RAM in pairs

[kmce]

Do you still need to install RAM in pairs? I currently have 2x8gb, but one has failed so getting a new part delivered tomorrow. But I only recently bought the RAM so still have a warranty on it, but that would obviously take a while to get replaced. So I am wondering if i can slot the old one with the newly bought one, then when i get the one back from the warranty, can I slot that on its own? Do they still need to be done in pairs these days?

[Ben Mills]

should be fine , I used an old Kingston ram then added another 1 x8 a few months later! I did have a new issues as I had to change them wrong in the slots to boot the first few times, not sure why but works fine now!

make sure the speeds are the same such as 300mhz for example.

Single channel ram wont be as fast as dual channel but I'm not sure how much you'll notice the performance difference.

[wONKEyeYEs]

7 minutes ago, kmce said:

Do they still need to be done in pairs these days?

They can be run singly.

With two DIMMs info can be written faster with Dual channel MB.

Using one just slows the data transfer.

Depending on what you're doing,

you might not even notice the difference in speed.

 

If you are going to mix dissimilar RAM  you might have probs if the speeds and timings are different.

It will default to the lesser sticks speeds.

 

[Princess Luna]

I'm sorry it's not very clear but if you bought a 2x8gb kit and only one stick has failed you still have to return both for RMA because they are a kit, they are made in a way to ensure perfect dual channel compatibility, you can't RMA only half of the kit.

[kmce]

Excellent thanks guys, they all will be the same, so i will run the 3. 

 

And no, I didnt know I had to return the entire kit... That is a bother. I guess I could run the 1x8 and return the kit?  

[paddy-stone]

13 minutes ago, kmce said:

Excellent thanks guys, they all will be the same, so i will run the 3. 

 

And no, I didnt know I had to return the entire kit... That is a bother. I guess I could run the 1x8 and return the kit?  

Yes, that's how it should be done, check with the support though for sure.

[Princess Luna]

13 minutes ago, kmce said:

Excellent thanks guys, they all will be the same, so i will run the 3. 

 

And no, I didnt know I had to return the entire kit... That is a bother. I guess I could run the 1x8 and return the kit?  

I had a friend who tried RMA with G.Skill and he also only sent the defective stick, RMA was denied since it was part of a kit.

[kmce]

I will contact crucial and just make sure then. Thanks for the help everyone