4GB of RAM

[Charlescz]

Is there any difference of getting 2x 2GB instead of 4x 1GB memory sticks? I am about to build new comp and I need some help.

"Large memory systems (1GB or greater) should use Registered/Buffered memory, especially if more than 2 are installed on the same channel" Is that true and how importatn it is for me? Is most of RAM sticks out there Buffered memory or I have to check on that?

I will get ASUS MB and FX53 Socket 939 CPU if that matters.


Any advice how to choose the memory and what to be careful about? I am new to this stuff and I want to make sure I'll get right first time. Any intput would be very appreciated. I don't want to make a mistake. Thank you Charles

 

[imported_Phil]

For anything above 1Gb-1.5Gb, registered really should be on your checklist.

Now, what are you doing that needs 4Gb?
Personally, I would go with two 2Gb sticks myself- some boards are flakey when running 4 DIMMs at full speed.

 

[biostud]

Into heavy 3D rendering?

 

[ZUnit]

Maybe he want ramdrive?

 

[Andres3605]

bettter getting 2-2Gb if u get 4 you would need to run in ddr 333

 

[SonicIce]

What are you gunna do with it, man?

 

[KoolDrew]

For anything above 1Gb-1.5Gb, registered really should be on your checklist.

Could you explain why?

 

[Vegito]

as I remember what someone said here.. the smaller the memory module, the faster it'll become a keychain

anyway, i started using 2x2gb.. in my 6 slot server board.. gives you a bit more room for upgrade..

im heavily into sql database.. so min is 4 gb to 12gb +

 

[Executor6]

If you want the absolute fastest performance, go with two sticks. With two DIMMS, you can run with 1T timings, with four sticks, the RAM will have to run at the slower 2T timings.

About the registered memory, are you sure they'll work with Athlon64 motherboards? I'm not certain, but I believe you have to use Opterons if you want registered memory.

 

[KBtn]

yeah, what are you doing that requires 4GB of ram???

 

[Charlescz]

I am going to use it for graphic work and some video. I want to play games as well. I don't think that is very important what I am going to do with it. More important is how to set up this computer right. Is there any reason why everybody is asking? Am I asking for troubles with 4GB?

So I understand 2 sticks is way to go. That is what I though.

About the registered memory, are you sure they'll work with Athlon64 motherboards?

To Executor6: Not all MBs will work with the registered memory??? Ugh.. That's something I had no idea about. I'll check that out.

For anything above 1Gb-1.5Gb, registered really should be on your checklist.

Now what am I suppose to do? "Registered" should be on my list if I go over 1GB but on some boards it is not specified and some of them will tell you that only Un-buffered Non-ECC DIMM can be used.

Any recommendation what combination of AMD FX 53 939 socket + motherboard + 4GB RAM would be way to go? It looks like mistake can be made very easily.

Can anybody explain for us, new folks here, why is registered/buffered memory important if you go over 1GB? That would be useful.

Any thoughts? Thanks Charles

 

[Maxil223]

if you ran 4x1gb sticks could you run Dual Dual Channel Memory?

 

[Charlescz]

I guess you can. Thi is quote frome Asus website.

Supports 4 modules inserted into both the blue and black slots as two pairs of Dual-channel memory configuration

But !!! DDR400/DDR333/DDR266 non-ECC un-buffered DDR SDRAM memory you can use. (ASUS AV8 Deluxe motherboard)

That is what I don't get. You can use up-to 4GB but only un-buffered Ram is supported. Everywhere is recommended to use buffered ram if you go over 1GB. It just doesn't make sense to me.

There is many tech folks here with great skills. Can anybody explain?

 

[aixenv]

wow i need to go buy some more ram for my email server, i only have 6gb in it and it's serving up imap/pop/smtp for 15,000 people,... lol

the reason people were asking is because 4gb is overkill; windows isnt probably going to handle that much memory any different then 2gb versus 4gb, you hit a cap eventually with windows, unless you're running say windows 2003 server which im assuming you dont

i'd say 2gb is better, get 1 2gb stick and i bet you never will miss the other 2gb...plus save yourself some money.

and if you're gonna be doing heavy graphics work; you should be using a mac

macs are superior in the photoshop/3d rendering/graphics application role

 

[oldhand]

As far as I know no 939 board will support registered memory, you'd need a 940 board and an Opteron for that. I can't think of a good reason using registered memory has anything to do with the capacity, it's more that the huge modules find more use in server configurations so they generally come registered, I suppose since people prefer their server memory to be reliable. I've not seen any unbuffered modules >1GB but there might be some.

Check the docs of the board you intend to use because I've seen it specified with desktop boards that each slot only takes 1GB.

