DDR2 compatibility

[porina]

I ordered 4x2GB DDR2 800 modules, which arrived today. I had accumulated a bunch of older desktops but didn't much much ram, so thought getting some more would help. Were there compatibility problems with using this much ram at this speed?

 

I put all 4 modules into an Athlon X2 system. This had previously been set up with a SSD and Win7 install. It booted, but after a few minutes use, I'd get screen corruption. If ignored, the system will freeze or BSOD. After a reboot, it clears up, but will come back. I don't remember having this problem before when setting it up with slower ram. 

 

Fine, I put all 4 modules into a Pentium D system. This had previously been set up with a SSD and Win7 install. I'd get as far as the Win7 startup splash, then it freezes.

 

Ok, last chance. I put all 4 modules into some kind of Phenom CPU on server mobo that doesn't support it (it only officially supports Opterons). This had previously been set up with a SSD and Win7 install. It booted to desktop fine. I'm running Aida64 on it now, set to test memory. No errors after 18 minutes and still running.

 

 

The ram is Xum branded (who?) but the chips and SPD report Kingston. It seems ok so far in the last system tried. All 3 systems report the ram running near 800 (the X2 was actually 760 presumably due to not having an exact multiplier). While in the Pentium D system, the Dell bios did report it as dual rank. So I'm wondering if the loading of all these modules is a bit much, even if 800 is supported. The X2 is an Acer OEM system so nothing I could do in the bios. The Pentium D was a Dell, so again no settings I can tinker with. I'll have to revisit those two systems with the 1GB 533 modules I used earlier. 

[Guest]

Quote

Were there compatibility problems with using this much ram at this speed?

Same rule of thumb today. More sticks, harder to run XMP. 

So each board should't be posting 800mhz, you should have cleared cmos when you installed these sticks into each system.

 

I believe the default frequency for most DDR2 boards is 667mhz or 333mhz effective (cpu-z reports) 

 

 

[porina]

9 hours ago, ShrimpBrime said:

Same rule of thumb today. More sticks, harder to run XMP. 

The 800 speed was still in SPD. Did XMP even exist back then? I can't remember.

 

I was wondering if this might be a contributing factor. It probably doesn't help that the modules are dual rank also. On the to do list is to try only one pair in each system. 4GB is still enough given how slow those CPUs are anyway.

[Guest]

No the ram was just rated x speed. 

 

And 800mhz wasnt typically motherboards factory default, 667mhz was default. 

If I recall 2 and 4gb combos where the way to overclock. I dont think I ever went more than that personally even for just gaming.

[porina]

5 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

If I recall 2 and 4gb combos where the way to overclock. I dont think I ever went more than that personally even for just gaming.

I do have a s775 overclocking mobo which some of these modules might make their way towards later. Got that just to get a 3DMark Steam achievement for CPU overclock.

 

Again, the DDR2 era seems so long ago. I'm pretty sure I was running 8GB on the last of my Core 2 systems, although I don't recall if it was 4x2 or 2x4GB modules, or at what speed. I do recall they were gaming brands like OCZ and Corsair. Really wish I still had them, and not sold them off for cheap many years ago.

 

The three systems mentioned in the OP are not overclocking systems (no ram settings at all), but if I'm going to do anything with them at all, I'd like the best practical ram I can get working.

[Guest]

8GB on DDr2 would had been way over kill. Shit I think 8GB on ddr3 might have started taking on the norm. 

I was in it for gaming and overclocking. So for working I could see someone using 8gb maybe.

 

You should still clear the cmos when you install this memory. Legacy bios will hold the settings on hardware when hot swapped. That may had been your issue originally is all I was saying.

 

I used Mushkin BlackLine sticks. Corsair dominators and I have a very nice set of Geil that I still use actually.

[porina]

41 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

8GB on DDr2 would had been way over kill. Shit I think 8GB on ddr3 might have started taking on the norm. 

I found one of my Core 2 systems still listed on a BOINC project. It last connected in 2015, and was listed as having 6GB of ram. So, maybe my memory is a bit out on having 8GB, or I had reconfigured it just for crunching by that point. 

 

3 minutes ago, Benji said:

What motherboards are you using?

The X2 system is an Acer system. The Pentium D is a Dell system. So in both cases, don't expect top tier build. The unknown Athlon in Tyan server board was the only one that worked no problems so far.