Memory, dual channel or not

Dallas Jack

Solid State Member
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DFW area
Didn't want my first post to be a question yet here I am. I am putting a system together for my grand daughters (ages 6,10,14) and am at the point to select memory. My question is should I get one 4gb stick or 2x2gb to take advantage of the dual channel. The system is using a Asus P8 H61-M LE R2.0 motherboard, Intel G2130 cpu, and WD caviar 1600 SE running Windows 7 home. They will be using it mainly for playing kids games on the internet with the 14 year old sometime using Word for her homework. I'm stuck, single channel or dual? I am planning on using the cpu for graphics but I do have a GeForce 8400 GS 1gb ddr3 to get around the shared memory if it can preform as well as the Intel. Thanks for any opinions on this.
Dallas Jack
 
Dual channel is better, but in this case stick with the single stick so you have an upgrade option later. Yourself and the kids won't notice the difference.
 
Yeah, that's all it's good for but I think that's all that is needed here. The only reason I was considering the card was to get back the shared memory that the onboard graphics would use. Thanks for your advice.
 
Well the grandkids show up this evening and I hadn't got the memory ordered yet. Set up an old laptop running Vista on 2gb and it went fine. I'll order the memory next week and use the intergrated video. Thanks again.
Dallas Jack
 
Update.
Got the memory the other day. Ended up ordering 2x2gb G.skill Ripjaws kit to take advantage of the dual channel.

Installed it and fired it up. Got rewarded with an endless cycle of it coming on for one second and then shutting down.

Pulled the memory one stick at a time. No difference and no beeps.

I have already taken it all apart and will start over from scratch. I will build it out of the case first just to eliminate a short when installed.
 
Found the problem. Bent pins on the socket, my fault. Replaced it with an ASRock H61M-DSG motherboard. All working fine now. Thanks for the help.
 
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