Does it hurt performance if my ram is 400 mhz and my amd 2200 processor runs at 133

Your 2200+ processor uses a 133MHz bus setting, but the system uses DDR modules, so it actually operates at a speed of 266MHz front side bus. That's the speed of the communication line between processor and the system.

If the 400MHz PC3200 module is compatible with your system and recognised by it accurately, the RAM will be OK. It's a hardware compatibility matter, not a clcokspeed matter.

The thing is, however, your system is most efficient if the RAM operates at the same speed as front side bus. If I was in your situation, I'd underclock that RAM to operate it at 266MHz, so that the system would get the best performance. Running it at 400MHz may slow the system down, not speed it up!

What is the make and model of your motherboard please?

I have a new gigabyte rz series board 7vt600-rz
the reason I ask is I also have a 2 year old gig.board w/ amd 2400 thurough
bred and it takes 20 seconds as opposed to 45 seconds for my new board and 2200 processor to load into my desktop once the welcome screen starts.
I would have thought it would be about the same.Newest drivers installed on both computers viaarena.com

belikemike, I think you're expending mental energy over something that isn't worth worrying about.

Boot time is not directly the result of processor speed, and it is not directly the result of RAM speed. It may be impacted on quite noticably where one hard drive has faster data transfer speed than another, but primarily it is the result of differences in onboard components and installed cards etc in the system, together with the way Windows is configured. Network components, in particular, create delays when you compare one with another, and that includes Firewire as well as all the other facets of networking which Windows caters to. Ot doesn't even matter if your system isn't connected to a network really, the fact that it is there means that it is checked anyway.


Unless your system is taking several minutes to boot up, as even many quite new and powerful systems do, then it's simply not worth worrying about. The silliest thing to do, I believe, is to sit down at your PC, press the power button and then wait impatiently for it to load. Much better to turn it on on the way past to do something more productive, like pouring yourself a beverage!

In fact, my own systems don't even ever get turned off unless I'm leaving the premises. I wouldn't know HOW long it takes for them to boot