ASRock Z77 Extreme3 manual Installation of Memory Modules Dimm, Dual Channel Memory Configuration

2.5 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM)

This motherboard provides four 240-pin DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3) DIMM slots, and supports Dual Channel Memory Technology. For dual channel config- uration, you always need to install identical (the same brand, speed, size and chip-type) DDR3 DIMM pair in the slots: You have to install identical DDR3 DIMMs in Dual Channel A (DDR3_A1 and DDR3_B1; Black slots; see p.15 No. 6) or identical DDR3 DIMMs in Dual Channel B (DDR3_A2 and DDR3_ B2; Black slots; see p.15 No. 7), so that Dual Channel Memory Technology can be activated. This motherboard also allows you to install four DDR3 DIMMs for dual channel configuration, please install identical DDR3 DIMMs in all four slots. You may refer to the Dual Channel Memory Configuration Table below.

Dual Channel Memory Configuration

	DDR3_A1	DDR3_A2	DDR3_B1	DDR3_B2
	(Black Slot)	(Black Slot)	(Black Slot)	(Black Slot)
(1)	-	Populated	-	Populated
(2)	Populated	-	Populated	-
(3)*	Populated	Populated	Populated	Populated

*For configuration (3), please install identical DDR3 DIMMs in all four slots.

1.If you want to install two memory modules, for optimal compatibility and reliability, it is recommended to install them in the slots: DDR3_ A1 and DDR3_B1, or DDR3_A2 and DDR3_B2.

2.If only one memory module or three memory modules are installed in the DDR3 DIMM slots on this motherboard, it is unable to activate Dual Channel Memory Technology.

3.If a pair of memory modules is NOT installed in the same Dual Channel, for example, installing a pair of memory modules in DDR3_A1 and DDR3_A2, it is unable to activate Dual Channel Memory Technology.

4.It is not allowed to install a DDR or DDR2 memory module into DDR3 slot; otherwise, this motherboard and DIMM may be dam- aged.

5.Some DDR3 1GB double-sided DIMMs with 16 chips may not work on this motherboard. It is not recommended to install them on this motherboard.

6.For optimal compatibility and stability while overclocking memory frequency, it is recommended to install one memory module on DDR3_B2 slot or two memory modules on DDR3_A2 and DDR3_ B2 slots.

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