Here is a mobo that i have in one of my computers...

http://www.abit.com.tw/page/au/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?DEFTITLE=Y&fMTYPE=Socket%20478&pMODEL_NAME=IC7-MAX3

“Intel 875P Chipset Pentium 4 Mainboard Dual SATA RAID, Dual DDR 400, AGP Pro 8X, OTES, ABIT Engineered™”

“Dual DDR Module Support Supports up to 4GB of Single/Dual channel DIMM modules, delivering bandwidth of 6.4GB/sec.”

So I want to put new ram into it. Two sticks of DDR 400, to run in duel channel mode.

The problem is. I always thought if you run 2x 1GB sticks in duel channel mode (duel channel mode basically doubles the ram speed by utilising a pair of ram sticks right?) then you basically have 1GB of really really fast ram. If you want 2GB in total but fast as well you need 2x 2GB, however someone said this wasn’t the case.

Can anyone explain/confirm please? I have windows xp 32 bit so i obviously dont want to put 4GB of total ram in but if duel channel mode basically halves your ram then i want to get 2x 2GB... help! thanks in advance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual-channel_architecture

Erm.. thakns for the resource reso but it's not really answering my question. To my knowledge anyway.

"Dual-channel technology was created to address the issue of bottlenecks. Increased processor speed and performance requires other, less prominent components to keep pace. In the case of dual channel design, the intended target is the memory controller, which regulates data flow between the CPU and system memory (RAM). The memory controller determines the types and speeds of RAM as well as the maximum size of each individual memory module and the overall memory capacity of the system. When the memory is unable to keep up with the processor, however, a bottleneck occurs, leaving the CPU with nothing to process. Under the single-channel architecture, any CPU with a bus speed greater than the memory speed would be susceptible to this bottleneck effect."

That kind of hints that all duel channel means is it can handle two memory sticks at once and putting 2x 1GB in a computer would still mean you have the capacity of 2GB of useable ram...

I'm not interested in interpreting information, i had already done that before i posted. I'm interested in someone who has expertise in this area explaining or confirming usable memory capacity while running duel channel...

no if you have 2 x 1gb sticks in dual mode you still have 2gb ram

i r gud @ computors

Okay first, it's DUAL channel. They're not fighting.

As for how dual channel works:
If you have 2x2GB, you have 4GB running in dual channel, it's as simple as that. Basically what happens is the timings are alternated meaning reads are done on one stick while the other is incapable, utilizing more cycles. Keep in mind that unless you're using a high volume of RAM, you won't be seeing much benefit, as even modern chipsets don't manage data such that... say you had physical addresses of 0x4000000 and 0x80000000; it doesn't write any array of data to say the following locations:

0x40000000,
0x80000000,
0x40000001,
0x80000001,
...

Ignoring the fact that reads are done in blocks.

Therefore your sequential blocks are quite often coming from the same physical stick, and hence require delay before the next successive read or write op.

reso's response was excellent cos instead of pandering to you blindly flailing around and forming your conclusion emotionally (being happy just cos a couple of randoms on the interwebs told you so) he encouraged you to form a logical/rational conclusion by reading and learning about how what you're f***ing with, works

Thanks TiT and Raven (LoL @ Dual).

Jim's post was useless, as usual. I could counter argue but i've got better things to do now that two people have been helpful + constructive.

Cheers again TiT and Raven! Legends.

Duel channelz LOL

nah my post was awesome cos it pointed out the excellence of reso's post and explained why.

reso's response was excellent cos instead of pandering to you blindly flailing around and forming your conclusion emotionally (being happy just cos a couple of randoms on the interwebs told you so) he encouraged you to form a logical/rational conclusion by reading and learning about how what you're f***ing with, works

sorry, but jim's spot on here.

I, for one, support Jim as our new pwner in this thread.

I for one welcome our new Jim overlord.

i for one welcome jim's mum into my bed

i for one welcome jim's mum's and paveway's daughter into my bed

lol duel

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/7/7156323_4d2783339a.jpg?v=0