[G4] G4 RAM Eccentricities

[jonseward at mindspring.com]

Mike,

Later versions of OSX and the G4 line seem to be far pickier about RAM than
other machines.  The RAM sticks specs 
need to be fully conforming in all respects to Apple's requirements.  IIRC
this has mainly to do with the internal 
speed of the chip and its having minimal variability in processing speed. 
Most quality sellers will refund or replace 
RAM that doesn't perform in your machine.

The easier solution would be that the RAM stick is not fully seated.  But
that sounds unlikely in your case.


Best of luck,

jon




Original Message:
-----------------
From: Al Poulin alpoulin at cox.net
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:29:27 -0400
To: g4 at listserver.themacintoshguy.com
Subject: Re: [G4] G4 RAM Eccentricities


There are a number of possibilities.  Perhaps your Digital Audio is  
running  OS X which is less tolerant of non-standard manufacture RAM  
where the design did not adhere strictly to standard specifications.   
Perhaps your sticks are not all of the same manufacture.

Al Poulin

On Jun 29, 2008, at 1:34 PM, Mike Bechtold wrote:
> Yesterday, I picked up three sticks of 512MB PC-133 RAM to max out my
> Digital Audio from a local computer repair guy. I took a G3 iMac with
> OS9.2.2 with me as a portable memory tester, and that system
> successfully recognized all three sticks.
>
> But when I installed them in my G4 Digital Audio, one stick prevents  
> the
> system from booting past the post chime - but only when it's installed
> in the RAM socket right next to the first PCI slot. If I install in on
> the third slot, all three work fine.
>
> I'm a graduate EE with thirty five years of electronics experience,  
> and
> I've dealt with a lot of funny stuff. But this one's got me puzzled.
> I'm not worried as long as the system works, but curious. Does anyone
> have any suggestions as to why this might be happening? Is it a
> capacitive loading issue, something in the mobo, or ???
>
> Thanks for any enlightenment you might provide!




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