2 Questions: Dual Channel DDR and a Strange bootup issue

[arcooke]

A while back, I bought 2GB Dual Channel DDR400 RAM.  Just recently, I've read that you have to enable dual channel mode, sometimes in the BIOS, sometimes by doing something on the mobo.

I just checked my mobo manual (PDF) and it says almost nothing about dual channel mode... just a short footnote that says the memory has to be the same density and whatnot.

I checked my BIOS and saw no settings in any way related to single/dual channel memory.   Is it safe to assume that dual channel mode is automatically enabled when identical memory sticks are put into the motherboard?

This is really bugging me.  I feel like I might not be getting all the performance I could be, but I can't find any special instructions.



Now for my 2nd question.  I recently upgraded to a 500GB SATA II hard drive from a crappy old 80GB ATA drive.  My motherboard only supports SATA 1.5gb/s so I know I'm forced to run the HD in that mode, and that it does so by default.  Anyway, ever since I put in the new hard drive, formatted, partitioned and reinstalled, I'm getting a strange issue when booting.  If I shut the power off, and turn the computer back on, it hangs when trying to auto-detect my drives.  It just sits there like it can't find anything.  But if I hit the reset button while it's doing that, it boots just peachy.  This ONLY happens when I turn it on (as in, not when I reboot).  I have a feeling it has to do something with the SATA thing, maybe I configured it wrong or something.  It's my first SATA drive so I wouldn't be surprised.  I do, however, know for a fact my drives are displaying properly in the bios as SATA drives.

Anyway, that's been bugging me for a while as well.


Any ideas?  Thanks!   

[GX1_Man]

Question 1 - If your motherboard does not support dual channel mode it doesn't matter what your RAM is. As you didn't post the motherboard model we are stuck there.

Question 2 - What is the make and model of the drive, and again, the motherboard?

[arcooke]

My motherboard, according to the website, does support dual channel memory.  Sorry about the lack of details, here's more info:

Motherboard: ECS K8T890-A (website)

Hard Drive: Samsung SpinPoint T Series HD501LJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s

RAM:  G.SKILL Value Series 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit


Thanks

[honvetops]

this is a great example on  hardware "upgrades"
Always "in my opinion" get the best mobo you can afford 1st*
then go cpu and  etc......

Then always listen to what the G-man has to say !!!!   

[arcooke]

Sorry for the bump, but my topic was already halfway down the third page and I had a feeling it wasn't going to get seen again.

Any ideas about my questions anyone?

[Jess607]

Its not supposed to have the single channel or dual channel options - just install the RAM in the channel type you want. It should be fine.