RAM Compatibility

  • Thread starter Thread starter Thomas Nickerson
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T

Thomas Nickerson

I have a 512 MB stick of Corsair XMS2 and a 512 MB stick of Corsair
Value Select. Their timings are 4-4-4-12 and 5-5-5-15, respectively.
Their voltages are 1.8v and 1.9v, respectively. Is there any way to
make these two play together? Can I tweak the timing and voltages in
CMOS so that both will get along? At present, my mobo rejects them
together, although each is fine individually.

Thanks!

TN
 
Thomas Nickerson said:
I have a 512 MB stick of Corsair XMS2 and a 512 MB stick of Corsair
Value Select. Their timings are 4-4-4-12 and 5-5-5-15, respectively.
Their voltages are 1.8v and 1.9v, respectively. Is there any way to
make these two play together? Can I tweak the timing and voltages in
CMOS so that both will get along?
Click to expand...

Yes. You will need to set timings on both, manually, at 5-5-5-15. You will
need to set voltage on both, manually, at 1.9V. Be aware that doing this
will void the warranty on the 1.8V module. HOWEVER, it should work fine,
and shouldn't hurt anything, except the warranty. -Dave
 
Mike T. said:
Yes. You will need to set timings on both, manually, at 5-5-5-15. You will
need to set voltage on both, manually, at 1.9V. Be aware that doing this
will void the warranty on the 1.8V module. HOWEVER, it should work fine,
and shouldn't hurt anything, except the warranty. -Dave
Click to expand...

I think Dave is implying that you install one DIMM, enter the BIOS,
set the timing to 5-5-5-15 and voltage to 1.9V. Save and exit.
Shut down and install the second DIMM. And pray...

A lot of BIOS introduced these days, are not as well written
as they used to be. There is a lot of trouble with DDR2,
especially with the higher speed grades. The trouble is with
the BIOS. While you can try Dave's suggestion, it is always
possible that the BIOS will simply not play along. A BIOS
upgrade might be the only (eventual) solution. Technically,
Dave's suggestion should work, but you have to get past
the BIOS and its response.

Paul
 
Thank you both for your excellent advice. Weighing one thing against
another, and both against my confidence in tinkering with BIOS, I think
my best bet is just to lay off Tim Horton's for a while and shell out
for a matching stick of XMS2.

Thanks,

Tom
 
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