Maximum PC

I realize this thread has been dead since 2004, however I am working on a project with my old Abit AN7 motherboard.

I understand the dual channel options, but I was wondering if there is any known benefit of running all 3 slots in dual mode, as compared to 2 slots in dual mode, for a 2GB configuration. Would having more chips somehow add efficiency for bank 1?

For example:

Slot 1 = 512mb
Slot 2 = 512mb
Slot 3 = 1gb

VS.

Slot 1 = 1gb
Slot 2 = <empty>
Slot 3 = 1gb

Thank you

No, and if anything, using less sticks means there's one less part to potentially fail.

You can't run 3 slots in dual channel. If the motherboard is happy with the memory, it'll run all three modules in single channel mode.

That's not necessarily true of older motherboards based on the nForce2 chipset, in which case it's not about the number of sticks, but how the memory banks are separated.

For example, if slots 1 and 2 are part of memory bank A and slot 3 is memory bank B, you could install 512MB sticks in slots 1 and 2 and a 1GB stick in slot 3, effectively filling each memory bank (not slot) with 1GB of RAM, for 2GB total in dual-channel mode.

There used to be an Abit FAQ page that confirmed the AN7 cooperated this way. It read:

"You will see the string 'Dual Channel enabled' on the POST screen while RAM modules installed on DIMM 2&3, DIMM 1&3 or all three DIMM slots. If you installed only one memory module on either one slot or two memory modules on DIMM 1&2, you will see the string 'Single Channel enabled' on the POST screen. Please refer to the following ABIT website for the memory modules we have tested on AN7."

The page is long dead now, but used to appear here: http://fae.abit.com.tw/eng/faq/qa/2003/2003112105.htm

Thanks for help! It's fun to go back and look at old toys now and then.