Faster memory on slower board?

  • Thread starter Thread starter BG250
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BG250

I have a board that accepts DDR266. I'm runing a CAD application that needs
more memory. Can I use DDR400 on it? I'm not concerned about improved
performance, just compatibility. I plan to get a new machine in about 3 mo.
and can reuse the DDR400. This way I won't have to buy memory twice.
Thanks
 
I have a board that accepts DDR266. I'm runing a CAD application that needs
more memory. Can I use DDR400 on it? I'm not concerned about improved
performance, just compatibility. I plan to get a new machine in about 3 mo.
and can reuse the DDR400. This way I won't have to buy memory twice.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can use DDR400 on it. I suppose we talk about DDR ram. I hope
not that you will need DDR2 for your next motherboard. If it is AMD,
no.

DDR400 is just pc3200, they are minimum requirements today. You are
better off buying faster ram than that. Per example pc3500, pc3700 or
pc4000. Compare prices and choose. Pc4000 is socalled DDR500.
AData is cheap and good brand.

You are better buying a safe brand. Some motherboards are rather picky
about ram brands, - so it is hard to know if an unknown motherboard
will like your ram.

My abit NF7 (socketA) per example loves twinmos pc3700. But does not
like Geil pc3200 value. Frustrating !

best regards

John
 
BG250 said:
I have a board that accepts DDR266. I'm runing a CAD application that needs
more memory. Can I use DDR400 on it? I'm not concerned about improved
performance, just compatibility. I plan to get a new machine in about 3 mo.
and can reuse the DDR400. This way I won't have to buy memory twice.
Thanks
Click to expand...
One 'caveat', will depend on how the board detects memory speed. Record
the settings currently being used, and set these to 'manual', before
adding the new memory. Which memory socket is used to set the memory
speeds, varies from board to board, and if faster memory is put into the
slot used to set the speed, though the clock rate won't change (assuming
the board only supports clocking to 133MHzDDR), the CAS, and RAS times may
well be lower for the faster memory. If the board supports dual channel,
then you do not want the second memory to be on a different channel to the
first. Also on most boards, the memory timings, have to become slightly
slower with more loading on the bus, so if you have more than two memory
modules, timing problems may appear.

Best Wishes
 
I have a board that accepts DDR266. I'm runing a CAD application that needs
more memory. Can I use DDR400 on it? I'm not concerned about improved
performance, just compatibility. I plan to get a new machine in about 3 mo.
and can reuse the DDR400. This way I won't have to buy memory twice.
Thanks
Click to expand...

It should work fine, and a common sense decision!. There is of course never a
guarantee that memory you buy will always work 100%.

Hopefully you should be okay.

Mike
 
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