"CiRcUiT" wrote in message
...
Yes, my mb has 3 DIMM slots with 2 together and 1 seperated from the
others.
Two are blue and the one next to DIMM1 is black. (As in
Blue/Black/Space/Blue) I put the RAM in 1 and 2 and everything works great
but no dual channel (as I expected). I put the RAM in 1 and 3 and can get
the board to post but not boot into XP. It resets before the loading
screen
appears. Maybe I'm not seating the RAM properly. The store I go to has
matched kits of RAM specifically for Dual Channel (also with CL2) but
these
sets are twice as much. If I can't get it to work by next weekend I'll
just
bring this RAM back and get the matched set. I still don't see why it
won't
work. Maybe I'll play with my RAM settings also... I'll keep this thread
posted...

In the end is all this trouble even worth it? Will dual channel really
make
a difference?


"Doughnut" wrote in message
.. .
Using 2 sticks of ram will enable Dual Channel, Dual channel is a
feature
of the motherboard not the ram.
I guess your mainboard will be similar in that the ram slots have 2
together
and one on its own, 1 stick of ram in the single slot and 1 stick in the
one
of the other 2 will enable dual channel.

doughnut


"CiRcUiT" wrote in message
...

"Nystagmus" wrote in message
...

"CiRcUiT" wrote in message
...
I took the plunge and bought the following;

Aopen AK79D-400VN NForce2 Ultra 400 MB
AMD Barton 2500+
2x256MB DDR400 PC3200

Everything works excellent. Right now, as I'm typing this, it just
got
done
it's burn in (Sandra) at 11x200 (2.2 GHz or 3200+ speeds) at a
maximum
temp
of 47ºC. Average was 44.5ºC. This is with the original AMD HSF!
Can't
wait
for water cooling! =D

My only question is that I bought 2 sticks on RAM for dual channel
support
but when I populate DIMM1 and DIMM3 it won't even POST. It just
sits
there
beeping one long beep which I assume means there is a memory
problem.
Is
it
that dual channel needs all the slots populated? If so I will go
out
and
get
a 512 stick to populate DIMM3. The only way I can get it to POST
is
with
the
256 sticks in D1 & D2. I am not new to computers, just the NForce2
chipset.

Thanks for your help.

Just in case my systems is:
AMD Barton 2500+ at 3200+ (11x200)
2x256MB PC3200 DDR400 in Dimm1 and Dimm2
Aopen AK79D-400VN
MSI GeForce4 Ti4200 128MB (300 core/530 memory)
Creative Soundblaster Live! 5.1 (Need the line in and mic
connectors
w/5.1
speakers and onboard sound can't do it)
WD 80GB
Seagate 15GB
LG 40x12x40 CD-RW
8xDVD-ROM


I have the AOpen AK79G Max which is close to your mainboard and
according
to
Aopen's website share the same BIOS. I have two sticks of Apacer
256MB
of
PC3200. First stick in DIMM 1 and the second stick in DIMM 3. When
you
first boot up your computer in the BIOS screen just above the memory
check
you should see a line that says, "Dual Boot Enabled" or something
like
that.
That is how you know it is enabled. If you don't see it then....

You didn't list the make of your RAM sticks. Are you using AOpen's
recommended PC3200? When PC3200 first came out there was no
standard
for
it
so all makers of PC3200 used differing specs. The following link
will
take
you AOpen's web page listing the tested RAM that works for your
mainboard.





http://swe.aopen.com.tw/testreport/m...ction=519&Mode
l=720

I use Apacer RAM and it is working well in my system. You can find
Apacer
RAM at

www.newegg.com

Good luck
Nystagmus

I cheaped out and didn't buy the 2x256 in a matched kit thinking it
should
work. My ram is made by "elixer" and is not listed in that report. I'm
going
to go back and get a matched pair if it's worth the hassle and the
price
difference for dual channel. I'm going there next weekend anyway for a
better PSU and a neon to replace the one I broke when putting this
thing
back together. (Do NOT lean on the neon tube... Do NOT lean on the
neon
tube... Do NOT lean on the broken glass tube... ARG!)

I'm still not entirely sold on the benefits I would see in
"real-world"
applications and games with dual-channel.




You don't need to purchase matched kits of RAM. They cost too much and
don't offer any "real world" advantage. Just purchase two sticks of the
same RAM at the same time. Again, make sure the RAM is approved for your
mainboard.

There have been many posts stating that the difference between Dual and non
Dual is marginal in day to day computing. In gaming and OC'ing the answer
may be different. I don't game much other than Diablo II or Myst like games
and I don't OC since a AMD 2500 Barton Core is fast enough for everything I
do.

Nystagmus