RAM speeds

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ADKM

862 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 37

#175486 1-Jul-2015 12:03

Hi, what are the 667 and 800 figures relating to RAM mean please?

I had 4x 2GB DDR-2 sticks and BIOS reported it was 667. But when I removed 2 of them it changed to 800.
I assumed this meant I'd taken out slower RAM and left in 2 faster ones. But the 2 removed have 'PC800" on them.

Is it OK to mix the two ?

Thanks.

Inphinity

2780 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1184

#1334942 1-Jul-2015 12:09

In most cases it is OK to mix and match, but all installed modules will operate at the lowest common speed. Some motherboards may have compatibility issues with mixing speeds, in which case it likely won't boot

Athlonite

1828 posts

Uber Geek
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Inactive user

#1334955 1-Jul-2015 12:16

In some cases loading all slots with ram will reduce the speed of the ram as the chipset can't handle the higher speed in all slots because of the load placed on it by having 4 dimms installed

can I ask which motherboard you have that has this problem

ADKM

862 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 37

#1334977 1-Jul-2015 12:37

It's an Intel DQ45CB. I bought it of TradeMe to replace one I thought was faulty. (As it was repeatedly BSOD)

But the new one did the same until I tracked the problem to RAM. There's 2 Corsair sticks (they read 800 in BIOS) and 2 Strontium.
The Strontium ones seem to have gone bad as with them out it goes fine. The maunfacturer supposedly
offers a lifetime warranty) but if mixing them is the problem.... although until it went faulty it was fine. (LOL fairly obvious!)
So not sure which way to jump... is it preferable all sticks are the same speed? Would 800 be noticeably faster than 667 ?

Inphinity

2780 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1184

#1334981 1-Jul-2015 12:50

ADKM: is it preferable all sticks are the same speed? Would 800 be noticeably faster than 667 ?

Preferable, but provided the motherboard and RAM step down appropriately, not required.
To be honest, if you're tolerating either of these speeds, you won't notice a difference between the two ;)

ADKM

862 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 37

#1334995 1-Jul-2015 13:22

>To be honest, if you're tolerating either of these speeds, you won't notice a difference between the two ;)

Yes, that's what I suspected. If I quality for warranty replacements so much thee better.. new RAM would cost about $100.
I filed an RMA request with Strontium over a week ago (on their website warranty page) but nothing heard back yet.