Triple Channel on Dual Channel board?

MoonBoots · 16 Aug 2011 at 20:33

I have an ASUS P7P55D-E motherboard which supports dual channel RAM but not triple channel.

Last year I bought 2X2GB sticks of dual channel corsair XMS3 RAM (CMX4GX3M2A1600C9). A few months later I bought another 2 sticks. However, when these arrived I found that I had actually been sent 2X2GB of triple channel RAM (CMX6GX3M3A1600C9). I installed it anyway and it seemed to be working correctly. The RAM is identical apart from this detail.

Could this potentially cause problems? After a few weeks later I began to get occasional BSODs when shutting down (PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA).

stulid · 16 Aug 2011 at 20:37

Its absolutely fine to use two sticks from a three stick ram kit.

MoonBoots · 16 Aug 2011 at 20:54

Thanks for the swift response stulid.

The other question in my mind is can using triple channel RAM on a dual channel mobo cause issues?

RJC · 16 Aug 2011 at 20:55

Usually none.

reflux · 16 Aug 2011 at 20:56

RAM isn't made with any specific channel setup in mind. It's all the same stuff, just sold in pairs and triplets for different markets.

stulid · 16 Aug 2011 at 20:56

No issues.

There is nothing special about a single ram kit, a dual channel ram kit or a triple channel ram kit.

The dual and triple ram kits are tested to operate together (supposedly, but maybe thats just marketing talk?) and then packaged together and thats it.

MoonBoots · 16 Aug 2011 at 21:03

Right - thats one less thing to worry about. Thanks to everyone for the help.

jmp_78 · 16 Aug 2011 at 21:04

@MoonBoots - I had exactly the same situation as this a few months back when I ordered for my HTPC.

I asked the same questions, everyone said don't worry... and everything WAS fine