MSI P6N SLI Platinum LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 650i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard question

If I use 4 mem sticks @ 1 gb each and WinXP pro sp2...
Will I get dual channel performance?
I understand that 32bit windows will not see all 4gb but will it work?

-- Zadok
('¿')

 

Four 1GB sticks have worked on modern systems for some
time. If matched, and installed in pairs on a dual channel
capable system, you get dual channel operation. As you note,
a 32 bit OS is not likely to get to use all the memory,
as part of the address space is used for I/O (PCI/AGP/PCI Express
spaces, or whatever other busses are used).

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=MS-7350+(P6N+SLI+Platinum)

Q: Will my system recognize the maximum upgrade?

A: Possibly

How much memory your Windows OS will recognize depends on which version
of Windows you are running. 32-bit versions of Windows will see (and utilize)
only 3GB or 3.5GB. To utilize more memory, install a 64-bit version of your OS.
More information about OS memory maximums can be found at
http://www.crucial.com/kb/answer.asp?qid=4251 "

Most motherboards come with a downloadable user manual. And
it will also list the capabilities of the motherboard with
respect to RAM. I recommend getting the user manual, before
you buy a motherboard, so you can check the BIOS for any
features you think you will be using. For overclocking, you
want Vcore, Vdimm, (any other overvolting rails), CPU clock,
memory clock, memory timings, all as options to be adjusted
by the user. The really crappy boards, intended for office
computers, won't have that stuff.

HTH,
Paul

 

Thanks Paul, Just what I needed.
Heart to Heart? Hand to Hand? Hit the Hay?

-- Zadok
('¿')

 

Hope This Helps

 

Well Paul, I put the (4) 1gb sticks in and WinXP only sees 3GB which
is fine with me. I started with 2 and ran several benchmarks before
adding the other 2. I thought I read somewhere that it would slow the
system down to add the max (4gb) that the board would hold. It didn't.
I couldn't be happier with this board. Perhaps that is why there is so
little posting in this NG? I especially like the concept of the Auto
Dynamic Overclocking Technology although I haven't played with it yet.

-- Zadok
('¿')

 

Anandtech sometimes compares running two DIMMs to four DIMMs.
For DDR2, there can be a slight timing difference, or a slight
change in voltage. But considering the speed of the memory
interface, the lack of degradation is remarkable.

http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2871&p=7

Paul

 

[Also see my posting about the P6N Diamond and 4 x 1GB in this group..]

May I ask what version of the BIOS you are using?

Regards, Patrick.

 

My apologies, you were talking not about the P6N Diamond, I was too hasty
in trying to figure this out... Feel free to disregard my question.

Regards,

Patrick.