Dual channel does not benefit Socket A in any significant way. And GTA III isn't very optimized game.

True and true 😀 I still want to fix it. Or at least know what people do in such cases. Replace the board is an easy solution, though I like it a lot for fast chipset and onboard SATA.

RacoonRider wrote on 2020-01-29, 16:59:

True and true 😀 I still want to fix it. Or at least know what people do in such cases. Replace the board is an easy solution, though I like it a lot for fast chipset and onboard SATA.

+1 for fixing it.
You have a dual channel board, why don't you run the memory in dual channel mode? 😁

Let me give you a hint:
"
GA-7N400S / GA-7N400S-L includes 3 DIMM sockets as following:
Channel A : DDR 1, DDR 2
Channel B : DDR 3
"
So I would use only 2 RAM modules, best when they are of the exact same type.
I understand, you have 2 512MB modules of the same type, so then:
Slot1: Module1
Slot2: Empty
Slot3: Module2
=> both channels are populated, yay.

If it works fine, run some benchmarks.
If possible run the same benchmarks with Slot1 and Slot2 populated and Slot3 empty (single channel mode).
Then please post the results here. Maybe the difference is only notable in synthetic memory benchmarks, I don't know.

Best option for this mainboard would be 2 times 1GB of course.

RacoonRider wrote on 2020-01-29, 14:25:

The PC feels crippled that way(although I know it isn't, 1Gb is quite a lot for 2004).

As a simple obseravation, with UT2K4 I noticed that XP liked at least 1.5GB. Going to 2GB wasn't as notable.

I'm sure you've been quite thorough, but I would look in the damaged slot one more time. With a flashlight, and maybe a brush. Those single fingers are small, and a broken one may still be sitting there. I had one causing random crashes here for a while before it fully gave way.

... aha, I did keep shots. Just for interest

pewpewpew wrote on 2020-01-29, 21:23:

As a simple obseravation, with UT2K4 I noticed that XP liked at least 1.5GB. Going to 2GB wasn't as notable. […]
Show full quote

RacoonRider wrote on 2020-01-29, 14:25:

The PC feels crippled that way(although I know it isn't, 1Gb is quite a lot for 2004).

As a simple obseravation, with UT2K4 I noticed that XP liked at least 1.5GB. Going to 2GB wasn't as notable.

I'm sure you've been quite thorough, but I would look in the damaged slot one more time. With a flashlight, and maybe a brush. Those single fingers are small, and a broken one may still be sitting there. I had one causing random crashes here for a while before it fully gave way.

... aha, I did keep shots. Just for interest

True, it should also work with a single module in slot3, I was thinking maybe it's a requirement that channel A must always be populated. That was a wrong assumption, so .....
.... something must be broken on the mainboard.

If slot3 is not working, there is no dual channel mode, that's for sure

CoffeeOne wrote on 2020-01-29, 22:22:

If slot3 is not working, there is no dual channel mode, that's for sure

As I recall it, Tom's et al found it didn't matter anyway.

pewpewpew wrote on 2020-01-29, 22:33:

CoffeeOne wrote on 2020-01-29, 22:22:

If slot3 is not working, there is no dual channel mode, that's for sure

As I recall it, Tom's et al found it didn't matter anyway.

Sure, but we are here in a forum for nerds, the feature MUST be enabled, even if it's only 3% performance gain. 😀

Dual channel is not done properly. And doing in threes is not correct either and that's not dual channel specification.

1 and 3 2x 512MB is 1GB total. Dual channel.

1 and 3 1GB would be 2GB total and is dual channel. Motherboard is nforce2 ultra and supports up to 3GB, you need to purchase 3 matched 1GB sticks either Micron or Hynix or Samsung DDR 400 speed module. Not generic brand.

When I hear someone say Dual channel in any computers, installed modules to enable dual channel it is always in pairs. Not threes or one. If all four, then still dual channel mode in 4 memory slots boards as well.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/MICRON-LEXAR-3GB-3X1G … iMAAOSwvMBdwdT5

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1GB-DDR1-DDR-PC-PC320 … HwAAOSw5RRahc0H

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Samsung-2GB-2x1GB-PC3 … twAAOSwT-JdX4Sa

Ditch the kingston memory. May be suspect module. Get another few sticks as I recommended of these examples.

Cheers,

Thanks for the advice pewpewpew, I'll look into it once again! However, I don't know how to address the issue of test #5 failing, except for getting different modules.

