What does dual channel ram look like???

Janice

Janice

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Janice
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Can anyone please tell me how you tell if a strip of ram is dual channel or not. I think the computer it is going into isnt dual channel as it had one 256mb strip alone when it was new. i have bought two of these for a friends machine and am now wondering if they might be dual-channel but I cant tell! :shrug:

this is what crucial recommended when a scan was done: http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.aspx?IMODULE=CT64M64S4D75


and this is what i have bought. http://www.princetonusa.com/html/scripts/configurator/itemdetail.asp?itemid=5057

how can i tell by looking at a module if it is dual channel or not?

the reason i am wondering is that i just did the same thing on my pc!!! :D

Bought 1gb of ram, removed my 512mb and put the new 1gb in next to my existing 1gb ... doesnt work.. turned out it was dual channel.........how could i tell? :shrug:
 
I dont think its the RAM thats dual channel, more the motherboard and its settings.

Dual channel RAM means running tow identical modules in 'dual channel' mode I think. if you try to turn different modules in dual channel I guess you could have problems.

RAM makers often sell a matched pair of RAM sticks that are designed to run in dual channel mode. They will run quite well otherwise too.
 
but the problem was not that Joe, i wasnt trying to get memory to put in a dual channel machine....i was putting a module into a single channel machine, with my original 1gb, and it wouldnt show as 2gb, only 1.



but if the two 1gb modules werent identical then it shouldt matter if my machine isnt dual channel should it? I just pulled a 512mb out of there and it was running well with 1.5gb which obviously arent identical.
 
Tried to start the pc with only that one in.........wont boot. dud strip I think. :bang:

Back it goes!! :D
 
I'm going to mess with the ram on my computer next week so I Wiki'd it and this came up Link

Don't think it applies to my laptop but might be useful to you Janice?
 
Thanks..........but Ive already read that during MY google for dual-channel !!

I contacted the guy who reluctantly said he would refund my money but it was in fact my fault as it works on his friends pc and if it doesnt work on mine then its my fault for not getting the compatible RAM. Which leads me back to my question.... how the hell do I know if ram is compatible?

IF it has all the specs I need then doesnt that mean it is compatible?
 
try moving memory about in different combinations. check the gold teeth a clean & not broken as they can break when u pull them out. Some computers are touchy about memory, i had same prob with old computer of min & tried 3-4 different brands none worked except the one that was in. I ended buying an old broken computer of same brand & took memory out
 
From the 2 you posted in your first post, PC133 memory isn't dual channel
 
Can anyone please tell me how you tell if a strip of ram is dual channel or not.
Click to expand...

The memory itself isnt dual channel. This is controlled by the motherboard. Not all motherboards have this function but is very rare for them not to these days. Dual Channel means data is spread across two DDR Ram modules effectively doubling the read/write speeds increasing system performance.

I think the computer it is going into isnt dual channel as it had one 256mb strip alone when it was new. i have bought two of these for a friends machine and am now wondering if they might be dual-channel but I cant tell! :shrug:
Click to expand...

See above. But in effect it wouldnt matter either as the memory will be read in single channel mode.


this is what crucial recommended when a scan was done: http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.aspx?IMODULE=CT64M64S4D75


and this is what i have bought. http://www.princetonusa.com/html/scripts/configurator/itemdetail.asp?itemid=5057

how can i tell by looking at a module if it is dual channel or not?
Click to expand...

See above.

the reason i am wondering is that i just did the same thing on my pc!!! :D

Bought 1gb of ram, removed my 512mb and put the new 1gb in next to my existing 1gb ... doesnt work.. turned out it was dual channel.........how could i tell? :shrug:
Click to expand...

Could be DOA (dead on arrival). It could also be that your motherboard only supports up to 1GB of memory. Are the two sticks matched? Are they the same speed? Same brand? (doesnt matter too much but can have an effect).

If you can find out what motherboard you are using it will be easier to diagnose the problem.

King.
 
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