ddr ram into sd system

[Slade]

Uh, I'm make a big mistake lol. I've ordered 512mb of DDR Ram when my system only takes SDRAM. the RAM I have atm is 144-pin whereas the RAM i've ordered is 200pin. The question I'm asking is, will this RAM run at all in my system?

Thanks in advance,

Slade

[alc6379]

Nope. DDR RAM is not backwards compatible with SDRAM.

[Slade]

woah wait up, I just saw something else:

Chip type

DDR CL2 SDRAM



what's that mean? Does that mean it's compatible with both? If so does the 200-pin part of it mean any incompatibility issues? Thanks again guys.

[tommi]

sd ram has a different pin out, the slot is in a different place so it won't work. if it has ddr in the name, it's ddr even though it says sdram. it can be confusing

tommi

[Slade]

thanks

:(

[Slade]

what does the cl2 mean?

[alc6379]

woah wait up, I just saw something else: Chip type DDR CL2 SDRAM what's that mean? Does that mean it's compatible with both? If so does the 200-pin part of it mean any incompatibility issues? Thanks again guys.

Just like tommi said, if the pinouts don't match, then you can't use it. But, to elaborate a little further, DDRis SDRAM. But, the SDRAM you're using could technically be called Single Data Rate SDRAM. Double Data Rate (DDR) is essentially twice as fast as "regular" SDRAM.

It's a variation on the same technology-- a variation that renders the two types of memory incompatible.

[Slade]

does it matter if it is cl2 or cl3? Does that bring any compatibility issues about?

[Coconut Monkey]

CL2 is the CAS latency of the RAM, part of the RAM's timings. In short, the lower the number, the faster the RAM. Therefore CL2 > CL3.

[Kerjo]

The CAS latency won't help you with compatibility in this instance.

It just ain't gonna work. :-/

[Slade]

...I know that... but does the CAS latency affect the compatibility as well? Say for example I'm using cl2, I buy cl3 RAM, will it still work?

[Kerjo]

CL can be set in your motherboard settings. What the RAM packaging has on is (CL2, CL2.5, CL3) is the recommended max. You can go under those things, but you're risking stability. You can go over (slower) without any real risk.

[Catweazle]

Cas Latency will not effect compatibility at all. It will only effect the response rate of the memory chips themselves. If you have a motherboard which can't cater to the full reponse speed of a particular RAM module, the module will work at an accordingly reduced response timing.

[Coconut Monkey]

Cas Latency will not effect compatibility at all. It will only effect the response rate of the memory chips themselves. If you have a motherboard which can't cater to the full reponse speed of a particular RAM module, the module will work at an accordingly reduced response timing.

Don't you mean increased response timing Catweazle? :p

The CL (and other timings) can be a problem if you have sticks of RAM with a different rating. If you try, for example, running CL3 RAM with CL2 RAM, you may experience instability if the cheaper RAM cannot handle CL2. Then of course you just change to timings that both sticks can handle.

[Slade]

so cl2 is the fastest am I correct?

[Catweazle]

The simple answer is 'yes', even though that's not technically correct.

If you have two RAM modules, in identical systems, and both modules set to operate at a clockspeed of, for example, 400MHz, then the system with its RAM timing set to cas latency 2 will outperform the system with its cas latency set to 3. The difference between the two RAM modules is quality, rather than speed. Both operate at the same clockspeed, remember.

But the but the higher quality module, which is capable of operating at the improved RAM timings, will work with stability in a system capable of using the faster timings. The RAM is still operating at the same speed, but the system is taking less time to communicate with it.

It's sorta like how some people are better than others at picking up everything a Rap singer is saying!

[Slade]

Thank you guys, all of you so much.

I am now 1 point wiser.

Slade

[The Dude]

Nope. DDR RAM is not backwards compatible with SDRAM.

What if you change the input unitIN YOUR COMPUTER to accomadate 200 pins instead of 144?? (Take one from an DDR TOWER and put it in yours)

I dont see any reason why it wouldnt work then.......

Just thinking out loud here :)

[caperjack]

What if you change the input unit IN YOUR COMPUTER to accomadate 200 pins instead of 144?? (Take one from an DDR TOWER and put it in yours)

I dont see any reason why it wouldnt work then.......

Just thinking out loud here :)

too loud ,and responding to a 4 yr old post

[jbennet]

neg repped