Upgrading Memory

[Onesnark]

>>

 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.

<<

I am confused. On the 9280t's, the 8gb and 9gb options don't have identcal dimms in multiple of three. (The eight has 4*2gb, the nine has 4*2gb+1*1gb). You don't get 6 dimms until you go to 12gb; Does ythat mean that this "top end" machine doesn't support tri-channel in the lowest two memory  configurations? Huh?

Your message makes sense to me. . .it seems like the way to go is to throw away the default RAM, and rebuy once I get the machine. (which sounds odd. . .)

[mindofmyown]

I have a s3300f and want to upgrade from 2GB RAM to 4GB RAM, and the memory I'm looking at can be found

here. I was hoping someone could tell me if it will work, as I can't find all the specs for the memory on the tigerdirect.com site. Any help is greatly appreciated. The motherboard is an Asus M2N61-AR, a.k.a. the Acacia-GL6E which says that it supports the following :

• Dual channel memory architecture (1 DIMM per channel)
• Two 240-pin DDR2 DIMM sockets
• Supported DIMM types:
  • PC2-4200 (533 MHz)
  • PC2-5300 (667 MHz)
  • PC2-6400 (800 MHz)
• Single or double-sided DIMMs
• Non-ECC memory only, unbuffered
• Supports 2GB DDR2 DIMMs
• Supports up to 4 GB* (2 x 2 GB)
  • 32 bit PCs cannot address a full 4.0 GB of memory.

[RAD45]

Hey!  Onesnark... been checking your posts and seeing the chaos over DDR3, thriple-channel and two i7 and i5 sockets!  A couple of points:
if the motherboard for an i7 is set for triple channel.. then you gotta run matching dimms in sets of (total of) 3Gs, 6Gs, 9Gs, 12Gs, and so on.
A dirty secret is HP may have the motherboard set for dual-channel... hence the oddball RAM totals and odd-number slot use.  ALSO,  the
Pegatron mobo being used in the e9280t is one of the first "generic" mobo's built for the i7 using the LGA 1366 socket and the Intel X58 chipset.
Since it is a "generic" being used by HP, it won't allow you to tweak voltages and frequencies of the CPU and RAM.  Your previous postings

indicate you're looking for a PC for the long haul... so, you need to know Intel will be coming out with TWO new CPUs "Clarkdale" (dual-channel)
and "Gulftown" (triple-channel,SIX cores).  If you buy the e9280t now, you'll be in the 1st generation of the i7 series with the third generation i5/7
about to be borne.  Adding to the chaos is the 1366 versus 1156 socket choice.  The i5 and some new i7 procs use the 1156 socket. Some of
the new i5 procs can be considered ramped down i7 cores using the P55 chipsets, i.e., good procs and mobos for the "mainstream". I'm not pushing
a product, but I highly recommend MaximumPC magazine as a resource for  getting sockets, procs, and RAM straightened out.  Personally, I'm
sticking with a 3G AMD Athlon 64x2  with 4Gs of RAM until the dust settles!   However, push come to shove, I'd go socket 1156, about 4 to 6 Gs
or memoiry, a 64-bit OS, with the twin-HD option (300G@10K rpm and a 640G@7200rpm), then use a 1-or-2-TB Media drive for backups!
That means an e9250t or an e9270t with an MSI mobo and a choice of i5 or newer i7 procs! 

[RAD45]

Hello "mindofmyown"... yeah, I checked your link on the Corsair memory and it is in line with the Acacia motherboard specs.  HOWEVER, you gottra be sure the latency matches!  According to Corsair's memoiry finder, the appropriate memory for your PC is Corsair's VS2GB667D2 -- a 2Gb stick running at 667 GHz with a latency of 5-5-5-15.   The ram you mentioned was the XMS2 running at 800 MHz with a latency of 5-5-5-18.  You'll need to pull your
existing RAM and check the latency, before ordering new stuff!  One of the most important upgrades you can do is get a video card and disable the onboard video!  That will let all your 4Gs of RAM work on data and not get syphoned off for video. You might also try buying your RAM directly from Corsair. If you do upgrade your video, double check your power supply capacity before ordering the video card!

Message Edited by RAD45 on 11-28-2009 04:27 AM

Message Edited by RAD45 on 11-28-2009 04:29 AM

[Onesnark]

Rad45;

You are correct - my key question is if HP has set the e9280t motherboard to dual channel vs tri-channel.

If I understand correctly, the primary difference between the 1366 and 1156 i7 socket versions is the *ability* to support tri-channel memory. (My understanding is that the i7-800s are still hyperthreading). If the e9280t memory configuration is *set* to dual channel; then the "case" for purchasing this system is far less attractive.

