got two 256Mb DDR400 sticks in my PC and it runs at 333MHz because i've got a Athlon XP and a FSB of 133MHz
If you're mobo can take dual channel then the two sticks will be best but 512 at 400MHz won't make that much a difference to 333MHz. Plug the other stick in on it's own and see if it still goes at 333MHz, if it does it's the FSB not RAM. If it's the FSB, you can't do anything so just plug both in

[smky143]

Yea I did that I have 2 sets of ram 2X256 each and one set runs at 333mhz and the other runs at 400mhz so its not the bus. But needless to say if i run all 4 they only run at the slowest speed wich is the 333mhz.
This is the chip:
L2 Cache 512 KB
L3 Cache 2 MB
Clock Speed 3.40 GHz
Front Side Bus Speed 800 MHz
Other Intel Technologies HT† Enabled
Package FC-LGA
Chipset Intel® 925X Chipset ,
Intel® 915P Express Chipset,
Intel® 915G Express Chipset
Memory Type Dual Channel DDR2 400/533
Boards Compatible Boards (AttrID=118)
Slot/Socket Type LGA775

Edited by smky143, 17 February 2006 - 02:52 AM.

[Hammm]

interesting, on my PC both sticks run at 333MHZ even though one's DDR400. But if you can get the latency down to 2 CAS then 333MHz will be better than a 3 or 4 CAS 400MHz. Are they of the same brand?

[smky143]

Yea diff brands buy both say pc3200 and yea the one set runs at 400mhz with 2cas and the other at 333mhz with 3cas, but is more ram at slower speed better than the lower 512mb of ram at the higher speed

[Hammm]

for large applications which suck up RAM like games yes you'll be able to fit in for and not have to shift data that often but Intel falls there when they use the southbridge as a com between the RAM and CPU while AMD use hypertransport with direct link at 1000MHz regardless of RAM so 1 gig will be better but 512 is ok, i mean you won't lose with 512 but why have 512 when you can have 1 gig?

[smky143]

Because the 512 is running faster...

[Hammm]

oh, well then 512 but try running different things such as a game, then a virus checker and then video encoding. But these things don't come unless you try and I'm always finding new ways to combo gear

[warriorscot]

If you use all the available slots on a motherboard you get a speed penalty to DDR333 it happens on alot of boards not all but alot.

Does the two sticks of corsair memory run at DDR400 when its just one in the system(you may have said allready but im not reading through that its a bit incoherent and i havent had much sleep in the last couple of days).

You may need to alter some settings in bios i would take a look manually adjusting the settings should be able to fix the problem as long as you have a vague idea as to what you are doing.

Also try the memory in another system that supports DDR400 if you can that would sort out wether it is the ram, but if its not DDR400 and it was sold clearly as DDR400 then send it back to where you got it or if its defective corsair memory has a lifetime warrranty just send it back to corsair for some new stuff.

[smky143]

Ok so im dumb. Yea they both run fine at 400mhz alone but when i put both pairs in they only run at 333mhz. That sucks, whats the point in that? Now im angry 8( so instead of the 2 cas lat its runnin 3. also if i take my bios off the auto mode and put it to the 400mhz with all 4 in it gets angry and wont run. So how do you know what mobo do and dont do this it says nothing(that i can find) on my mobo.

Edited by smky143, 17 February 2006 - 10:00 PM.

[smky143]

would it help to update my bios?

[Hammm]

you can try just make sure you back up the first BIOS. I thought it'd be helpful updating mine but for some unknown reason, after a few crashes and stuff the CPU multiplier went to 6.5 from 12.5. It's still this was. i've updated BIOS, everything, reformat, CMOS clear, still no good

[smky143]

Just tried that, no luck this sucks so i have 1.5gig of ram but can only run 1gig if i want it running at the faster 400mhz 2cas lat. any ideas for a board that i can run all 4 and still be at 400mhz 2cas lat, pcie, sata, 775. Is there anyway of knowing if a mobo will do this before buying one?

[warriorscot]

Read the manual, it will have a page on memory and there is usually tables of speed, there are a few boards that dont get a drop but youll have to look for them ive not read any manuals in a while so i cant remeber one like that of the top of my head its usually not mentioned in reviews. Also you can often overcome the speed penalty by using the ram in single channel mode sometimes however you loose dual channel which is 30% off the performance.

You can sometimes overclock the mobo chipset and itll take the ram up by the same amount but thats rather dangerous and not reccomended. The extra half a gig wont make a huge difference to performance i would just stick it in another computer or sell it.

[smky143]

Sweet, thanks for the help