[calvinthedestroyer]

I have a question about computer hardware, but let me set it up for you first:

Lets say that I am designing a motherboard, printed circuit board and everything. I need to figure out what the maximum amount of memory that I can have on my motherboard.

What determines this amount?
Is it the max address size of the CPU that I choose?
Is it the chip set that I choose?
Will my BIOS have anything to do with the max size of ram?

There is also the question of how much ram per slot? and how many slots?

I would believe that the answer is based on the CPU (32bit CPU = 4GB of ram)
Plus, if your 32bit motherboard has only one ram socket, then there should be 4GB simm's. But I've never seen any.
Also, you should be able to simm tree 4 1GB simm's into one ram slot simm tree

People have mentioned that there are other limitations but they never explain what they are..

What do you guy's think determines the max amount of ram for a given motherboard?

[modi123_1]

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What determines this amount?
...
What do you guy's think determines the max amount of ram for a given motherboard

Simply put - the manufacturer. I've had a Biostar board that slotted a 32bit cpu and allowed for 16gb of RAM in it. I believe it comes down to pricing and current selection of boards put out. Two slots or four. Guess which will increase the price? This max RAM size per slot, or that? Same deal. I believe the boards are trying to stand out - offer something that's unique to a need and a price.

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Is it the chip set that I choose?

Choose for what?

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Will my BIOS have anything to do with the max size of ram?

No, not really.

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There is also the question of how much ram per slot? and how many slots?

I don't understand the questions.

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if your 32bit motherboard has only one ram socket, then there should be 4GB simm'

It's rare to have *a* RAM slot, and even then why would it *have* to be 4gb? Why not 1gb? 512kb? Maybe a custom small form factor or something, but I haven't seen one.

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Also, you should be able to simm tree 4 1GB simm's into one ram slot simm tree

I should be able to do many things, but if the RAM expander better not exceed the max size for that slot! Side note - who the hell uses RAM expander? I haven't seen one of those in years! Man that makes me want to dig up my old floppies of 'RAM Doubler' and crank that on my new box.

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People have mentioned that there are other limitations but they never explain what they are..

Citation?

[calvinthedestroyer]

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offer something that's unique to a need and a price.

That explains why I see so many cheep boards with only one to three ram slots.

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Is it the chip set that I choose?

Choose for what?

Referring to building my own motherboard, or, when buying, sellers will sometimes brag about the chip set that is featured on the motherboard.

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There is also the question of how much ram per slot? and how many slots?

I don't understand the questions.

I think the answer i was looking for is, the total supported ram divided by the number of slots. But that does not mean that you can put a single simm that is the max value into a single slot. Motherboard manufactures always seem to have a maximum per slot plus a max total. IE: 4 ramm slots for 1GB total, 512MG per slot. Why can't I put all 1GB into a single slot?

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if your 32bit motherboard has only one ram socket, then there should be 4GB simm'

It's rare to have *a* RAM slot, and even then why would it *have* to be 4gb? Why not 1gb? 512kb? Maybe a custom small form factor or something, but I haven't seen one.

I have seen many motherboards with a single ram slot, both small form factor and cheep. If they are only going to have one ram slot then they should run all of the address lines to make it 4GB(3.2GB if I remember right)

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I should be able to do many things, but if the RAM expander better not exceed the max size for that slot! Side note - who the hell uses RAM expander? I haven't seen one of those in years! Man that makes me want to dig up my old floppies of 'RAM Doubler' and crank that on my new box.

haha "I should be able to run many things" I think I found my new slogan . Your right, I have not seen ram expanders since 80386 days. I wish they were still being made. One of my professors said that they are to noisy to work with todays faster ram.

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People have mentioned that there are other limitations but they never explain what they are..

Citation?

Sorry, most of this comes from other forums or publicly updated wiki pages, so I can't count on any of it being true or not.

[modi123_1]

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I think the answer i was looking for is, the total supported ram divided by the number of slots. But that does not mean that you can put a single simm that is the max value into a single slot. Motherboard manufactures always seem to have a maximum per slot plus a max total. IE: 4 ramm slots for 1GB total, 512MG per slot. Why can't I put all 1GB into a single slot?

That is because of the hardware parts outlined by the manufacturer for the Memory Bus. The manufacture said no and capped it.

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Memory_bus

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I have seen many motherboards with a single ram slot, both small form factor and cheep. If they are only going to have one ram slot then they should run all of the address lines to make it 4GB(3.2GB if I remember right)

Again - there's a lot of things that *should* happen, but frankly don't. There's no requirement or mandate that a company would have to be at 4gb. It's all choice. Personally I would screw with people. 3584mb would be the max ram value and only one RAM slot. Ha.

[DeCompile]

Two major factors limit the amount of RAM a machine can handle.

First is the BIOS. It needs to be able to address the installed RAM.

Second is the RAM module, it needs to support the amount of RAM that a user wishes to install.

[calvinthedestroyer]

DeCompile, on 24 April 2011 - 03:19 AM, said:

Two major factors limit the amount of RAM a machine can handle.

First is the BIOS. It needs to be able to address the installed RAM.

Second is the RAM module, it needs to support the amount of RAM that a user wishes to install.

BIOS has nothing to do with it.
And what do you mean by RAN Module? The socket is just a socket, the chip set is what handles the ram.

[no2pencil]

HA!

modi123_1, on 18 April 2011 - 11:49 AM, said:

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Will my BIOS have anything to do with the max size of ram?

No, not really.

DeCompile, on 24 April 2011 - 05:19 AM, said:

Two major factors limit the amount of RAM a machine can handle.

First is the BIOS. It needs to be able to address the installed RAM.

[modi123_1]

Ha? Is that *gasp* pointed at me? See my quote about "The manufacture said no and capped it. ". Manufacture decides the hardware, what the allowable per slot, and the bios settings. So, ha-ha back? ')

That should be a but one eye is shut due to rum.

[calvinthedestroyer]

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What determines this amount?
Will my BIOS have anything to do with the max size of ram?

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Manufacture decides the hardware, what the allowable per slot,

Yes, I believe that it's the hardware chip set that decides the maxium amount or RAM. The BIOS never has any setting that allow you to adjust the size of RAM or how much RAM your system has, You ether have it or you don't. All of the other setting for RAM in BIOS deal with speed and multi threading.

Pass the rum!