[G4] G4 Dual 867 MDD RAM question

[Chris Loehr]

As a reseller of Apple Computers, we put PC2700 and or PC3200 in with PC2100
on a regular basis without any problems.  PC2700 and PC3200 will clock down
to the lowest (slowest) common dominator, i.e. Memory speed, bus speed,
whichever is slowest.
 
The key to all this is using good quality, name brand memory.  We have seen
machines with low quality or generic memory cause problems that go away when
using good quality memory.  As OS X matured it got pickier and pickier with
the specs of particular memory, so using quality properly spec'd memory
became vital to keeping problems to a minimum.
 
Although I have seen that simply rearranging memory in the slots can make a
difference, and eliminate problems.  Why, I don't know, but a simple
solution like that, does work on occasion.  So it is always worth a try.
 
In fact going to Crucial.com and looking up memory for the Dual 867mhz, they
are only selling PC2700, as well as PC3200 for that machine.  So in Crucial
s opinion PC2100 is not needed for the machine to work properly.  I consider
Crucial to be a top tier manufacturer of memory so I respect their opinion.
 
With Crucial we have had excellent experiences and we use their website all
the time to spec memory for customers.  And we do not just use their site,
we do buy their memory. Each piece of memory we receive from them has a tag
on the module itself that has the Crucial name on it. The one or two
customers that have had any problems have contacted Crucial and without
needing proof of purchase Crucial has exchanged their memory for them.  
 
I am neither condoning nor recommending Crucial memory, I am merely using
them as an example of a quality company that stands by their memory.  
 
Although I have yet to see any memory company not offer a lifetime warranty
on their memory,  what I tell my customers, and I have seen first hand, is
that many times the memory modules that arrive from generic memory companies
 typically the ram itself does not have the memory companies name on it.  If
you have problems with that ram at a later date, and you don't remember who
you got it from it can be hard to get the problem taken care of as the stick
of ram has a plain sticker on it with no manufacturer name. Major memory
companies put a sticker with their name on the memory module and it sure
makes it easy to know who to get ahold of to rectify any problems.  See
above for a customers experience.
 
This is not to say that generic memory companies do not sell quality memory,
but I like my customers or myself to be able to look at the ram if problems
develop, and know instantly who to contact to take care of the problem.
 
YMMV.  Thanks for reading my rambling.
 
Chris
 
 
 
  
-------Original Message------- 
 
From: Aaron 
Date: 04/18/06 19:58:58 
To: g4 at listserver.themacintoshguy.com 
Subject: Re: [G4] G4 Dual 867 MDD RAM question 
 
I'm writing now to give a report-back on my experiences with the PC2700 RAM
after 1 month. 
 
When I first installed my two PC2700 DIMMs along with my PC2100 DIMM, I had
a couple of strange occurrences within a few days that may have been
RAM-related. I then re-arranged the DIMMs and have had no problems that
appear likely to be RAM-related in the approximately 4 weeks since then. In
fact, I have had very few problems at all and have only had to restart my
computer to install my new Netgear router. 
 
I'd be curious to know if anybody other than SE has had problems with PC2700
RAM in the G4 Dual 867 MDD's, or in any machine that normally takes PC2100
RAM. 
 
- Aaron 
 
>From: mactechlists at cox.net 
>Subject: Re: [G4] G4 Dual 867 MDD RAM question 
>Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2006 18:54:39 -0600 
>To: "A place to discuss Apple's G4 computers." <g4 at listserver
themacintoshguy.com> 
> 
>Keep an eye on things. I take care of 30 Mac computers at a weekly 
>newspaper. They have several of the original Mirror Door dual boot G4's 
>running 867 MHz. I had very negative results when placing the PC2700 
>RAM in these machines, - - even when they passed the Apple Hardware 
>test and the TechTool test. All problems disappeared when the PC2700 
>RAM was removed. I had to find PC2100 RAM for them. 
> 
>SE