Adir Abraham wrote:
On Tue, 31 Aug 2004, Omer Zak wrote:
I would like to know whether it is OK to use a 512MB PC-2700 (333MHz) module in the same system, and whether I can mix both DDRAMs (to have total of 768MB).
It is OK. It will do the work. Both modules will work at their lower, agreed speed. PC2100 in this case. To be more exact, they will also synchronize at their agreed burst times (higher burst times, ofcourse).
This was one of the important facts, which I needed to know - whether PC-2700 can work where PC-2100 was designed to work (of course, at PC-2100 speeds).
The motherboard is BioSTAR MBP4F/03/R04 (or maybe it was M8P4F or U8858). Anyway, I found a mention of U8858 but no further data.
According to the U8858 booklet, which I got with the motherboard, it can use PC-1600 and PC-2100 memory modules.
I just found some document about it in Biostar's archives. U8588 contains a VIA P4X266A chipset which from its name you can guess that it supports DDRs of up to 266MHz. That is PC2100 as you said.
Mea culpa, the booklet which I have indeed refers to U8588, not U8858.
Where can I read an up-to-date introduction to those memory issues (PC-2100 vs. PC-2700 vs. 2-year old motherboards)?
What would you like to know? speeds are a matter of "negotiation".
In addition to the fact above, the other thing which I need to be sure of is that my motherboard would be able to recognize the PC-2700 well enough to work with it (even if at PC-2100 speeds).
... If two memories talk in different speeds, the motherboard will talk with them at the common-minimum speed of the two (i.e. PC2700 chips can speak at PC2100 speeds, so they necessarily can, and actually must do so in order to have the ability to talk with PC2100 chips at their speeds - but not vice versa).
I do not mind losing the extra speed of PC-2700 if it is what is required to make it work in my motherboard. However, I would hate to have the existing PC-2100 lose speed, as my PC would be a bit slower than it was previously.
... However - some motherboards, are very picky regarding choosing memories with two different speeds, especially old ones. If you don't find any info about it in Google, it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. You would better put the two memory sticks and check if it works for you, and/or if you have performance drops. I'd warmly recommend you to buy a 256MB PC2700 memory stick instead of the PC2100 in order to get rid of such worries (and in order to stay a bit ahead. PC3300 is becoming a standard, and I expect that PC2700 will start to disappear in the following year).
As I said, my PC currently has 256MB memory (PC-2100 DDRAM module).
My wish is that after I buy the PC-2700 module, either it works with the existing PC-2100, in which case I have 768MB memory; or they do not work together but the PC-2700 works alone, in which case I have 512MB memory, which is enough for my current needs.
Thus, if the PC-2700 cannot work with my motherboard (with or without PC-2100), I'll lose. This is why I asked in this mailing list.
Thanks,
--- Omer
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