Quick RAM question

[Rob W]

I've got 2GB of DDR400 in my PC, 1GB is OCZ dual channel stuff, and the other GB is some non dual channel Hynix. After reading some info on my processor (Opteron 146) it says it has an onboard DDR controller.

Now my question is, do you reckon my setup would run better with just the 1GB of dual channel, so that the on-board controller can use it more effectively? Obviously with the Hynix in as well the OCZ stuff doesn't run dual channel.

It's far from slow at the minute, but I was just wondering whether it could actually make a difference.

Cheers.
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'16 GSX-S1000F

[T1z3R]

im not up on all the latest DDR stuff but im sure it wouldnt hurt to try it out
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duck my sick!

[iCraig]

The non dual channel will slow the dual channel memory down, so it will be running at 3200 and not 6400. Although even if you do remove the non dual channel memory there won't be that much of a difference.

I can't even tell the difference between PC133 and PC2700!

[Rob W]

Well, at the moment it runs 64-Bit (single channel) rather than the 128 DC. I must admit I didn't notice a great difference with dual channel before, but I wondered if the memory controller would make a difference.

Cheers.
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'16 GSX-S1000F

[edd]

all the ram in your system will run at the same speed. For me at least there was a huge difference moving from SD ram to DDR 400 both were a gigs worth. i dont think youll ever need 2gb of ram anyways so if i were you id take the extra slower ram out.
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[Rob W]

[sickpup]

Dual channel is a function of the motherboard NOT the memory. If you search I did a big post about this a few months ago and posted a full reply from crucial explaining the ins and outs.

I stick of memory will not work in dual channel and it doesn't double the speed of your memory.

You haven't said if your MB does dual channel or not?

[djr]

[djr]

[Rob W]

[fuzz]

You need to check in your BIOS. Depending on how many memory slots you have, it should show (for 4 slots) Channel A slot 0, Channel A slot 1, Channel B slot 0, Channel B slot 1. You need to put matching speed/size RAM into the same slot number, so Channel A and B slot 0 for dual channel to work.

The reason it is called dual channel is because it accesses both memory channels at the same time, so it gives 128bit access. If they are not matched, or in the same channel, the memory will be read sequentially and at only 64bit.

Like said, it is a motherboard function. The type of memory has nothing to do with it, although the pair will need to be the same size, speed and latency for it to work. That's why they are often sold as matched pairs.

[Rob W]

[Rob W]

People, I KNOW how to setup Dual Channel, I KNOW what it means.

My question was whether or not the DDR controller on my CPU would utilise it more effectively.
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'16 GSX-S1000F

[fuzz]

They are sold as dual channel matched pair because they have been tested as identical. If you find two different manufactured sticks and they run at exactly the same speed and latency, they wil run in dual channel mode. Buying in matched pairs assures you that they will run in DC. Two different sticks might have a different CAS latency, for example, even though they state the same speeds.

Where the motherboard states it supports dual channel DDR, it means it can run DDR in dual channel mode, not that you can put dual channel DDR in it.

As to your question, only the DDR controller on the motherboard will utilise it. There is no other controller.
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[Rob W]

[fuzz]

WTF has that got do with what I said?

If you read it properly, I said it runs memory in dual channel mode, you do not put dual channel memory in the slot.

On the CPU, it means it can access the memory directly. It supports dual channel mode. The memory controller usually resides in the northbridge on the motherboard. On this model it resides in the CPU. It will most likely do this automatically, but there may be a setting in the BIOS.
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[sickpup]

[lanester]

All the latest AMD chips have an onboard memory controler so the RAM is used more efficiently

Read this to understand that more fully (Anandtech is a good source for component info)
https://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=1815&p=6

Hope that helps with your on-die memory controler question