Ram Compatability

[FizzyFantom]

Ive planned a new build which involves switching RAM from one PC to another, but Im not sure what is going to work.

The new system is using a motherboard with 4 dual channel DDR3 dimm slots (the Asus M5A97 R2.0) and I have the following RAM to try and fit between three computers:

A pair of 2GB Kingston modules from my old computer (used for 2 years),

A pair of 1GB Kingston modules from a friends computer (used for many years, and very dusty when removed),

A single 4GB no-name module from the third computer (previously my side computer, under 2 years old)

A single 4GB Kingston HyperX module (brand new, in packaging)

 

I would like the new computer to have 8GB of RAM, but avoid using the old 1GB pair salvaged from a friends computer, and preferably not use the no-name RAM.

I know that the 4GB Kingston and the 4GB no-name would likely work in two slots of the new MB, but I would prefer not to use that configuration.

Would it work to put the pair of 2GB modules in slots "1" and "3", and to put the 4GB Kingston HyperX module in one of the remaining slots?

Thanks

[Priller]

As long as they are DDR3 then they will work.

 

I always prefer matched sets of ram. This ensures that the timings and voltage requirement will be the same. You might have 2 different sticks of ram that are the same speed with very close timings but even if they are similar you can get some instability.

 

I would use the pair of 2GB Kingston modules as they are a matched set. If you are wanting more ram then I would try to find the exact same part number of the 2GB Kingstons and pick up another set or just buy a new set of 2x4GB.

 

Also, never run 3 sticks in a 4 dimm slot board.

[FizzyFantom]

As long as they are DDR3 then they will work.

 

I always prefer matched sets of ram. This ensures that the timings and voltage requirement will be the same. You might have 2 different sticks of ram that are the same speed with very close timings but even if they are similar you can get some instability.

 

I would use the pair of 2GB Kingston modules as they are a matched set. If you are wanting more ram then I would try to find the exact same part number of the 2GB Kingstons and pick up another set or just buy a new set of 2x4GB.

 

Also, never run 3 sticks in a 4 dimm slot board.

Thanks for the reply, just out of interest, would a configuration of 2X2GB modules and 1X4GB module work, or will that definitely fail?

[LogicalDrm]

As said, as long as they all are DDR3 they will work. Performance might not be best but they will still work.

[ragedev]

Thanks for the reply, just out of interest, would a configuration of 2X2GB modules and 1X4GB module work, or will that definitely fail?

It should work, however the modules might be forced to operate in Single Channel mode which to be honest is hard to differentiate (performance wise) against Dual Channel.

On my current system I use 2x8GB and 2x4GB sticks and the motherboard will still recognise it as Dual Channel (Z77) or Quad Channel (X79). The two kits are rated at different speeds and voltages (1600MHz and 1333MHz), but with the Asus X79 Motherboard, the default speed is 1600MHz whilst in the MSI Z77 Motherboard, the default speed is 1333MHz. They work perfectly anyhow. 

[Leonard]

I have never heard of a PC with 11GB of RAM, however it may be done assuming that all the RAM sticks are DDR3 and all the RAM sticks are the same frequency, latency and voltage

[FizzyFantom]

Thanks very much for your responses, Im going to try some configurations and see how they work