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Installing Memory Sticks

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Avagadro1 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 03 Dec 2015 at 11:05am
I have a new ASRock H170M_Pro4 motherboard.
 
I have two sticks/modules of memory; no intention of installing more.
 
The motherboard memory slots are labeled:  A1, A2, B1, B2.
 
Not clear to me:  Do I install the memory into slots A1 and B1, or into slots A2 and B2?
 
Thank you.
 
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Avagadro1 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Avagadro1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Dec 2015 at 11:35am
Follow-Up

Yes, I read the manual, including the table of Memory Configuration.  However, I do not know the meaning of "Priority" as used in that table.  Do I follow Priority 1 (slots A2 & B2) or Priority 2 (slots A1 & B1)?

Thank you.

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wardog View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wardog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Dec 2015 at 11:59am
Using only two sticks they "should" reside in A2 and B2

Failing that, sure. A1 and B1
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Avagadro1 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Avagadro1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Dec 2015 at 12:55pm
Thank you for your help.

Though I still wonder what "Priority" means?

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parsec View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote parsec Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Dec 2015 at 2:48pm
Priority in that table means of all the possible configurations, the configuration with the higher priority should be used, as it will provide the best results.

The term priority may seem not to be the best way to describe this, but it does make sense IMO.

In Intel's technical documents about their processors (which also contains the memory controller), they state that when using two DIMMs in a dual channel, four DIMM slot total board, they should be put in the slots that are the farthest away from the processor, for each channel. That would be the A2 and B2 slots.

Why that is technically better, I don't know, but it apparently provides the best compatibility and best potential to OC the memory, or use tighter timings.

That's why those slots have a higher priority of use than the others.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Xaltar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Dec 2015 at 3:40pm
IMO it has to do with a few factors but the most significant one is heat, the slot closest to the CPU will generally not have as much airflow and with a number of aftermarket coolers it can also cause clearance issues. So far as I can tell from testing I have done with both configs, A1+B1 then A2+B2, there does not appear to be any performance/stability benefit so I am inclined to believe that the recommendation is purely based on the above. I could well be wrong but that is my 2c on the issue.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wardog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Dec 2015 at 4:00pm
Ha!

IIRC it has to do with the IMC and the path to what which part of the IMC controller is used.


My 2c worth.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Avagadro1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Dec 2015 at 2:12am
OK, I'm the original poster.

Last night I sent an e-mail to ASRock Tech Support.  I received a brief response today.

It said:  "A1 ans B1 must be installed."

What to do?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Xaltar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Dec 2015 at 6:00am
ASRock TSD said A1 B1 then go with that, they are the most intricately familiar with their boards.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wardog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Dec 2015 at 6:18am
Originally posted by Avagadro1 Avagadro1 wrote:


Last night I sent an e-mail to ASRock Tech Support.  I received a brief response today.

It said:  "A1 ans B1 must be installed."


Huh. It would seem ASRock needs to re-write a lot of Manuals on this matter then. :(
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