Older MoBo, need memory advice

CaffeineMeCaffeineMe Cedar Rapids, IA
edited March 2010 in Hardware
Greetings programs!

I am doing an "upgrade" on the cheap for a relative who needs a browsing machine, and not much more. I am installing a Gigabyte GA-81RX motherboard, to replace the old Celeron board. I've discovered I'll need to get new memory for the new (using that term loosely) mobo, and here's where the problem lies.

The board supports up tp 2GB, but has 3 DIMM slots. From the manual:

"The motherboard has 3 dual inline DIMM sockets, but it can only support a maximum of 4 banks of DDR memory. DDR slot 1 users 2 banks, DDR Slot 2&3 share the remaining 2 banks".

Then there's a table which makes no sense to me.

My question is: What capacity of memory sticks should I buy for this (DDR1600 or DDR2100) to use the full 2GB capacity? Will 1 1GB and 2 512MB do the trick, or is there a different configuration of memory that I should be looking into? Thanks for the assist!

Bill

Comments

  • clifford_cooleyclifford_cooley Arkansas, USA Member
    edited March 2010
    Hi Bill
    What capacity of memory sticks should I buy for this (DDR1600 or DDR2100)
    The memory you questioned about is DDR3 and will not work on the GA-8IRX board

    You are looking for PC2100 (DDR-266)
    However PC2700 (DDR-333) or PC3200 (DDR-400) will usually clock down and work fine
    Memory
    1. 3 x 184-pin DDR DIMMs
    2. Supports up to 2GB of DDR 200/266 memory
    3. Supports 64 bits data interface, 2.5V DIMM DRAM and ECC DIMM
    4. DDR frequence overclock setting from BIOS (based on Host/DRAM clock ratio)
    5. DDR over-voltage setting (2.5V~2.8V) from BIOS
    Read more here - http://www.giga-byte.com/Products/Motherboard/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=1333
  • clifford_cooleyclifford_cooley Arkansas, USA Member
    edited March 2010
    Download this manual and read the memory section. If you still need clarification, feel free to ask.

    http://america.giga-byte.com/FileList/Manual/motherboard_manual_ga-8irx_e.pdf
  • CaffeineMeCaffeineMe Cedar Rapids, IA
    edited March 2010
    Download this manual and read the memory section. If you still need clarification, feel free to ask.

    http://america.giga-byte.com/FileList/Manual/motherboard_manual_ga-8irx_e.pdf


    TY Clifford. I have the table from page 10 here at home, and it's really where my confusion came from. It doesn't tell me (or I don't know how to read it) what size of DIMM I can use in which memory slot. I'd like to get the full 2GB out of this PC, I just don't know what size/capacity DIMM's I need to be buying. I do appreciate the input, thanks!
  • clifford_cooleyclifford_cooley Arkansas, USA Member
    edited March 2010
    Hi Bill

    I think your confusion lies with the "D-Double Sided DIMM & S-Single Sided DIMM"


    The Double Sided DIMM's are those with chips mounted to both side of the module where as the Single Sided only has the chips mounted on one side. If you study the chart, I think you will realize that the Double Sided modules can only be placed in DDR2 slot or DDR3 slot but not both. Any other variation will work fine. This would only present a problem if you were to use three modules. If you were to purchase two modules both of which are 1GB in capacity and place one in DDR1 slot and the other in DDR2 or DDR3, you should not have any problems regardless of whether they are double or single sided.

    This module or similar brand should work for you
    Ultra 1024MB PC2100 DDR 266MHz Memory
  • CaffeineMeCaffeineMe Cedar Rapids, IA
    edited March 2010
    Ordered the memory today. Ended up with just one stick @ 1GB, since budget became an issue due to having to add a new (cheap!) AGP 4x video card to the mix (Firefox doesn't need a lot of horsepower to run). Should be all good, thanks for the info.
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