RAM and compatibility (computer help needed)

[I'm Murrin]

I was wondering if anyone knows what the effect is of having two bits of RAM that don't have the same CAS latency. You see, I recently doubled the RAM in my laptop, and it runs faster now, but it has frozen once or twice, and I believe I may have accidentally bought RAM with CL2.5 instead of CL2 (which is what my original 256MB RAm was).
Does having RAM with unmatching latencies cause crashes like this, and is it damaging anything (ie, should I pull it out immediately and get a new one that matches)?

[Nathan]

Using sticks of RAM with difference CLs just causes the faster to work at the speed of the slower. It shouldn't cause crashes or freezes.

[aTOMiC]

Using sticks of RAM with difference CLs just causes the faster to work at the speed of the slower. It shouldn't cause crashes or freezes.

I agree with Nathan. Your lockups are likely caused by some other issue.

[The Laughing Man]

tom and nathan are right, but it still can cause trouble....the fact that it wasn't locking up before tells all.....some pc's just don't like it....and if it's DDR it gets a lil more complicated.....singlesided and doublesided ram mixing can also cause problems.....and finally, its very likely the ram is BAD, heh......just because it's new doesn't mean it works....

[I'm Murrin]

It's Crucial, a pretty good company for RAM, and with an ordering system that makes sure you get something the right type for your system, so that's not a problem. It's just that it had crashed before - as in, wouldn't let any programs open - but now it freezes - as in, the mouse and keyboard stop responding as well as everything else stopping.

[The Laughing Man]

try it with just the new ram, removing the old one, and see if it locks up...but freezing like that is usually a result of a defect....

[I'm Murrin]

Well, I should probably mention that my laptop is two and a half years old and not very good to begin with. I just wanted to be sure it wasn't anything I'd done that caused the new symptoms.

[Creator]

An excuse to buy a new - kick butt system!! YAY!!!!