RAM Question *w/drawings*

My laptop currently has 2 sticks of 200 pin DDR 266MHz RAM.
I only have 384mb and I would like to get a 1 gig stick. I know that the computer will work with 333MHz RAM but is it possible to mix 266 and 333 ?

If so I would use the new 1 gig along with my old 256mb stick and go along my merry way. If not, 1 gig will have to do for now.

Actually since we are on the topic of RAM. In the computer I built not too long ago, I bought 2 sticks of 512mb RAM. The mobo has 4 slots and I know that in order to run the RAM in dual channel they need to be in the same color slots and the RAM needs to be perfectly matched. The RAM I received was not matched so I had to mix the slots.
Now if I want to add 2 more sticks will I be able to do so? Will the third stick try to match itself up with the memory in same color slot? If so then I am relagated to only 2 slots. If this doesn’t make sense I can draw it up.

EDIT: Pics of what I am talking about.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/JaysGreenLX/Untitled-1copy-1.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/JaysGreenLX/Untitled-3.jpg

to your first questions … i beleive the 333mhz ram will only run as fast as the slowest ram… so the 333 will be running at 266. someone can correct me if im wrong.

idk the answer to the 2nd, ive never really messed around with dual chan

That was kind of what I figured. Thanks.

Anyone else?

The ram is as fast as the slowest one - that’s a fact.

As for the dual channel - what mobo do you have?

MSI K8N Neo 4F Mobo

Ok, so the board supports it, and you are installing it right, so the last question is what kind of ram is it? You said 200 pin, but the board has 184 pin slots, so look at the ram and tell me what it says.

The 200 pin is for the laptop, the desktop is 184 pin.

I don’t remember the exact specs on the RAM but its DDR400. I bought the Mobo, processor, and RAM from MWave.com. They put those parts together and tested it prior to shipping (or so they said) They had both sticks of RAM in the Green slots. I put the computer together and it ran like shit. I switched the one stick of RAM out of the green and put it in the purple slot and its been working perfectly. This lead me to believe that the RAM was not matched.

Maybe they sold you the non-matched ram. Check your reciept and make sure it says “matched pair”, or else you bought the wrong stuff. It is does say that, then they either sent you the wrong stuff, or it’s bad. Ram from name brand companies have a lifetime warranty, so if it is the bad possibility, call them and send it back.

Its Crucial RAM. I talked to them back when I first built the computer and they seemed to think it was not matched so MWave fucked up. The RAM itself is fine.
My question though is if I will run into issues trying to put another stick in the second green or second purple slot.

the only ram that needs to be matched is the dual channel i believe

It would seem that the RAM they supplied me is not Dual Channel. Not sure though.

goto crucials website and put the part number in, it will tell u if it is or not.

^ Ooohh will do.