Upgrading Memory

[RAD45]

Hello Latnlv3r..  teachers/classes are like the WEB, everyone's got different answers. In addition to this forum I highly recommend MaximumPC magazine. Anyway, when I said "matched" memory sticks I did mean "matched" -- same brand, freq and density. I've found using different brands create issues. Good for upgrading the PSU, although at 600 watts you'd better check your wall plug to make sure you don't pull too many amps and blow a circuit breaker.  As for a clean install of W7-64.. you're reformatting the harddrive.  I'd check Microsoft support for instructions. That's something I leave to a local guru!  You'll need a boot CD or flash drive to get things running again, so remember to reset the MB's boot selection to put CD before HD.  3Gs of RAM will allow you to run the OS, but with all W7's bells-and-whistles, you'll need that extra Gig.  You need to get real familar with the MB's  (Assus A8M2N-LA) limitations before up- grading. It doesn't support an Intel proc... strictly AMD 939/AM2 socket. No overclocking because the MB doesn't have the features to let you tweak voltages and frequencies thanks to H-P.  Also the SATA ports are SATA-150... newer SATA300/600 hard drives will work, but only at the lower through-put. The MB will support procs up to 6000+ (3.1G) if they are 939/am2 sockets, up to 110 watts.  There are a lot of differences between Athlon64x2 procs of the same freq which I'm carefully researching to avoid issues with heat and voltages.  If you are still running the onboard video (GeF6150LE) you will have to upgrade to a discret video card before installing W7-64.  You need to have all the board RAM available to the OS, not being split off to run video.  An 8000/9000-series, 1G Invidia card should work fine.  One last item... making sure you have enough connections from your new PSU for the video card and fans!  Good Luck

[dfwald]

I'm looking to buy an i7-920 based CPU e9280t PC and it says the memory is DDR3-1066 Mhz SDRAM.  Is this triple channel RAM?  The i7-920 chip needs triple channel memory to perform at its very best so I want to make sure I have the best memory possible.   When I look at memory to purchase elsewhere, they are listed as DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, and DDR3-1600.   This makes it seem that the HP provided one is from the slowest group for this CPU.  Is this true?   Who makes this memory for this e9280t? 

[RAD45]

Hi dfwald...   the i7-920 proc does use triple channel memory.. 3- matching sticks of either 1-2- or 4G memory sticks, if you got the $$$.  Anyway, yes, HP uses the lesser memory to keep costs lower.  Yes, you want to get the faster memoiry ---DDR3-1333-- if you intend to do photo, audio, or heavy gaming work.  The memory comes off the boat from South Korea, China, or Taiwan.  My Pavilion had "Hynix" from Korea... it now has Crucial in all four memoiry slots.  You'd do very well with the DDR3-1333 memory because (according to HP's support page) your PC runs 1366MHz buss.  HP doesn't allow tweaking the motherboard settings, so running 1600-memory won't give you any apprecible upside.  The motherboard is a "Pegatron IPMTB-TK"... no clue who makes it!  But it has six memory slots!  If you're getting W7_64 bit OS, then youi can run up to 24Gs of memory... 32_bit is maxed ar 4Gs... which means you need the 64_bit OS if you want to run more than 3Gs of memory.  JUST A THOUGHT... you will get much the same resuilt from the newer i5-core..some of which are dumbed down i7's!  And it's cheaper cause you don't have to run triple channel memory!  If it's absolute power you're after, then the triple channel i7 core is your choice. If you wanna save some $$$ then the dual channel i5 core will run with the big guys for practically all your apps.  If its graphics you need then go for the best video card you can afford and then add a second vid card.  (The MB has 2- PCIe-16 video slots!!)  There's a couple of resources to check memory.. head to Crucial, Kingston, Corsair or whoever... plug in your PC's model number.. and they'll give you info.
  So have I confused you even more? 

[RasterBlaster]

According to the e9280t's  Truckee motherboard specifications, max speed is 1066/8500. This may be why 1066 is the only available speed option when purchasing this configurable PC. This was one of the first boards HP provided that utilized the i7-920 processor.

If you install 1333, the board might accept it, and it might also operate at 1066 if it does work (you'd waste your money).

I say might because there is a chance it might work. Documentation, such as the mobo spec, is released when the board comes out and it usually does not have all future capabilities spec'ed out (that is, the board and chip manufacturer's don't fully know what the technology is capable of until future products are designed).

