upgraded to more ram, but i don't see performance increase & it seems slower than before - Page 2

Xzamples, I feel for your situation. I have been trying to upgrade my old 939 system as well recently and it only runs DDR1. I recently just had to suck it up and buy a matched set of 4 gigs. A few things about this socket and the cpus memory controller for it.
1) It HATES mismatched RAM. I couldn't even get mine to post when i didn't have identical sticks in the same channel. So you are actually doing ok getting it to get this far.
2) Since your sticks do not match it forces the memory controller to use single channel. This KILLS bandwidth and you want to avoid it if at all possible.
3) When you use all four slots the memory controller will force the 166 divider as well as 2T command rate timing, giving you 333DDR speed instead of 400. This also can kill bandwidth a ton. Unless you are jumping from 2 1 gig sticks to 4 gigs, I really don't recommend using 4 sticks. It just isn't worth the speed loss.

So as far as recommendations go, if you can find a cheap matching 1gig stick on ebay or somewhere (so same company, speed, and timings), I would do that and just run the two matching 1 gig sticks in dual channel. Unless you are buying top end stuff it tends to go for around 10 bucks or less per gig. You could even just buy a matched set of value ram 2x1 gigs is usually ~ 20 to 25 bucks. You can also still buy new DDR ram from online places like newegg. ITs just more expensive to the tune of $40 per 2 gig set.

If you don't want to spend any money I would just pull the 512 sticks and run the 2 1 gig sticks (even if it ends up in single channel mode) That should get you back up to ddr 400 speeds (assuming thats what your sticks are to begin with).

Not sure how much 2 gigs would be an improvement over 1.5 though i suspect that if you were running 4 sticks to get 1.5 (at a 166 divider) that it will run better.
best of luck!

Consult your mobo manual. Typically the channels are denoted by the color of the slot, but typically that color alternates rather than being segregated, so it would be dubious to say unless someone who actually owns this board can chime in (or has the manual for it)

check online?

I'd have to agree that usually you put the RAM in the same color. I have a ASUS mATX board that was also dual channel side by side like that. However, if your sticks dont match, it may not work. In that case, you'll have to skip a slot and put one in each color for single channel. That will at least get you 2 gigs in single channel. but try the same color first. Do you know if your 1 GIG sticks at least have the same timings? If not it may still try to downclock your RAM in order to force a lower timing. Hope you can get running faster socket 939 is a good platform, just old.

Some motherboards you need to put the same sticks in the same colors to activate dual channel. yours might be like this too but you will need to check the manual. I think the ram has to operate on the same frequency and latency too.

Correct. Depending on the motherboard, it might also not allow different voltages or capacity, so its it's usually just to use the same (or functionally identical) ram.

If you are running them in a 1-2-1-2 config as so, you are not getting dual channel. Dual channel always requires same coloured slots. RAM slots are coloured very for the purpose of identifying which are the correct slots to use. You need a 1-1-2-2 config to get dual channel and your noticeable performance loss back.

I wouldn't say always (although that is true the vast majority of the time). I had an offbrand motherboard that required "first red slot, and first black slot" and "second red slot, second black slot". It really comes down to whatever scheme they decide to use.

That said, you're right that color always plays a role. Its just not always the matching color.