Ignoramus' RAM question.

[Laivasse]

For various reasons that are too complex and boring to go into, I have ended up in possession of two 1Gb sticks of RAM for my comp that are of different brands. Not only are they of different brands, but one is ECC and one is not (but it shouldn't matter since my mobo doesn't support ECC anyway)

Despite these differences, they both happen to be PC3200 and their timings appear to be the same.

My question is: should I be expecting these two disparate modules to run together at PC3200 speeds? Because they're not (they're downclocking automatically so that they're like PC2600).

Apologies for any inherent retardation in the question.

 

[Sedako]

You need to make sure your BIOS settings are correct. Most BIOS allow you to adjust the the RAM speed independently to the FSB. It's likely that the RAM is set to scale at a 1:1 ratio with the FSB, so if you want it to run at it's rated speed, set it to 400MHz

 

[Laivasse]

Hmm, I have done that, but it seems to downclock regardless of what speed I set the RAM at in the BIOS...

 

[Asus]

Try loosening the timings a bit (CAS). Maybe raise the command rate from 1t to 2t. Might help them run at PC3200.

Not all ram is compatible together even if they are the same spec. It's hit and miss. That's why even though you could take two different sticks and run them in dual channel mode on the motherboard, most people do not even try when building a new system. They get 2 new sticks of the same brand/model.

 

[DreamThrall]

This sounds crazy, but try switching the slots you're putting them in. I had a Gigabyte board and 2 different sticks of RAM and it wouldn't even POST if one of the sticks was in the first slot, but worked perfectly when I switched them.

 

[Laivasse]

Try loosening the timings a bit (CAS). Maybe raise the command rate from 1t to 2t. Might help them run at PC3200.

Not all ram is compatible together even if they are the same spec. It's hit and miss. That's why even though you could take two different sticks and run them in dual channel mode on the motherboard, most people do not even try when building a new system. They get 2 new sticks of the same brand/model.

My BIOS doesn't give me any options to mess with the memory timings, although Everest tells me that the command rate is already 2T. I'm thinking I'm probably just SOOL, either because of my extremely crappy mobo or because the two modules are just too different from eachother due to the fact that one is ECC.

This sounds crazy, but try switching the slots you're putting them in. I had a Gigabyte board and 2 different sticks of RAM and it wouldn't even POST if one of the sticks was in the first slot, but worked perfectly when I switched them.

I've had similar strange voodoo happen with my dimm slots in the past so maybe. I'll give it a shot the next time I have the motivation to dick around inside the case, but I won't hold my breath.

 

[DreamThrall]

Maybe try flashing your BIOS? An updated version could give you more options.