RAM config...

Hi guys,

I'm just about to get some more RAM for my A78NX-E Deluxe MOBO, after
reading the manual, it's really unclear about dual channel ram, it has a
table in the manual that doesn't really make much sense, so, I have a few
questions for you:

1) If I were to put 2x 512 DDR400 sticks in, which two sockets do I use to
make use of the dual channel feature?

2) If I were to put 3x 512 DDR400 sticks in, would it still run in dual
channel mode, or would it clock itself down to single channel?

3) I'm running a 2800+XP CPU which has a 333 FSB, the ram I have in is
DDR400, do I set my BIOS to run at 400Mhz which is the speed of my RAM, or
333 which is the speed of the FSB on the CPU?

3a) If I'm running the RAM in dual channel mode, I presume it will be
running at 800Mhz instead of 400? If this is the case, do I need to set
my BIOS to handle this or is it self adjusting?

Any help on this would be appreciated, as the manual isn't very clear

TIA

Linux Rocks wrote:
Hi guys,

I'm just about to get some more RAM for my A78NX-E Deluxe MOBO, after
reading the manual, it's really unclear about dual channel ram, it has a
table in the manual that doesn't really make much sense, so, I have a few
questions for you:

1) If I were to put 2x 512 DDR400 sticks in, which two sockets do I use to
make use of the dual channel feature?

The one furthest from the CPU (3) and one at least one other.

2) If I were to put 3x 512 DDR400 sticks in, would it still run in dual
channel mode, or would it clock itself down to single channel?

It would be Dual Channel. "Clocking down" to single channel is not a good
way of putting it.

3) I'm running a 2800+XP CPU which has a 333 FSB, the ram I have in is
DDR400, do I set my BIOS to run at 400Mhz which is the speed of my RAM, or
333 which is the speed of the FSB on the CPU?

Well, it's preferable to have a high FSB, and preferable for the FSB and
memory to run in synch.

You set the speed of the FSB, and then the Memory clock up as a percentage
of the FSB speed.

In your case 166MHz and 100%.

Or maybe 180MHz and 100% if you want to overclock (the processor).
Depending on whether or not you can change the multiplier, affects your
options, really.

3a) If I'm running the RAM in dual channel mode, I presume it will be
running at 800Mhz instead of 400? If this is the case, do I need to set
my BIOS to handle this or is it self adjusting?

Nope.

It would be running at 166MHz or 200MHz, that sort of range. DDR gives you
two transfers per clock cycle, and Dual Channel gives you two simultaneous
transfers (doubles the width). Which would be 800M transfers per second.
It's still 166MHz/200MHz.

Ben
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