Choosing memory configuration, need help figuring out which is the best

[Cronic]

I'm upgrading an Older computer, the mobo is http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/boards-and-kits/desktop-boards/000006870.html. What im trying to determine is am I better off getting 8gb of ddr2 667 or 4 gb of ddr2 800?

Processor is a Core2quad 6600

 

[INSTG8R]

Tough call. 4GB used to be fine so 800mhz would be fine. What OS are you running that might be the deciding factor,

 

[Cronic]

The os on the system is currently downsized to xp, There was a 7970 in the system that recently quit operating, so it was having issues. Planning on putting it back to windows 7 when I finish upgrading ram/Video card

 

[little cat]

it is said clear 1.8V DDR2 .for PC !
32 bit Windows (not server) allows 4GB RAM only , 64bit more , depends
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/li...=vs.85).aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_7

 

[Cronic]

I guess to add, primary games my brother plays on it are wow, starcraft, total war 2

Ya once i upgrade past 4gb, xp will only read 4, but windows 7 will work for it all, just not sure which of those 2 setups would give better performance

 

[dorsetknob]

8 gig of DDR 667 if your going for a 64bit O/s

 

[INSTG8R]

8 gig of DDR 667 if your going for a 64bit O/s

I concur

 

[Cronic]

Ok thank you, now I just need to track that down

 

[dorsetknob]

More mem at a slower speed is a better trade off than less mem that is faster
doubt if you would notice the speed diference
BUT you will notice the mem Capacity Difference more mem is Better in your Case

 

[Pill Monster]

it is said clear 1.8V DDR2 .for PC !
32 bit Windows allows 4GB RAM only , 64bit more , depends
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/li...=vs.85).aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_7

Windows XP supports up to 64GB or 128GB of RAM dependant on hardware.

Tough call. 4GB used to be fine so 800mhz would be fine. What OS are you running that might be the deciding factor,

True.....but u know.....always nice to have more if u can use it..

The os on the system is currently downsized to xp, There was a 7970 in the system that recently quit operating, so it was having issues. Planning on putting it back to windows 7 when I finish upgrading ram/Video card

You can keep XP and still take advantage of 8GB if you like, by uninstalling SP2. Provided the board has a remapping option 8GB will then be available, or most of it.
Without remapping some RAM will go missing whatever the OS....but even ~6-7GB is better than 4GB.

On W7 for anything over 4GB you will need 64bit version.... It's a long story but basically Intel 64 (your CPU) is at the mercy of Windows (read: M$) when it comes to memory support....
IA64/AMD64 aren't so much.........

 

[little cat]

Windows XP supports up to 64GB or 128GB of RAM dependant on hardware.


True.....but u know.....always nice to have more if u can use it..



You can keep XP and still take advantage of 8GB if you like, by uninstalling SP2. Provided the board has a remapping option 8GB will then be available, or most of it.
Without remapping some RAM will go missing whatever the OS....but even ~6-7GB is better than 4GB.

On W7 for anything over 4GB you will need 64bit version.... It's a long story but basically Intel 64 (your CPU) is at the mercy of Windows (read: M$) when it comes to memory support....
IA64/AMD64 aren't so much.........

Read more carefully ! Also click the link . 2^32 = 4 294 967 296 hence the limit of 4GB RAM for 32bit Windows (not server) . Windows XP 64 bit has a limit of 128GB

Some server versions of Windows has higher limit than 4GB even for x86 , check from the link

The Pentium Pro and all Pentium 4's have 36-bit addressing, which resulted in total addressable space of 64 gigabytes.

 

[eidairaman1]

Drivers for Xp 64 were pretty limited then. W7 is the OS needed today. W7 64 8GB ram. I presume the mobo cant run ddr2 at 800MHz with 8 GB.

 

[Pill Monster]

Read more carefully ! Also click the link . 2^32 = 4 294 967 296 hence the limit of 4GB RAM for 32bit Windows . Windows XP 64 bit has a limit of 128GB

There is no 4GB RAM limit in 32bit Windows. The RAM limit is architecture dependant. There is a 4GB address space limit per process. but that's not the same thing as RAM.

Your 2^32 calculation assumes the OS is a flat memory model with direct access to RAM, which is not the case.
Windows uses address translation, virtual addresses called pages are converted into physical addresses in RAM by the CPU.
So a virtual address residing at 2GB in Windows could be sitting at the top of 16GB in RAM. One doesn't correlate to the other.

IA32 can't handle over 4GB at all, Intel 64 can but not really since it needs PAE to do it, which is another level of paging: 32bits external, 64bits internal. Basically bank switching.
IA64/AMD64 have true support.

 

[Caring1]

And all that means nothing as the Ram is limited by the Motherboard.
Most Motherboards of the XP era were lucky to hold 16Gb, some were purposely limited to 4Gb maximum.

 

[Pill Monster]

As a C++ developer never been interested in assembler addressing - page and offset ! I didnt need it ! Read better what is posted !

Developers work with API's, not the architecture. You go away and read something, Winternals would be good start.,

And all that means nothing as the Ram is limited by the Motherboard.
Most Motherboards of the XP era were lucky to hold 16Gb, some were purposely limited to 4Gb maximum.

That's is a common misconception held by owners of Intel rigs at the time. Up until C2D the only Intel chip which could handle over 4GB was Xeon.

AMD partners on the other hand were churning out 8GB Socket 939 motherboards beginning with nF3 in 2004. Opteron is a good example....

 

[little cat]

Developers work with API's, not the architecture. You go away and read something, Winternals would be good start.,



That's is a common misconception held by owners of Intel rigs at the time. Up until C2D the only Intel chip which could handle over 4GB was Xeon.

AMD partners on the other hand were churning out 8GB Socket 939 motherboards beginning with nF3 in 2004. Opteron is a good example....

i read enough books in my life !
Most programmers work with pointers , if You know what is this !
Programming is my past

Edit : the new developers (C#) are eased by the garbage collection of the objects (managed heap) . The objects can be allocated on the managed heap in C++ as well but i am so accustomed to the pointers Love to free the memory as long as no null pointer

 

[Frick]

8GB for sure.

 

[Pill Monster]

i read enough books in my life !
Most programmers work with pointers , if You know what is this !
Programming is my past

Edit : the new developers (C#) are eased by the garbage collection of the objects (managed heap) . The objects can be allocated on the managed heap in C++ as well but i am so accustomed to the pointers Love to free the memory as long as no null pointer

How about you stop posting before I start posting screenshots from Winternals 6 and embarrass you.

One of the most common mistakes from novice developers such as yourself is not knowing what a pointer is. Typically the new developer assumes the address being cast to is in RAM, when in fact it's a pointer to a page directory which holds the physical address.

 

[dorsetknob]

OP has had advice made his decision and now thread is flooded with bitchslapping
he is sticking with XP for the Moment
BUT INTENDS REVERTING TO WIN 7 so he is going with 8 gig
NO NEED FOR FURTHER ARGUMENTS

I presume the mobo cant run ddr2 at 800MHz with 8 GB.

not according to intels info page

 

[Tatty_Two]

it would appear that the Op has made his decision, before this turns into the Pill n Cat show, it's closed, why some of you cannot show a little restraint is beyond me at times, there was a time when Hijacking was a crime