Dual Channel Memory Query - Dell PC

Buckster · 10 Aug 2007 at 20:08

Friend has a Dell PC

9150 Dimension

came with 1 gig of RAM - 2x 512MB

had to go off for repair - and whillst being repaired - asked for cost of upgrade to 2 gig or RAM - price was quoted - was reasonable and friend went for it.

When PC returned fixed + new RAM - it had 3 sticks of RAM - 2 512MBs as per original + 1 single 1 gig.

so in my opinion all the memory is now running in single channel ? Interestingly though CPU-Z states it as Dual channel ?

so 3 questions really:

(1) Should Dell have put in 2 x 512MB (I think they should have)

(2) Is it running in single channel or dual channel mode

(3) If single channel - how much performance difference does it make for Prescotts ?

thanks guys,

Mark.

Cob · 10 Aug 2007 at 20:33

If it has the two 512mb sticks in one channel and the single 1gb stick in the other, then it'll be running in dual-channel.

Buckster · 10 Aug 2007 at 20:37

Cob - so how does that work ?

is that a Dell thing or all mobos ?

I thought both banks had to be pairs ?

thanks for the help, Mark.

Cob · 10 Aug 2007 at 21:04

It's the same for all modern motherboards.

Dual-channel is activated once the total amount of RAM in channel A matches the total amount of RAM in channel B. Be that 1gb + 1gb, or 512mb/512mb + 1gb, or 512mb/512mb + 512mb/512mb.

MumboJumbo · 10 Aug 2007 at 21:41

Genius!

Never new that.

TheVoice · 11 Aug 2007 at 12:05

You can also check the BIOS/setup (press F2 at the Dell logo when the PC starts), it should tell you somewhere there if it's Dual Channel or not.