About ddr2 Dual channel..

[VsUK81]

I need a little help im a little stuck on getting my ddr2 to go duel channel. I'm not a novice but i only know what I've done myself basically self taught.

Ok, i have a Gigabyte GA-MA790X-DS4 790X Socket AM2+ board, details of which you can get hereGIGABYTE - Product - Motherboard - Overview - GA-MA790X-DS4 (rev. 1.x)

Ok, i have Kingston 2GB KIT (2X1GB) DDR2 667MHz/PC2-5300 CL5 Non Ecc 1.8V & a 1gig stick of crucial 667MHz memory of same stats.

Now, i have the 2 kingston in, 1 in the yellow & 1 in the blue ddr2 slot & then the other stick in the the blue. When i boot up, it constantly states single channel ddr2 & not duel. Is the additional stick messing it up or can you only have 1gig on each side or 2gig for the duel channel to work?

Its just something i never bothered to look into & noticed people going on about duel channel & noticed mine wasnt setup for duel channel.

 

[Yami]

Re: About ddr2 Duel channel..

You want the Kingston to be in matching-colour slots.
Other than that, it will be saying that it's not in dual-channel because the Crucial doesn't have another stick to be in dual-channel with, i.e. if you put another stick to fill the final slot then all the RAM will then be in dual-channel.

 

[VsUK81]

Re: About ddr2 Duel channel..

but shouldnt the memory be in the opposite slots for duel channel? like 2 yellow & 2 blue so 1 should be in yellow & other in blue ye? as thats what it says on various websites i googled But ye about the crucial memory, might stick in another stick even though its only a 32bit system but should enable the duel channel..

 

[b1gapl]

According to the manual, dual channel is enabled when you have 2 sticks filling up the yellow slots, or two sticks filling up the red slots.

You have three sticks, so that won't work. Dual channel works by pairs. So you'd need a 4th stick of the same spec, and then dual channel will be enabled in all slots.

 

[VsUK81]

ok cool, so which would be faster, 2 1gig sticks duel channel or 3gig single?

 

[b1gapl]

You have to ask yourself, if you really need that extra gig. Do you use up most of your 2GB often? If so, then quantity > speed.

But most of the time, I would choose 2 gigs on dual channel over 3 without, because I barely use up 2GB. I would just keep the extra gig as a backup, in case of a memory failure.

Oh yea, and to answer your question, 2x1GB on dual is faster.