The cost of the e2980 with i7 seems very competitive to the i5 based e9250/e9270 (when comparably equipped). The cost of the e9250 with i7-8xx carries a substantial premium that I am not willing to pony up for. In another thread, I might ask about if the i5 is really worth a premium over the 8300 quadcores. Does the dust *ever* settle in the computer market? In my initial screening, I was thinking "go cheap" and get a 8300 quad core, or pony up and get a hyperthreading, tri-channel, i7. I am still forming opinions.

Message Edited by Onesnark on 11-28-2009 06:09 AM

[RAD45]

Hi Onesnark... it seems we were both awake in the middle of the night pondering these issues!
    Cutting to the chase, the new i5 cores are certainly faster and have a much longer market life than the older Core2 quads.  Rumor has it, Intel support for the now-old 8000-9000 quad cores will be found wanting.  So, yeah, the price difference between the 8300 quadcores and the i5 is worth it because of obsolesence. It seems rapid advances in memory & motherboard designs are improving dual channel computing (bandwidth) and rendering quad channel computing more for high end CAD AND video processing (Pixar, et al). The bulk of current software is still optimized for 32-bit, dual channel, anyway. 
   Yes, the pricing between the 9200-series machines is very close.. you make your proc choice and go.  With HP, your choice between support and cutting-edge, with consumer support the winner  Hence HP's proprietary mobo's don't have the edge of their retail market cousins. 
   The middle course between the two options you named is an upper-scale i5 proc with the fastest memory it can handle and a very fast hard drive. OR, if your Intel loyalty is open, go with a AM3 or AM2+ proc and avoid the whole triple-channel issue!  It just depends on how much $$$ you wanna spend! (Isn't it always?)  I do not intend subversion of HP's Forum, but over at <avadirect .com> I was checking their proc, mobo, and memory combo's. It's worth a study, if only to clear confusion about what combo seems to be cost-effective and has market longevity. I guess you're in a position where budget will define your choices. Have fun!  But remember, as soon as you buy your machine, something slightly better will hit the market!  So think about upgradability when youi make choices.  If you want to kick around optons, we can go off Forum?

[Onesnark]

Hey,

Yeah. . .off forum may be the ticket.

This is a tech support forum (it appears). Know any good forums for pondering the meaning of life, the universe, and Tri-Channel ram?

[mindofmyown]

RAD45, thanks for the info, I'll be sure to heed your advice on that. I'm one of those "why" people in the sense I like to learn as much as I can about everything, so of course my next question would be what is latency, and why do the numbers have to match? I really wish this was something they would have included with the manuals for my s3300f, so I guess this one time it didn't pay to rtfm. Or the tech specs for the M2N61-AR. Anyways thanks for the help and if you can give me some insight into what latencies are, why they are important, and what will happen if I WERE to use the 5-5-5-18 instead of the 5-5-5-15, I'd appreciate it. As I stated earlier I will heed your advice, I just want to know why.

I was actually thinking about building my own powerhouse just to see how it panned out and was planning on using the ASUS P6T7 WS with the i7 975 Bloomfield but right now though I think I'll take your advice on that too, and wait around to see what happens before spending a few grand. (Hence the decision to just upgrade my crappy s3300f) Thanks again and good luck with the i7 mobo's.

[Legacy7955]

Hello

I'm new here on HP forums, although I've had a HP Pavillion 7955 since late 2001.

XP sp 3

Only major programs are McAfee Security 2009

IE6, Google Chrome

Adobe flash, shockwave, AIR, and acrobat 9.

It's been a very reliable computer. Yeah I know it is old but I mainly surf the internet and write e mails so I don't need much more.

I also have a question about memory.

I have the 7955 US model and I would like to upgrade the SDRAM from the original 256k to 768k.

I don't consider myself that knowledgeable about computers in general but I do believe I can install the memory sticks..

My first question.

Will the extra 512k speed things up a bit?

I have noticed that over the past year with the addition of McAfee Security and latest Adobe flash the unit has really slowed down for eg, you can't use the browser and internet when McAfee is scanning the computer.

Of couse most of these programs call for at least 512 or 1G of ram.

 I have found a suitable stick of ram from Centon #512MBPC133 and their selector claims it is a suitable match for the pavillion 7955.

I would like to use the original HP 256k along with the new centon stick...how likely is it that they will work well? The specs for the centon match the HP original exactly.

Or would you recommend that I simply purchase two sticks of the centon?

I don't see that HP recommends that you reset the CMOS when installing the new ram unlike some who claim that is necessary.What is YOUR opinion on this.

Also do you ABSOLUTELY have to update the BIOS when installing new RAM?  I'm of the mind that unless something is not working properly in the first place you leave it alone.

[Onesnark]

I have a 2001 vintage PC with 1gb of ram. A friend has a similar model with 256mb. The 256 is "unusably slow". The 1gb machine is "barely usable".

If you really want to keep this machine, put in the most memory possible. 

With a full scan running, even good PC's slow to a crawl.