CoffeeOne, yup, I want it enabled. Considering Single/Dual channel benchmarks - I don't know how accurate they will be with the current state of the system, I mean, it works and you can run benchmarks, but can you trust the resluts if memory has issues?

pentiumspeed, I installed modules according to the manual. Is it incorrect?

After posting the OP I ran two more passes with #4 and both passed with no errors. I don't see why I should ditch the modules. I don't see how higher end modules could fix the problem of slot 3 always failing the test.

RacoonRider wrote on 2020-01-30, 03:06:

However, I don't know how to address the issue of test #5 failing, except for getting different modules.

I'm suspicious you may have a bad slot and a bad stick. I'd be repeating the test with DRAM1 & Hynix, to see if that PASS turns to FAIL with further passes.

A few updates:

First, I re-tested the 1Gb module in slot 1 for 3 passes, all successful.

Second, I tested one of the 512Mb modules in slot 3 at 50% frequency, as DDR200. It passed, so I assume the slot is physically OK.

What I'm implying is you need matched sets. Not mixed part numbers like 512 and 1gb in dual channel mode which causes problems.

Get more 1GB, matched sets please. Your nforce2 supports 1GB modules.

Cheers,

pentiumspeed wrote on 2020-01-30, 15:03:

What I'm implying is you need matched sets. Not mixed part numbers like 512 and 1gb in dual channel mode which causes problems.

Get more 1GB, matched sets please. Your nforce2 supports 1GB modules.

Cheers,

The errors occur with various modules in the third slot while other slots are empty. I doubt mismatched modules could be blamed, not after this test. I might need to get some better RAM, but I might rather actually need a better board.

For the past hours I have been testing the initial setup (all three sticks) on DDR333 speeds. 2 passes and zero arrows. I guess my nforce2 is no longer Ultra 😁 I wish my board had manual DDR voltage control, giving them a little more juice could sort it out. So now it's the question of 1Gb DDR400 vs 2Gb DDR333 until I recap, get some better RAM, or both. There's also a fourth option, procrastinate a few years until I forget there ever was an issue.

Thanks for the feedback and support 😀

This is correct. 3rd slot is dual channel slot. Load both 1GB modules in 1 and 3 and this will be in dual channel. Many computers prefers loaded in correct order.

Since you don't have more than matched 1GB modules that is your trying to make do with 512mb and 1GB in your computer. Then end up errors as motherboard find inconsistent accesses and cause crashes.
This is user error. Get more 1GB and load 2 sticks in 1 and 3. And this will work properly this time.

*Oh, make sure 1GB modules are low density, meaning 16 chips total per module.*

Also your 512GB modules is low quality as you had to force slower settings to work well?

Cheers,

Using 2 modules 1GB each, Fill the 1 or 2 with slot 3 filled (A: one module in 1 or 2, and other module in B). That will be 2GB dual channel mode in two configurations. 3GB still works as dual channel mode as manual stated. Manual also states has to be same size and matched set. Kingston 1gb is defective or is high density (8 chips). You want double sided (DS) which is 8 chips per side for total of 16 chips per module especially 1GB modules.

That's low density for double sided (DS). Important! Manual also state this as well.

Reason for need for dual channel mode is for integrated GPU on the nforce2 performance to increase bandwidth is needed. Socket 462 is fixed to specific bandwidth and does not benefit from dual channel bandwidth.

Cheers,

That's not how I remember these 3 slot boards working (based on my Chaintech 7NJS Zenith)

Max single channel memory is 3GB, so 3 x 1GB
Max dual channel memory is 2GB because that needs each channel to have the same total capacity, so either 2 x 512MB in slots 1 & 2 = channel A + 1 x 1GB in slot 3 = channel B OR 1 x 1GB in slot 1 or slot 2 = channel A + 1 x 1GB in slot 3 = channel B

Max single channel memory is 3GB, so 3 x 1GB

No. One channel can address only 2GB. Dual channel will still work with three 1 Gb modules in asymmetric mode. It wasn't designed for CPU.

There are definitely benefits to both memory controllers being active. Ixbt saw substantial boosts with some software.
http://ixbtlabs.com/articles2/nforce2-1vs2cha … nels/index.html

I wonder if there could be benefits for AGP memory transfers or other system DMA like transfers.

swaaye wrote on 2020-02-02, 01:11:

I wonder if there could be benefits for AGP memory transfers or other system DMA like transfers.

I would think AGP and disk DMA would be the primary recipient of any benefit.