 Yes, DDR3 can operate as triple channel. To get double data rate with triple channel you need to install the same DIMM types (same manufacturer, same specs) in the first 3 slots (blue) or all 6 slots (blue and black). This board will also do dual channel in slots 1 and 3 (blue).

Whatever you do, make sure all chips have the same cas latency value.

[RAD45]

RasterBlasher... per usual, you have some very good, if not critical, points..  which brings up the question; since we know what the i7-920 can do on a "regular' X58 motherboard (tweaking/adjustments allowed), would it not make more sense to bypass this HP motherboard/proc combination for an i5-core
and newer motherboard?  Since the newer i5 cores are the start of a new series -- many of which keep up with or surpass the (now) older i7-cores --
would it not make $$$ sense to go to the "cheaper" i5's and spend the saved $$$ on memory, hard drives, BluRay DVD, etc??
    Another question: who makes the Truckee motherboard? Hopw does the Truckee differ from a straight commercial MB?

[RasterBlaster]

RAD45,

Ditto and thanks for the nice comments.

The board is made by Pegatron - you can see the silk screened name of the manufacturer in the photograph on the spec.

We're getting a bit off-topic here but I'll  answer the other question from a large PC manufacturer's perspective:

Big companies produce consumer PCs for the masses.

You can bet that big PC companies pursue any new PC technology that caters to:

A) Cost

B) Mass production capabilites

C) Consumer acceptance/marketability (how many models they think they can sell if the new tech is used (consumer draw))

D) Return on investment/price margin (that is, will the new tech enable big company to make more money per unit)

E) Quality (yes - it costs serious money when a PC is released that has an issue - both immediate and down the road).

There are more things as well.. but I think these are the biggies.

You can also bet that HP considers all new tech from Intel and AMD. For the large scale consumer space, the i-5 will likely be limited to elite gaming configurations. If HP doesn't release it right away, then there is probably a problem with one of the points I mentioned above. BTW, Black Friday is just around the corner.

Message Edited by RasterBlaster on 11-24-2009 04:41 PM

[Wilson1981]

Hi

I have an HP Compaq SR1539UK it has 1GB of Ram in it in 2x 512 sticks, which are PC3200 333mhz and i have now got 2x 1GB pc3200 400mhz sticks and the motherboard will not register them.

All i get when i put in the new ram is a beeping from the system and no boot.

Any idea as the spec's say that the 400mhz should work

Thank for the help in advance

[RAD45]

Hey, Wilson1981... having memory problems?  First thing, make absolutely sure your memory sticks are fully seated in the sockets!  (I've messed up on that score several times.. gettng beeps and no post!)   If you've double-checked... make sure you don't have the mem sticks reversed in the socket (mine have the labels facing the processor)... then make sure the new memory sticks are 184-pin, DDR... not 240-pin DDR2... make sure the new mem sticks use 2.5 volts... and don't mix the new memory with the old, since the new sticks run at 400 MHz.  Assuming nothing else has been dislodged during your expeditions into the case, the machine should boot.  When it does start to boot, immediately go into BIOS (by holding down either the ESC, F10 or F11 key -- they are all different) and double check the settings.  The BIOS screen should also tell you if the new memory has been recognized and the speed at which they are running.  Have fun!

[Wilson1981]

Hi RAD45

I have tried what you mentioned. Checked the motherboard specs and the memory slots are paired 1&3 2&4 so putting the new 1GB sticks into slots 2&4 the system registers them but on gets as far as the windows start up and then reboots its self. It wont register them when they are in slot 1&3 tho Any ideas

[RAD45]

Hi Wilson1981... drat!  I'd suggest using just two 1GB sticks and put them in adjoining slots starting with the one closest to the processor, i.e., slots One and Two.
Don't use the 512MB sticks since they don't match in density and frequency.  There's also an alert posted on the HP Support web page concerning a problem with your PC failing to load Windows and then rebooting -- I don't know if its your exact problem.. bnut here's the URL: http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01457284     It mentions the problem in connection with installing SP3 for Windows XP and involves the computer's\ Intel Power Management driver and Athlon processors.   Take a look and see if it may be your problem.    In regard to the memory, use slots 1 and 2. If it recognizes the memory and still doesn't boot, you probbaly have a system problem  not a memory issue!   (Isn't it always something!)   I'll be interested to hear what happens.