Adding a single 512MB ram to a system with DUAL-Channel?

[Shaitan00]

I've got a 3.0GHz P4 w/ P4C800-E Deluxe Motherboard currently loaded w/ 2x 512megs of OCZ PC3200 (DDR400 2.5-3-3-7) RAM (1gig in Dual-channel).
I was looking to add some RAM and had a spare 512meg DDR PC3200 (DDR400) RAM from an old DELL PC (not the same manufacturer, not OCZ)

So, the question is, what is best? Add the extra 512megs of RAM or not?

Do I loose performance by adding a single stick of RAM to a system currenly running dual-channel?
Is the performance drop (if there is one) to such an extend that it would be be st to remain with my 1gig DUAL-CHANNEL instead of 1.5gigs?

What about the difference in speed & quality, the 512megs is something I pulled off an old used DELL PC whereas the OCZ is something I bought a while back, would it be best to NOT include the RAM and stay with my dual-channel?

Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks,

[tiro_uspsss]

iirc, yes, u will lose dual-channel.. secondly I wouldnt put unlike ram in ur system.

so, overall, no, dont use it

:up:

[Shaitan00]

Glad I asked - I would have initially assumed that going from 1gig to 1.5gig (512meg increase) would far outweight any disadvantage of adding non-similar ram (as long as it was also PC3200/DDR400).

Sounds good - going to rip it out then - Vista was working fine with 1gig anyways, I just thought to try and make it "better".

Thanks for the feedback.

[tiro_uspsss]

Glad I asked - I would have initially assumed that going from 1gig to 1.5gig (512meg increase) would far outweight any disadvantage of adding non-similar ram (as long as it was also PC3200/DDR400).

Sounds good - going to rip it out then - Vista was working fine with 1gig anyways, I just thought to try and make it "better".

Thanks for the feedback.

vista on 1gig? *shudders* :p: :D

[HuffPCair]

Ugh if you think vista is working fine with 1 gig try 2 lol case every computer I have seen with under 2 gigs runs like a grandma.