DDR memory question

[yagga]

I have a corsair 512mb cl2 stick and would like to buy another just like it. Will I be able to run it in the higher bandwidth channel together? I am wondering this because of two reasons. The first reason is they sell matched pairs and am wondering if there is anything special about them. I know Corsair says with 2 sticks it supposedly runs at 2.5 instead of 2 (thats all they say), well we will see, and I don't really mind at this point in time. The other reason is I thought I heard something that they make dual sided ram and some is single sided and that can cause running 2 sticks on the same line to not work. Maybe I am just being ancient here?

Basically, will I be able to run 2 unmatched standard 512mb cl sticks on the same channel to increase the bandwidth, or is it just going to act like another stick separate from the first?

I want to order today so quick responses are great, although I know you won't read this sentenced until its to late for you to know I was hoping for quickness. Thanx!!! :birthday:

[madmat]

As long as the stick's basically have the same number of chips and are the same density (size, 128mb, 256mb, 512mb, ect.) they should do just fine for dual channel, the speed and CL aren't really even issues as the chipset will set the speed and CL to suit the slowest, highest cas stick.
I hope that helps man.

[Thrax]

Just buy the same brand, and the same type of stick you bought last time and you'll be fine.

[yagga]

yeah, thats assurance.

I am actually thinking of getting the Pro version, both sticks are the same size (512mb) same speed (3200) same type (XMS cl2), so would they both have the exact same number of chips forsure? The Corsair Pros ONLY add the led feature correct? They change nothing else?

Now with having one pro version and one standard version both memory sticks should have the exact same usage out of them right? I am wondering this because with only one stick I can judge how much total ram is used just by how many lights, or if you want to do math you can figure just double it, same thing. This would be accurate as in balanced memory usage in both sticks right?

[Thrax]

You can't just double it as both sticks aren't used equally. The LEDs just read the memory access to their respective (Left/right) banks via detection of RAS/CAS cycles.

[madmat]

They might use different chips on the pro version than on the non-pro cas2 version.
I had a link to a site that laid out the chips used by the most popular makers for specific sticks but the comp that has that linkage is down ATM so I'm kinda out of luck but from what I remember, the Pro 3200 did use different brand of chips than what you've already got.
Does it mean anything, maybe, maybe not.

[yagga]

well maybe I'll just get the regular version, now I have to decide whether to get the silver or the black :rolleyes: (the silver costs more, :eek2: ).

I guess the word I was looking for on the channel thing was dual channel I think. You know what I mean right?

The only thing with not getting the led pro version is that I want to know how much ram is being used at any time I desire. I know the task manager shows the PF usage in XP, I think it showed actual memory usage in 2K though. Not 100% sure. But do you know of an easy way to get the computer to tell me? I guess it says it in numbers in the task manager, but it would be nice if it had the little graph and bar thing like the cpu usage, and for some reason I don't trust those numbers and I don't really know what the commit charge and kernal memory, in comparison to physical memory, actually represent. ...I think I need to go to memory school.

[Thrax]

Ctrl + alt + del.
Click the performance tab.

<b>Physical Memory (K)</b> is your RAM usage.

The LEDs only show memory ACCESS. They do <b>not</b> show how much memory is being used (In megs).

Unfortunately the only other way to have an easily-accessible memory usage chart is by using programs that take up more memory than they're worth.

[yagga]

well okay, in the task manager it shows it, but what is the system cache under the physical memory mean? It is slightly highher than the available memory. It says total is 522988K available is 313276K (obviously varies), and system cache 368048 (which also slightly varies).

[pokesquid808]

coolmon shows your memory usage if u tell it to