Some memory questions

Hi everyone,
I just bought UT 2004 last week. The box says that it needs 128MB min and 256MB is reccomended. When i run the game it seems to lag a bit. What i mean is when i am running and let off the key i still run for about 1-2 seconds causing me to fall off a clif or a ledge. I think the problem is my memory. Is it possible that i dont have enough. I also had this problem with BF Vietnam. Now i thought that it might me my video card but UT2004 reccomendes a gforce 2 64MB, and i have a gforce 3 128MB. I have not tried multiplayer yet on UT2004 so i dont know how it performs in there.

I have 512MB installed now. I was thinking of adding another 512MB. Is this worth it, and will it fix my problem?

My motherboard supports dual channel memory, so would it be possible to run two sticks of 256 dual, and one stick of 512 non dual?

If it is not possible i was looking at prices for PC2100 memory and found PC2700 memory the same brand i am using now for $59. That would be $40 cheeper than going with a stick of PC2100. Is it possible to mix the two. I think all i would be doing is underclocking the PC2700, but i am not sure.

Thanks in advance,

Cooked

 

having two sticks instead of one on a dual chan is defently alot better; also although they recommend the minimum to be a gf2 64mb if you think about it you cant play with no real features or high resolution; i think the same applys to your card.... Try playing on a lower resolution or lower settings then the ones you havae to help improve that 'lag'

 

If you have v-sync disabled, try re-enabling it. Some games have control of the character lag horribly with it disabled, and worse the more frames ahead you let it render.

 

@ omegamerk

I dont think i understand your post. Are you saying it would be better to have two sticks of 512 non dual channel. rather than one set of 256 dual and one in the 512 non. That would go out of my price range. what i want to do is put in 2 sticks or 256 dual channel in along with the 512 of non dual channel

@ GT

Thanks for that bit of info. What is v-sync? is it in the games or is it a windows setting?

Thanks,
Cooked

 

Windows setting, in Display Properties, nVidia's advanced features. Shouldn't be disabled unless you've been in there and done it intentionally though.

 

Ok.
Thanks GT

 

same game similar problem. I am upgrading memory, should be in tomorrow. i'll tell you how it goes. expect it to solve problem 150%. l8r

 

Thanks MaxWade,
Right now i turned down the graphics and i get better control. What really helped was putting the shade one blob. It really stoped the lagging. Now if i could only get some help with the rest of the memory questions.

Cooked

 

more than likely yes. what board do you have?

I would not suggest mixing memory while trying to run dual channel. from what i've read and heard, dual channel is VERY picky, and most of the time requiring matching sticks.

again, what board and cpu are you using?

 

Hi,
I have a XFX NF2S-ALH Motherboard with a NForce 2 chipset. I am running a XP2400+ at stock speeds.

Thanks,
Cooked

 

Your video card is whats holding you back.
As for weird lagging, it could be that your video card isnt showing you whats actually happening (lagging behind), but, I doubt it...could be futzed drivers or a game issue thats doing it:S

 

Well i overclocked my videocard. Check out my thread in the overclocking forum, and i got the lags out.

@Maxwade: Cant wait to hear how the added memory went. Let me know when you get it going.

Thank you everyone for your help.

Cooked

 

IT is possible that you can run Two sticks of 256 ddr and one 512 ddr, and even run in dual channel mode/ the two sticks of 256 in one channel and the other stick of 512 in the other channel, the result is equal amount of ram in each channel!!! ( I have asus board ram slots 1 and 2 = one channel and slot 3 = the second channel)
The best thing to do would be to use same brand and the same speed, (same specs) but not always necessary.
To use different brands/different speeds, the only way possible would be to mannualy set your mem speeds/ timmings = YOU MUST SET TO WHAT EVER THE SLOWEST STICK OF RAM SUPPORTS or will not work!!
Slim chance would work with auto mem settings, if did would run at still the slowest of your ram speeds!
One other note some boards are picky with ram, some brands just are not compatible!

 

Hi, Thanks for the help.
Sorry i couldn't respond earlier my stupid dsl went down again. So here is what i am going to do.

One stick of PC2100 512MB in the second channel slot.

Put two sticks of PC2700 256MB Dual channel memory in the dual channel slots. Set the memory speed to the speed of the PC2100 mannualy.

So total i will have 1024MB Ram. 512 of which are dual channel!

This all sounds good. One question though.

Will there be a performance increase using half dual channel (one stick 512, and two sticks dual 256)? Or would it be more sensable to just get a stick of PC2100 512MB, and forget the dual channel?

Thank you all.

Cooked

 

With the nforce 2 chipset, dual channel does help a bit, but its not that big a difference. Usually under 1%, depending on the task.

heres a bit of an article

Look around that site, there are more comparos between single and dual channel.

 

Hi,
Thanks for the link. Its good to know how ur chipset perfroms out there. I will probley go with what ever option is cheeper for me.

Thanks,
Cooked