Memory in Dual Channel??

[Derek12]

I upgraded to 6 GB by buying a 4 GB stick plus my existing 2GB one and noticed any program like Aida64 or CPUZ says dual channel mode? Is this a glitch or something? I understand Dual Channel requires two identical modules.

Also AIDA64 memory benchmarking is inconstistent sometimes is higher and sometimes is lower (maybe by speedsteep?).

Both modules are Kingston Value RAM

Thanks

 

[Dent1]

I upgraded to 6 GB by buying a 4 GB stick plus my existing 2GB one and noticed any program like Aida64 or CPUZ says dual channel mode? Is this a glitch or something? I understand Dual Channel requires two identical modules.

Also AIDA64 memory benchmarking is inconstistent sometimes is higher and sometimes is lower (maybe by speedsteep?).

Both modules are Kingston Value RAMView attachment 54750

Thanks

It isn't a bug necessarily, some motherboard chipsets allow you to have a mismatch in capacity. Having identical brands and model isn't always a necessity either.

 

[Derek12]

Thanks I always read that it requires exactly the same module brand, model and capacity for dual channel, is this something changed recently.

Also I've checked this old AIDA64 screenshot I posted long time ago and noticed the numbers increased a bit but I thought it was due to the bigger capacity or Windows 8 or something

 

[micropage7]

i think its normal since your os using the rams too, if you do benchmark you should kill any background process that may affect it
just repeat several times and take the average score

 

[Dent1]

Thanks I always read that it requires exactly the same module brand, model and capacity for dual channel, is this something changed recently.

Ideally it should match to increase compatibility and increase likelihood of dual channel working, but it doesn't always have to be. For example some motherboard chipsets support FLEX mode or similar which allows a mismatch of capacities.

Dual-channel with three DIMMs

Dual-channel with four DIMMs

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/cs-011965.htm

 

[Derek12]

i think its normal since your os using the rams too, if you do benchmark you should kill any background process that may affect it
just repeat several times and take the average score

Thanks I've done it several times with everything closed and idle and I get widly varying results, sometimes I get 8000 and sometimes 14000, Maybe has to do with this weirdo "dual channel" mode?

Ideally it should match to increase compatibility and increase likelihood of dual channel working, but it doesn't always have to be. For example some motherboard chipsets support FLEX mode or similar which allows a mismatch of capacities.

Dual-channel with three DIMMs

Dual-channel with four DIMMs

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/cs-011965.htm

ahhh Understood, so in my case I get dual channel for first 2GB and the remaining 4GB is single channel, maybe this explains the AIDA64 Benchmark anomalies??

 

[Dent1]

Thanks I've done it several times with everything closed and idle and I get widly varying results, sometimes I get 8000 and sometimes 14000, Maybe has to do with this weirdo "dual channel" mode?


ahhh Understood, so in my case I get dual channel for first 2GB and the remaining 4GB is single channel, maybe this explains the AIDA64 Benchmark anomalies??

Your abnormality isn't because of dual channel. Your results should be consistent all the time (within margin for error)

I think its a background process that is infrequently eating up CPU whilst you're running the benchmark.

Run MSonfig and un tick any start-up applications which are not essential, also run Administrative Tools and set not essential applications to manual or disable it.

 

[Derek12]

Your abnormality isn't because of dual channel. Your results should be consistent all the time (within margin for error)

I think its a background process that is infrequently eating up CPU whilst you're running the benchmark.

Run MSonfig and un tick any start-up applications which are not essential, also run Administrative Tools and set not essential applications to manual or disable it.

Thanks but I made sure nothing is running (killed every non essential app) and the computer is fully idle. Sometimes I get 8000 and sometimes 14000 with in-between numbers too!

 

[Dent1]

Thanks but I made sure nothing is running (killed every non essential app) and the computer is fully idle. Sometimes I get 8000 and sometimes 14000 with in-between numbers too!

That isn't normal. if you're sure it isn't software then it must be hardware. You've just dropped in more sticks, maybe you need more voltage to sustain the RAM's performance.

 

[Derek12]

According to Hwinfo and AIDA64 the DIMM voltage is 1.524 should I increase it?

 

[Dent1]

According to Hwinfo and AIDA64 the DIMM voltage is 1.524 should I increase it?

Maybe, I don't know what the specification for your RAM requires. But I would increase it by small increments of 0.50v and benchmark at every change. I wouldn't take it past 1.7v.