Is it ok to add 4 GB + 4 GB to an existing 2 GB + 2GB + 2GB + 2GB configuration?

[Carlosbcn]

Hi!

I have a Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD5 (rev. 2) with an Intel i7 930 and 8 GB of Kingston DDR 1333 RAM distributed as follows:

slot 1 = 2 GB
slot 2 = 2 GB
slot 3 = 2 GB
slot 4 = 2 GB
slot 5 = (empty)
slot 6 = (empty)

The four RAM simms are exactly the same type ( (KVR1333D3N9/2GB 1.5V)

Now my question: I want to fill slots 5 and 6 with additional RAM of the same type and brand, but this time different capacity (4GB+4GB). Am I to expect any trouble? The motherboard supports up to 24 GB, and after some investigation, I'm pretty confident I can do this as long as simms capacity is the same on both slots of each channel, but I would like to hear from you to make sure that I should have no problem.

Thanks a lot!

[metalmike]

Only 2 things I can think of that may be an issue.

1) memory timings
2) memory voltage

Those 2 in relation to existing memory compared to the 2x4GB sticks. Give it a shot if timings can be set for each stick/pair manually if you have to. But those two are the main things that come to mind as being possible issues.

[Carlosbcn]

Thanks, metalmike. I think timings and voltage shouldn't be an issue, since I'll be purchasing exactly the very same type of memory, except for the "capacity" (4 gb instead of 2 gb). That is my only concern (and, AFAIK, it's ok, but since it's not everyday that I add RAM to my computer, I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask first...).

[Dark Mantis]

Hi

I think that you will be extremely lucky if you get that setup to work because by adding the two other sticks you will be putting the board into Triple Channel mode and then you will have to have three modules all working together as one. You would be lucky to get that to work even if adding exactly the same modules but adding different ones, well.......

Even though the memory is the same make and model it doesn't make it electrically matched especially being a different size of chip as well. Try it by all means and I would advise putting the largest sticks in the first two slots but I will be surpised if it works without problems.

[Carlosbcn]

Thanks Dark Mantis. I thought dual/triple channel mode were "optional", so to speak, and that the worst that could happen would be to work in "normal" mode.

To be on the safe side, I've ended up buying 4 sticks of 4 gb (I just came back from the store) - there's an additional reason, the amazing drop in ram price!! I'm still shocked, the price per gig is about 1/4 the price I paid roughly one year ago!

Anyway, I will first try adding 2 sticks of 4 gb, just to know what happens... and I'll let you know. Time to shut off the computer and open the case! See you later...

[Gloup_Gloup]

Hi Carlosbcn, 

Maybe check with Cpu-z , Memory and SPD Tab... what is the values... See you a same values for RAM 2go and 4go?
Values about timing ... by exemple.

Gloup_Gloup

[Carlosbcn]

Thanks everybody. Apparently, it did not work just adding 4+4 but everything is fine with 4 x 4 and no 2 gb sticks. Thanks.

[Carlosbcn]

Woops, not totally like that... to make a long story short, I am not sure I had fully inserted the new 4gb sticks into the slot on my first test... Hard to explain, but I think I mess up something... I'm not in the mood to repeat the process because, in the middle of checking everything, I thought for some minutes that I had fried my motherboard! It ended up being a couple sticks not correctly inserted (clumsy me), but my heart is still racing xD so I'll leave new tests for some other day... I'll let you know if I try it again (this time it would be the other way around... I have four x 4 GB, and I would try to reinstall two of my old 2gb sticks on slots 5-6, or maybe try some other combinations.

Anyway, the user manual recommends to use same brand, same speed, same chips and *same capacity* so even if another thing works, I think it's not a bad idea to avoid this kind of experiments...

Again, thanks a lot for your help, I'm off to enjoy my intensive sessions of Photoshop and big files with 16 gb on my Win7 x64!!

[Dark Mantis]

So it turns out that I was right about the adding the memory modules to the originals then. It is more often than not the case. None of us like having to waste RAM but sometimes there is just no other answer.

You will certainly notice the difference on programs like Photoshop with 16GB. You can actually turn off the swapfile/pagefile now if you want to which if you have a SSD is a bonus.

As you say the price of RAM now is much more user friendly and I think many people have been stocking up on it recently.  I have filled all my boards apart from the one with the Dominators in as that is probably going to get changed shortly.

[Carlosbcn]

Hi Darkmantis, is it possible to avoid the creation/usage ofr the pagefile.sys file? Now that I have 16 gb, it has gone from 8 gb to 16 gb, I supposed it would happen like that since (as far as I know) that's s the way it works, but I didn't know I could deactivate it with 16 gb.
Yes, I do have an SSD, how did you know?? My Windows instalation and program files are on the ssd disk, then I use a sata3 for files, documents, photos, etc.). Since my ssd disk is relatively small (an intel 80 gb), the pagefile.sys file taking up 16 gb of it is a great cost, I would really like to know how I could avoid it and which are the consequences of it. (Anyway, right now I'll be performing some google investigation on my own) THANKS!

PS- Yes it looks like you were right about the ram sticks, as I said I don't know whether I inserted them the right way or not, but they appeared on the bios setup screen, they just weren't listed as enabled, so it looks like the motherboard was "seeing" them but didn't want to use them.

[Gloup_Gloup]

Hi Carlosbcn, 

About pagefile.sys ... is util for general windows system. But just keep a 512 Mo pagefile.sys. No more. You keep it for files system, like a dump file, Bsod file error, etc..

Gloup_Gloup

[Carlosbcn]

Yes I know (well, more or less) what the pagefile.sys is. But I just assumed it should always equal at least the amount of installed RAM. I am afraid I could run into some problems if I change it... isn't it dangerous? I already deactivated the hiberfile.sys thing since I don't need it, but I thought a big pagefile.sys was unavoidable without taking some risks... I'll stay tuned for your advice, thanks again everybody, you're very kind and attentive, I wish I could make it up to you somehow but hardware is not my main area of knowledge...

[Gloup_Gloup]

Hi Carlosbcn, 

It is not a problem to change the size of the file (pagefile.sys).

It will force Windows to use your RAM instead of the pagefile.sys. Your RAM is faster than the hard drive.

Gloup_Gloup

[Dark Mantis]

You do not need to use a pagefile/swapfile if you have sufficient physical memory at the moment that being about 6 - 8 GB.  The only thing is iof you completely disable it there will be nowhere for the system to dump files in the event of a problem etc. just as Gloup_Gloup has posted. Depending how much importance you put on these files as to what you need to do.  The safest thing is as GG has said and just keep a mini one for emergency use.

Trust me, you do not actually need to use one. Whatever you decide you can change or disable it totally from

ControlPanel/AllControlPanelItems/PerformanceInformationandTools/AdvancedTools/AdjustThe AppearanceandPerformanceof Windows/Advanced/VirtualMemory/Change/

and then you will see that at the moment Windows is controlling it for you. You can now choose what you want to do with it. You can either manage it yourself or disable it altogether. Whatever you do though nothing will actually change before you reboot.

[Carlosbcn]

Again, thanks a lot, DarkMantis. It seems like I had one or two concepts wrong about the pagefile.sys...

I won't change it right now because I just added new RAM and, based on experience, I rather not make several changes the same day (if something fails, it's harder to know what happened). Once I am sure the RAM is fine, I'll probably reduce (or disable altogether) the pagefile and recover valuable gigs of SSD space! Thanks!!