[X-HW] When is a 1 GByte 3200 DIMM not a 1GByte DIMM

[Jim Robertson]

On 1/20/05 2:09 AM, "Eugene" <list-themacintoshguy at fsck.net> wrote:

> If the hardware cannot read the memory sticks as 1 GB modules, how can
> the OS hope to see it?  Sounds like B.S. to me.  Once the replacement
> modules come in, make sure they work, then request that they refund you
> the difference for that "slightly higher price" junk.  If they refuse,
> never deal with that company again, and pass on your experiences to us
> so that others can avoid them.

Sorry for the delayed response. The digest containing responses to my
inquiry found its way to my inbox just yesterday.

The new sticks worked. The vendor was 1-800 4Memory. In fairness to them,
they do have a decision tree for RAM purchases, and if one uses it to select
RAM modules, the generic and cheapest sticks I purchased from them
originally aren't listed among the G5-compatible choices. I found them by
using PC3200 as my search inquiry and decided to save $20 per stick.

There are, of course, many "authorities" who say the Mac can be finicky
about reading RAM modules, but my simplistic understanding of this is that
the computer either does or doesn't, or sometimes reads them incorrectly,
and that when it does that it crashes because what it reads makes no sense.
The generic sticks had a stick-on label from the vendor saying they were 1
Gbyte modules. My guess is that it was easier for the vendor to agree to
send me new sticks they state are Mac-compatible than to admit they'd
mis-labeled the ones they sent me originally. They did send them promptly.

Jim Robertson
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