Installing ddr memory with different clock speeds..

[Nobahar]

I installed a stick of pc3200 512 memory, and I already had pc2700 256 mb memory in there.

Here's what I expected would happen-
I get 512+256 mb memory running at the slower speed of the pc2700.

Here's what actually happened-
I have 512 mb of memory running at pc3200 speeds, Everest is showing the other ram as connected, however for some reason or another the computer only enabled the fast memory and is suppressing the other one.

--

I tried playing with some BIOS settings, and my motherboard's manual doesn't tell me to do anything specifically- it says I can't run sdram and ddr ram together, but they're both ddr ram in this case. They should be running together.

What can I do to get the 768 that I want ;p

[infinitevalence]

what kind of system is this?? amd, intel, motherboard. because it may run faster with just the 512 rather than both in it depending on the type of sys.

[Illuminati]

by messing with bios settings, I'm guessing that you tried manually setting the memory frequency to PC2700 speeds (DDR333)?

Maybe by doing this, it will clock down your PC3200 ram and when you reboot after saving the bios, it will pick up the remaining 256mb PC2700 ram and give you your 768 total?

[Nobahar]

This is an amd system. I believe my motherboard is an ECC K7VMM+, or something similar- I don't have my manual handy, I know I have an AMI bios on it for sure- I'm pretty sure it runs faster with 768 at pc2700 than with 512 at pc3200.

Yes, I tried to manually set the memory frequency- but right when I boot up the computer it still gives me 512 mb instead of 768, its as though the system ignores the second DIMM slot. I tried switching their places, putting the 512 in slot two and the 256 in slot 1- either way it doesnt recognize the 256.

[sbohdan]

how do you know it would run faster when it never actually worked? I did pair up a diffrent make of a 3200 ram (both were 400mhz just different make) still they had different timings and did not match at all. by running both I lost the double channel capability and even though the second stick was recognized and gave me 1024mb alltogether, when I tested the speed , my mem was slower than the 512mb alone! and these were seemingly compatible sticks rated for the same speed. in your case they are different speed, make and timings. even if they would work somehow, your system would be slower and less stable.

[Nobahar]

They have the same latency timing at the lower speed- essentially the speed difference is not much but only noticable during gaming, however the increase in amount of ram makes a more significant impact due to the larger size of the memory itself.

For the way I use it, having both ram modules working would be ideal

[Nobahar]

lol what do you know I got it to work, I took them both out- and put em back in and now the 256 is back online

Whoohoo to the computer gods

[sbohdan]

good for you. is it stable though?

[Nobahar]

lol, you have to have a stable system in the first place to comment on the stability of the memory-

But so far no leaks, errors, or crashes- give it some time though.