The Computer Hardware Question Thread

[Roland]

I like these general usage threads.

Is my motherboard a freak because it supports both 184-pin and 168-pin RAM?  I have four RAM slots, two for each type.

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No. That's typically very common these days. Your motherboard, although not common nowadays, was VERY common during the beginning phases of DDR SDRAM introduction. For comparion, it's not uncommon at ALL to see any of the following:

DDR & DDR2 RAM slots
AGP & PCI-Express Graphics Card slots
PCI and PCI-Express Expansion Card slots
IDE & SATA Hard Drive interfaces

Any time there is a new and different technology, there is generally a period of "transitional application", where hardware manufacturers try to appease both markets. Moreso, they try and make it easier for the consumer to phase their old hardware into the newer technology without incurring massive expenses. After several decades of abusing their consumers, manufacturers are finally realizing that in today's fast-paced technologically-driven world, it pays more to allow a SLOW transition into newer technology than it does to force everyone to make a huge leap every few years. And in the end, it's the consumer that comes out on top.

Now, you ARE a freak for keeping that horrendously cheap motherboard on your main PC. :P Next time, sink the extra $10 or $20 into a good Asus, ABIT, MSI, or Gigabyte, and I promise you you'll be much happier not only with the quality, but also with the support. :P