-=PCTechTalk=- Re: help,bluescreen yikes

  • From: "Lilian" <lilian.oswaldocruz@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:00:54 -0300

He, he, he... your explanation is much better than any book I could read!!! 
I get it now,   When I got the components for my computer I went for a dual 
core, but as I didn´t have the money for the whole lot I saved on the memory 
and just got a 1GB stick.  As I would be running XP 32 bit on a 64bit 
computer I didn´t think it would matter much.  But now that I have XP 64X 
and am about to install it, its time to look for a matched pair.

The amazing thing is the speed I get out of my computer with just the 1GB 
stick... I keep all kinds of appliances and windows running at the same 
time... It will fly with the matched pair :o))

Thanks for the lesson, Gman!

Lil


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Gman
To: pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: 2008-07-27 00:37
Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: help,bluescreen yikes


Oh, I KNOW we would, Girl!  I absolutely KNOW it!        :O)

The amount of memory is exactly the same, but dual-channel mode allows the
system to break up the two sticks into two separate working areas.  This is
especially useful for multi-core CPU systems, but has plenty of benefits for
single core processors, too.

If you can picture everything that needs to be done within a computer's
circuitry at any given time as a single task that's independant of all
others (it's not true, but bear with me here), it's easier to watch the path
it takes through that system.  You issue a command (for example, you double
click on an MP3 file) and the system goes to work for you.  The CPU plucks
that file from the hard drive and then feeds it into RAM memory where it can
actually use it.  By examining the extension of the file and 'looking it up
in the registry' (which is almost always loaded into memory), it determines
that it needs to open up another program to process the data (WinAmp
perhaps).  WinAmp is then called from the hard drive into memory where it is
commanded by the CPU to process the original file (within memory) and sent
its 'output' to the sound card for any additional processing that the
soundcard's drivers (already in memory) are designed to add, meanwhile the
CPU has been freed up to go and start the next command it's been issued.

That's a VERY simplistic version of how a single core computer does its
thing, but it illustrates, at least to a point, that memory plays a critical
role in almost everything that happens in there.  While this is nowhere near
an accurate portrayal of dual-channel operation, imagine next that all of
the above can be done on just one of the two sticks of RAM installed in the
system.  That would free up the second stick for working on whatever command
the CPU finds next in its 'queue'.  So, while the first stick is busy
working on something, the second stick is free to take on another, but more
importantly, separate load without waiting for the first task to complete
(or at least make some room for another set of orders).

That's probably the best explanation I can give, at least in layman's terms,
to describe how dual-channel operation is vastly superior to single channel
mode.  Now, if you'd like a more technical explanation, I'll send in a list
of about 9 or 10 books I'd like you to study before we begin.
;0}

Peace,
Gman

"The only dumb questions are the ones we fail to ask"

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lilian" <lilian.oswaldocruz@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 11:05 PM
Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: help,bluescreen yikes


> Some of it is and one always learns new things.  But yes, I have a
> question.
> Although I know what a matched pair of memory sticks is, I am not too sure
> what the benefit of having one is.  If you have 2 X 512 for instance would
> I
> get more than 1 GB of Ram?  Or does it increase speed?
>
> Lil
> P.S.  I bet we´d do much better than the "geeks" <g>


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