Hi folks,

Sorry for posting it here - I'm not sure if it's right or not.
I'm planning to build a retro-PC for Linux mint.

This is my board: GIGABYTE GA-M52L-S3P Rev. 1.0

I would like to invest in RAM, but I can't find the right modules...

I'm looking for 4*4 GB DDR2-1066/PC2-8500 (overall 16 GB) - but couldn't
find a shop - any ideas...?

Sorry 4 posting it here - Greez Marc

MMB wrote:
> This is my board: GIGABYTE GA-M52L-S3P Rev. 1.0
>
> I would like to invest in RAM, but I can't find the right modules...
>
> I'm looking for 4*4 GB DDR2-1066/PC2-8500 (overall 16 GB) - but couldn't
> find a shop - any ideas...?

Giga pub'd a list called Memory Support List in 2009 for that type of
memory at the time; none of the modules which were listed by any of the
numerous 2009 vendors were over 1 G; maybe there were some bigger ones
that class later, but I'm doubtful. I suppose you might find something
on ebay.

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-M52L-S3P-rev-12/support#support-doc
https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Memory/motherboard_memory_ga-m52l-s3p.pdf

I don't know what you are planning on doing w/ that board, but 4G of ram
will be 'plenty' for conventional purposes.

I have an '06 BIOS Asus/NVidia AMD 3 y older than your mobo that does
fine w/ 2G.

--
Mike Easter

Mike Easter wrote:
> none of the modules which were listed by any of the numerous 2009
> vendors were over 1 G; maybe there were some bigger ones that class
> later, but I'm doubtful.

I was wrong. There are 2 & 4G DDR2 modules around. The 4G ones I saw
were pricey.

--
Mike Easter

On 6/24/21 3:36 PM, MMB wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> Sorry for posting it here - I'm not sure if it's right or not.
> I'm planning to build a retro-PC for Linux mint.
>
> This is my board: GIGABYTE GA-M52L-S3P Rev. 1.0
>
> I would like to invest in RAM, but I can't find the right modules...
>
> I'm looking for 4*4 GB DDR2-1066/PC2-8500 (overall 16 GB) - but couldn't
> find a shop - any ideas...?
>
> Sorry 4 posting it here - Greez Marc

DID YOU TRY AMAZON?

MMB wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> Sorry for posting it here - I'm not sure if it's right or not.
> I'm planning to build a retro-PC for Linux mint.
>
> This is my board: GIGABYTE GA-M52L-S3P Rev. 1.0
>
> I would like to invest in RAM, but I can't find the right modules...
>
> I'm looking for 4*4 GB DDR2-1066/PC2-8500 (overall 16 GB) - but couldn't
> find a shop - any ideas...?
>
> Sorry 4 posting it here - Greez Marc

You picked a hell of a platform.

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-M52L-S3P-rev-10#ov

AMD doesn't like bus loading. If you insist on
running four sticks, it definitely will not
run at "top speed".

https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Memory/motherboard_memory_ga-m52l-s3p.pdf

Now, I know this from memory, but here it is, in print for you.

https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Memory/motherboard_memory_ga-m52l-s3p.pdf

"Note: Due to AMD AM3/AM2+ CPU limitation, memory module
DDR2 1066 or above speed is only supported by 1 dimm per channel."

That means two DIMMs total, and two slots blank.

The BIOS will automatically derate the settings when it
detects four sticks. This is (partially), because the
AMD processor, to avoid SSO issues, uses weaker current
drive on the bus.

You may shop for the magical DIMMs, but the BIOS won't
let you use them exactly as you want. You install 4 of the
1066, it'll run 4 at 800.

When asking platform questions, don't buy stuff until
you collect some opinions first. You could likely buy
an entire quad core refurb today, for the price of the
items you're assembling one at a time.

The second issue with your choice, is NVidia chipset.
There were a couple chipsets which are newer than yours,
where NVidia seemingly did not put proper ESD protection
on the PCI Express slots. This translates to "better
wear an ESD strap when inserting the video card". Some
motherboards arrived in peopls homes, with the PCIe video
slot already blown. And... that's after the factory has
done a two minute functional test, which verifies the
slot was working before it was put in the ESD bag.

There is not going to be a list, with the details of
which chipsets are affected. We only know from
initial dropout and field results, that NVidia had
a problem.

Since the processor drives the RAM in this case,
we cannot take issue with NVidias skill at memory
controllers. Some of the NVidia Intel-side kit, past DDR400,
were just dreadful, and a stability nightmare. in
this case, you're in the "weak but good" hands of AMD.
Once any derating has taken place, the platform should
work. People with NVidia memory controllers, were always
on the edge of stability. I got my first taste of that
on Nforce2 (only works with CAS2 DDR400 DIMMs), but
thought nothing of it at the time. But later NVidia
projects had similar issues.

Summary: Buy 2x2GB DDR2, select speed as the budget allows.
Chances are, there won't be good quality 1066
verified memories around anyway. I'm on my third set
of DDR2, and I got lucky and the third set was
CAS5 DDR2-800 enthusiast RAM. The stuff before it
was some CAS6 schlock from Kingston, that ran too hot from
day one, at nominal VDimm. I would not be expecting
anything more than ripoffs of one sort or another today.

If you'd asked this question before buying anything,
I would have steered you away from DDR2 entirely,
as DDR3 is so much nicer.

I have one DDR2 platform which is "rock solid". Why ?
The bloody RAM runs at DDR2-533 :-/ Slow but steady
wins the race. That's a VIA chipset, for Intel, one
of the last VIA made.

Paul