dionb wrote:PCBONEZ wrote:I have never seen a name brand PC133 module that would not automatically down-clock to PC100. […]
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dionb wrote:As for compatibility, ignore the DIMM brand
Espreitador wrote:(yes, mixing PC100 and PC133).
I have never seen a name brand PC133 module that would not automatically down-clock to PC100.
You can't count on off-brand (no-name brand) modules doing that even if they are using name brand chips.
Modules don't clock anything, they just run at whatever speed the memory controller tries to address them - or fail trying.
I didn't say they clocked anything. I said they down-clock which means to run at a lower speed.
That should be self evident as I was talking about PC133 running at PC100 speed.
Clearly you have no idea how SPDs actually work.
During POST the BIOS reads the info in the SPD - which is the settings the RAM will run at.
If one of the settings recorded in the SPD matches the one of the settings for the system recorded in the BIOS then the BIOS sets everything up to run with that combination of settings.
If the BIOS can't find a match then the BIOS won't let it boot. The MCH doesn't have anything to do with that part.
And contrary to what you just said the memory controller doesn't 'decide' anything about system speeds.
It's -TOLD- what to run at by the BIOS - the same as the RAM is.
Many do, some don't. It depends on how much effort they put into programming the SPD.
Some off-brands them don't even have an SP […]
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Many do, some don't. It depends on how much effort they put into programming the SPD.
Some off-brands them don't even have an SPD. (All RAM settings must be done manually in BIOS.)
That's where all those warnings that PC133 might not run in your PC100 machine come from.
System specific RAM sometimes has custom settings in the SPD and should be considered no-name brand (might work, might not) in other systems.
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dionb wrote:When it comes to RAM settings, if you want it done right, do it yourself. And certainly in case of any doubt/issues, double-check every 'auto' setting. I don't trust any SPD as far as I can throw it. This mistrust mainly comes from later (DDRx) modules that were factory-overclocked and required overvolting to reach the advertised speeds. But SPD doesn't contain voltage information... so even if the SPD was completely OK and the board interpreted it correctly, you'd still get an unstable system if you just stuck them in. That cures you very quickly of trusting it to 'just work'.
I buy name brand industry standard JEDEC compliant RAM.
In the 20 or so years since I started doing that I have never any of those problems in my own systems. - Not once.
I have never had to reprogram an SPD to make RAM work in any system. - Not once.
What I buy just works.
I do deliberately stay away from (even in name brands) the childish flashy crap with pretty color heat-sinks and/or "cool" names exactly because I hear about so many problems with it. With that 'factory overclock' (which I have never seen) that you have apparently had repeated issues with, I imagine that's what you're buying.
Visually my RAM is boring as hell, but it's problem free and it works correctly right out of the package.
Then you come in saying that you don't do that followed by a whole paragraph of problems you've had with what you do instead.
If you can't figure out the real problem by reading your own posts then I can't help you.
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