I assume you have a good reason to want 4GB of RAM but keep in mind that 32bit operating systems reserve some portion of the memory as kernel space - by default it's the upper 2GB on windows but can be set to just the upper gigabyte with a switch. That means your programs won't actually be able to allocate more than 2GB, so unless you are going to be using some kind of setup that requires massive kernel space like terminal server 4GB is kind of pointless without specific software to take advantage of it, either through AWE extensions or the Athlon's 64bit mode (and an OS that allows this - I believe there's an AWE version of the NT kernel).

I'm currently setting up a system with 2GB of RAM on a 939 board and I'll be using 2x1GB DIMMS because using all four banks means running either a lower bus clock or 2T command rate.

 

[LordPhoenix]

Yes.

Waste of money.

 

[Anubis]

because im humoring you go with 2x 2GB sticks, you realise thoes are gonna cost you like 400-600$ EACH is not more, you can then run them in dual channel mode
however windows XP isnt gonna make use of 4gb of ram correctly, and most applications dont support more then 2gb

if your gonna get that much ram get a Opteron and get registered ECC ram, better data integerty, and the CPU will make use oy it better
but unless you do large amounts of work in CAD, CDM, 3DSM PS and/or other 3d rendering programs its a waste, no game will even touch that much ram, im upgrading to 2 gigs 2x 1gb for photoshop, its one of the few things that will improve with more ram

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: aixenv


and if you're gonna be doing heavy graphics work; you should be using a mac

macs are superior in the photoshop/3d rendering/graphics application role

actually the FX53 is faster in all but like 1 photoshop test then a 1.82GHz G5 and a dual opteron sys is faster then a Dual G5 sys in the same manner

 

[thegimp03]

Am I asking for troubles with 4GB?

No, but it's an extremely large amount of memory. Law of diminishing returns applies heavily here. The performance increase you will see going from even 2 gb to 4 gb would be minimal at best. Save yourself the cash and go for 2 gigs instead.

 

[Charlescz]

I am opened for suggestions. That's why I am here to ask people (professionals) for advise. I work with bigger files in Photoshop an I though that more RAM would help a little bit.

In real world there is no use for 4GB for normal workstation?

 

[jbond04]

Originally posted by: aixenv
macs are superior in the photoshop/3d rendering/graphics application role

Just don't talk...it'll make your life easier.


And Charlescz, as for your question, I'm not sure if you need 4GB of RAM at this point. While some Photoshop work can get RAM-hungry, it will rarely get 4GB of RAM-hungry. Unless you're doing very polygon heavy, raytracing-laden 3D animation or some other special application that requires gobs of RAM, you probably will not see a performance increase in the move from 2GB -> 4GB. My workstation and all of my render slaves have only 1GB of RAM in them right now, and that is usually sufficient for the work I do (although I'll need to upgrade soon). I would say that 2GB would be plenty for what you do.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Charlescz
I am opened for suggestions. That's why I am here to ask people (professionals) for advise. I work with bigger files in Photoshop an I though that more RAM would help a little bit.

In real world there is no use for 4GB for normal workstation?

photoshop will show little difference between 2-4gb of ram on a single prcessor system because of the limits of how the CPU and ram act together, if you use photoshop so much to warrent 4gb of ram you shoudl be getting a dual CPU workstation where each CPU can access 2gb of ram independently of each other

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: jbond04

Originally posted by: aixenv
macs are superior in the photoshop/3d rendering/graphics application role

Just don't talk...it'll make your life easier.

And Charlescz, as for your question, I'm not sure if you need 4GB of RAM at this point. While some Photoshop work can get RAM-hungry, it will rarely get 4GB of RAM-hungry. Unless you're doing very polygon heavy, raytracing-laden 3D animation or some other special application that requires gobs of RAM, you probably will not see a performance increase in the move from 2GB -> 4GB. My workstation and all of my render slaves have only 1GB of RAM in them right now, and that is usually sufficient for the work I do (although I'll need to upgrade soon). I would say that 2GB would be plenty for what you do.

you can do some simple things to make PS gobble that much ram, i have 1.5 gigs and some thing sstill require PS to write 20 GIGS!!! into the scratch disk

going to 15K RMP SCSI drives will show a better improvement in PS then going from 2-4GB of ram

 

[Charlescz]

OK.. SO there is 2GB limitation in 32bit Windows. How about Windows XP 64-Bit Edition? Can win 64bit access more than 2GB easily?

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Charlescz
OK.. SO there is 2GB limitation in 32bit Windows. How about Windows XP 64-Bit Edition? Can win 64bit access more than 2GB easily?

yes but the 64bit Windows XP is far from perfect, for some things its faster some its slower, alot of things end up being run in 32bit compatability mode, check the OS forum, lots of info over there about it, someone should have trued it with PS by now, i think phooshop has a 2GB limit as well so unless they coded it for 64bit and 4gb it wouldent do much better

you could install the 64bit Gentoo distro and run Gimp,

but honestly 2GB is more then enough