Adding memory to system does it have to match timings on first?

Snake Plisken

Hi there

I've just upgraded my PC to Vista 32 and its running fine just that i've only 1 gig of DDR2 6400 OCZ Platinum memory, now I was going to buy another 2 sticks of memory but I want to buy cheaper sticks with looser timings, say something like this http://www.memoryc.com/products/description/1Gb_A_Data_DDR2_800_PC2_6400_Vitesta_CL4_Dual_Channel_kit/index.html
My motherboard is an Asus P5WD2

Thanks

Snake

8T8

No it doesn't have to match the timings are held in whats called the SPD of the module and the bios reads the SPD and sets the timings automatically if one or more modules have different timings then it will automatically set the timings to the slowest common denominator.

However in practice this doesn't always work so in the event you have an SPD conflict the easy way to resolve it is to download CPU-Z go to it's memory/spd tab and take down the timings for each set of RAM modules (new & old).

Now with all modules installed go into the bios and set the timings manually to values that are the slowest listed from which ever RAM module e.g if CAS = 5 on old module and CAS = 4 on new module set CAS = 5 in bios.

Snake Plisken

Thanks 8T8, appreciate your help.

Snake