Detoxifix
join:2005-02-25
Malaysia
1 edit | Some Questions regarding RAM
Hi, back again~!
1st of all, I wish all the people here a happy new year!  Let's hope that this year will be a better year for all of us!
Ok, back to topic. Last few days I was checking my mobo(motherboard) manual to know about it more, and I found out that my mobo can only support DDR RAM running at 400mhz.
I was just wondering, can my mobo support DDR 2? I search around the net and found out that DDR 2 rams runs at a minimum 533mhz, so I was thinking what will happen if I put that into my mobo? Will the ram reduce the speed to match my mobo supported speed, or will my mobo fail to boot?
Another thing is about some properties of RAMs.
Take for example, a Kingston RAM which I have now:
KINGSTON 512MB (PC-3200/CL2.5)400MHz DDR SDRAM
This means that I have a 512MB which can run at 400mhz, but I am not sure what does about the CL stands for. I search around the net, and CL2.5 RAMS is much more expensive than CL3.0 RAMS. I search around the wikipedia and found out that it means CAS Latency(not sure about this). What does latency means? Does it means how fast my mobo communicates with my RAM? But how about the speed, which is 400mhz?
And if I put a CL3.0 RAM together with a CL2.5 RAM into my mobo, what will happen? Will it use 1 of the RAM's latency, or both will run at their own individual speed, or will my computer fail to start?
Was quite curious about these, any help or comment will be much appreciated. Thanks!  |
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redglobe
join:2005-07-15
Malaysia
| Hi,
First of all, it would be much relief if you can give us some info on your mobo models and brands, that would help much.
From your explanation, your mobo can't run DDR2, definitely. The main thing is, the notch on DDR2 DIMMs is in a different position than DDR DIMMs, and the pin density is slightly higher than DDR DIMMs. DDR2 is a 240-pin module, DDR is a 184-pin module. (borrow some facts from wiki though). You couldn't even installed it then.
And you're right about CL, it is the CAS (Column Address Strobe) Latency. The clock cycle for the delay between the request and the first bit, from the wiki: The CAS Latency is the number of clock cycles that elapse from the time the request for data is sent to the actual memory location until the data is transmitted from the module.
For putting two different type of RAM which has different CAS Latency, the system would run the memory for the higher CL. But this is putting your system to an unstable state, your system could not function properly (memory fails, system hang up, boot failure attempt, can't install OS, etc etc).
For more infos, read here though;
»www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1···1,00.asp
»www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1···2,00.asp
Cheers
--
When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute and it's longer than any hour. That's relativity. |
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Detoxifix
join:2005-02-25
Malaysia
| reply to Detoxifix
Hi,
Ya i think it will be better to post my mobo model. By the way I also got another computer which uses almost the same mobo, which I read that in the manual that it also only supports RAM that run at the maximum of 400mhz. My 2 mobos model are :
Gigabyte GA 8IPE-1000G
Gigabyte GA 8IPE-775
So you mean that if now I have 2 sticks of CL2.5 RAM i should buy RAMs with CL2.5 as CL3 rams if run together with my current CL2.5 sticks will cause my computer to become unstable? |
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CatEyes
Evga
Premium
join:2003-03-10
IG,PG,MY | you'll probably need to change the setting to cl3
hence slow all overall
--
Penang PC Price listing: WWW.PC1STOP.NET |
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Detoxifix
join:2005-02-25
Malaysia
| Hi,
Erm sorry for a noob question. where can i change the settings of the ram's latency? In the BIOS? or is it somewhere else?
Also, will changing the setting cause my computer to be unstable?
By the way thanks for the great reply and link! I learn quite a lot of stuff regarding rams from it! Didn't know that Rams with such small latency difference can make such a different performance(and cost too!)! |
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redglobe
join:2005-07-15
Malaysia | reply to Detoxifix
Sometime the system would automatically configured it for you (that's depend on how you set it up in the bios), or you just can do it manually from the bios. |
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Detoxifix
join:2005-02-25
Malaysia
| Hi,
another noob question, I checked around the BIOS and I can't seem to find anything that can change the RAM settings. Maybe in the BIOS there is another term or name for the RAM settings? Maybe I have not checked enough cause I was just browsing through the settings.
But just to ask, is there another term or name for the name settings in the BIOS?
Also I just found out that my RAMS are CL3, not CL2.5, so meaning I should be safe in getting a CL3 rams now.
Thanks! |
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redglobe
join:2005-07-15
Malaysia | reply to Detoxifix
Try here..
»www.tomshardware.com/2006/01/04/···_a_to_z/
cheers |
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Detoxifix
join:2005-02-25
Malaysia | wow,
that was a nice link! Think I should go to that website more to check out more information about computer parts.
Anyway thanks! |
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