extra RAM - silly question

Farway

I am about to add an extra 2G of RAM [2 x 1G matched pair] to my "own brand" computer, currently it has 512M

3 slots only, and motherboard specs tell me 3G is max it will take without instability or hang ups

My question is basic really, can I simply add the 2G in the 2 empty slots and finish up with roughly 2.5G, or will leaving the 512M in there somehow reduce the new, extra, 2G available to a lower average level?

Would I be better just using the new 2G and remove the 512 entirely?

Paparika

modern RAM runs best as matched pairs - if you're running XP I doubt you'd notice the extra 512mb difference anyway. I'd sling the 512 out, run a benchmark test then pop it back in and try the same benchmark again

superjaggybunnet

Leaving the 512 will not harm anything.

How many cards make up the 512m? I would imagine that it might be more than 1.

That way it would reduce your new memory to the 2g plus whatever one of the existing RAM cards capciyt is.

Do you know what I mean?

Farway

Thanks Paparika & superjaggybunnet

The 512 is one stick only.

Following your helpful replies I think I will pop the 2G in and leave the 512 in place, this is partly because I am a RAM virgin and would hate to find nothing worked after removing the 512

If it all works once I add the 2 matched 1G I will run benchmark as suggested, then venture into removing the 512 and try again

Thanks again

PS I do run XP

superjaggybunnet

I added new RAM to my PC a few weeks ago.

Took all the old stuff out and put in three new cards. No problems at all.

I should have done it ages ago, what a difference!

Farway

Right, postie arrived after my last post here, my 2 cards from Crucial arrived [ordered yesterday]

Took the plunge and fitted them, leaveing the 512 in slot 3, had a bit of a scare when I turned back on, just went "beep"

Rechecked my handiwork, I had not seated them properly, tried again, now flying along

Thanks again both of you

John_Gray

modern RAM runs best as matched pairs

Umm - might prove a bit of a problem if the OP's motherboard has just the three RAM slots!

"For every exception there is a rule."

Domokun

I'm in a similar position with a dual core, which is what I think you were trying to put across about matching pairs. You mention a 'benchmark' test for comparing RAM setups. I'm looking to buy 2x1GB sticks for my PC, and I'd love to have a test to see whether I'd be better off keeping the existing two 512 sticks in, or binning them in favour of just the 2 1GB sticks.

Did you have a specific program in mind when suggesting a benchmark test?

Marty_J

Having an extra GB of RAM will far outweigh the benefits of using only matched pairs.

Belnahua

Marty_J wrote: »

Having an extra GB of RAM will far outweigh the benefits of using only matched pairs.

If it only had 3 slots to start with, then it's not using matched pairs!

It would need a multiple of 2 slots to suggest it uses matched pairs!

Domokun

Marty_J wrote: »

Having an extra GB of RAM will far outweigh the benefits of using only matched pairs.

There's no way that a pair of new 1gB sticks balanced across the ports will perform better than adding the existing two 512 mB sticks as well? I know it sounds odd...