If I have 2 DIMMS of RAM are they redundant?
 

If I have 2 DIMMS of RAM are they redundant?

Edit: I apologize this should go in the Hardware forum. Moderator please move and accept my apology.

Not very likely. The two dimms are your total ram. For example, if they are 512 meg a piece, the total will be 1 gig. Linux will use the ram, if you removed one, the system will still run but would have to use swap space on your disk when it runs out of ram space. Disk is at least 10X slower than ram, so you want as much ram as possible. ( with in reason ). I find a gig is more than enough for a desktop system.

If 1 ram went bad would the system know to just use the other ram? Or would it crash?

crash.

Your system is using both RAM modules every time it runs. The total memory of your computer is the sum of the RAM on each module. There is no "backup" or "spare" RAM set aside or used in your system in the event of failure of other RAM. If your system tries to use any of the RAM in your system and an error occurs you will get any number of results upto and including total system failure (a crash).

Thanks! That's what I thought, someone was telling me differently so I wanted to make sure.