Memory Module Question

[Callahan]

OK ... this memory question deals with my T4x computers. My T41 and T42 ThinkPads each had 1.5 GB of memory and I ordered two additional Samsung 1 GB modules from a seller in China ... they were both listed as 'new' and arrived this past Monday. Placed both in my T42 yesterday as a matched pair and everything is OK.

I took the Micron 1 GB module out to be used with a matching Micron 1 GB module already in Slot 01 of my T41. About two years ago I bought two matching Micron 1 GB memory modules from an Amazon seller.

Just about two hours ago I added the Micron 1 GB module to the underside of my T41 ... the other Micron 1 GB module was already inside the T41.

I have the Everest program on my computer ... and this is where it gets interesting. The T42 checks out OK with the Samsung memory modules ... both modules are working and show 'different dates' of manufacture and also 'different' serial numbers.

In the T41 ... everything is OK ... both modules are being read and I'm now showing 2 GB of memory. However, I'm puzzled over the readings from both the Micron modules. As I said earlier, these were bought as 'new' at the same time from an Amazon seller.

The information from Everest and also AIDA64 shows the exact same date of manufacture and also the same serial numbers for both 1 GB modules.

Here is the information:

Slot 01

DIMM1: Micron 16VDDF12864HY335D2

Module Name Micron 16VDDF12864HY335D2

Serial Number DA228EC6h (3331203802)

Manufacture Date Week 8 / 2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Slot 02

DIMM2: Micron 16VDDF12864HY335D2

Module Name Micron 16VDDF12864HY335D2

Serial Number DA228EC6h (3331203802)

Manufacture Date Week 8 / 2008

... how can that be? ... I have never seen that before but they are both working and I now have my 2 GBs in both ThinkPads.
Matching pairs in both but the two Micron modules 'really' match in my T41 !

What I bought from eBay if anyone is interested:

Samsung 2GB 2X1GB DDR PC2700S 333MHz 200pin Sodimm Laptop Memory RAM

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Samsung-2GB-2X ... 2749.l2649

I guess I should add ... I can understand the modules having the same date of manufacture but how can they have the exact same serial numbers?

Callahan

[Thinkpad4by3]

1: If it aint broke dont fix it.

2: If they came as a pair they could have the same serial number for being the same pair of sticks, and as such manufactured together and programmed with the same S/N.

[thinkpadcollection]

No no no to everything on last reply.

All OEM memory modules who made memory modules with their chips and assemble themselves inhouse before selling on the market always have complete part number and serial numbers are *unique*.

If you find a problem then have to return it. If the serial number are same, count on chinese to clone the SPD across multiple modules which is no no and why they should do that? I had set of four modules for one computer and were programmed improperly by chinese on a micron modules OEM DDR3-1600, wrong part number (substituted part number as shown on auction, I told them not to do so during ordering), computer detected them as 1333 and s/n were all same, ended up returning them. Bought another set from another seller, good thing price was right and from USA and displayed correctly (all s/n unique) and detected as 1600 automatically. This is on a HP Z220 workstation.

By the way, your micron part number is partially missing. Should start with MT16VDDF12864HY335D2, but the "MT" is missing from yours. Use CPU-Z to confirm.

Consider yourself lucky. I do not purchase ANYTHING from Amazon ever due to harder to access there due to payment methods and they are no different than shopping at ebay but easier to access because all you need is checking account for paypal.

Cheers, thinkpadcollection

[Callahan]

thinkpadcollection ... well that was a lot of information on same serial numbers. I would have thought that the modules would have at least one number difference. I was wondering if they were possibly counterfeit having the same numbers.

I have no complaints ... everything seems to be working, the memory is being read and the computer seems faster than it was before. So maybe this particular module was mass produced to sell on Amazon and maybe also eBay.

I could order another new set of Samsung memory modules from the eBay seller I just ordered from but my computers are old now with WinXP and everything seems to be OK. I never had both modules in the same computer till today, so I never noticed all the information was the same.

Here is the report from CPU-Z ... still no 'MT' showing.

DIMM # 1
SMBus address 0x50
Memory type DDR
Manufacturer (ID) Micron Technology (2C000000000000000000)
Size 1024 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2700 (166 MHz)
Part number 16VDDF12864HY335D2
Serial number DA228EC6
Manufacturing date Week 08/Year 08
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Registered no
Buffered no
Nominal Voltage 2.50 Volts
EPP no
XMP no
AMP no
JEDEC timings table CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC @ frequency
JEDEC #1 2.0-3-3-6-n.a. @ 133 MHz
JEDEC #2 2.5-3-3-7-n.a. @ 166 MHz

DIMM # 2
SMBus address 0x51
Memory type DDR
Manufacturer (ID) Micron Technology (2C000000000000000000)
Size 1024 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2700 (166 MHz)
Part number 16VDDF12864HY335D2
Serial number DA228EC6
Manufacturing date Week 08/Year 08
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Registered no
Buffered no
Nominal Voltage 2.50 Volts
EPP no
XMP no
AMP no
JEDEC timings table CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC @ frequency
JEDEC #1 2.0-3-3-6-n.a. @ 133 MHz
JEDEC #2 2.5-3-3-7-n.a. @ 166 MHz

DIMM # 1
SPD registers
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0A 0B 0C 0D 0E 0F
00 80 08 07 0D 0B 02 40 00 04 60 70 00 82 08 00 01
10 0E 04 0C 01 02 20 C0 75 70 00 00 48 30 48 2A 80
20 80 80 45 45 00 00 00 00 00 3C 48 30 28 50 00 01
30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 10 5F
40 2C 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 31 36 56 44 44 46 31
50 32 38 36 34 48 59 33 33 35 44 32 02 00 08 08 DA
60 22 8E C6 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
70 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
80 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
90 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
A0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
B0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
C0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
D0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
E0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
F0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF

DIMM # 2
SPD registers
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0A 0B 0C 0D 0E 0F
00 80 08 07 0D 0B 02 40 00 04 60 70 00 82 08 00 01
10 0E 04 0C 01 02 20 C0 75 70 00 00 48 30 48 2A 80
20 80 80 45 45 00 00 00 00 00 3C 48 30 28 50 00 01
30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 10 5F
40 2C 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 31 36 56 44 44 46 31
50 32 38 36 34 48 59 33 33 35 44 32 02 00 08 08 DA
60 22 8E C6 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
70 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
80 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
90 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
A0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
B0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
C0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
D0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
E0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
F0 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF

thanks for the information ... can't send the modules back after two years but now others know to check modules out better.

Callahan

[madicetea]

thinkpadcollection ... well that was a lot of information on same serial numbers. I would have thought that the modules would have at least one number difference. I was wondering if they were possibly counterfeit having the same numbers.

I have no complaints ... everything seems to be working, the memory is being read and the computer seems faster than it was before. So maybe this particular module was mass produced to sell on Amazon and maybe also eBay.

I could order another new set of Samsung memory modules from the eBay seller I just ordered from but my computers are old now with WinXP and everything seems to be OK. I never had both modules in the same computer till today, so I never noticed all the information was the same.

Here is the report from CPU-Z ... still no 'MT' showing.
[abbreviated]

thanks for the information ... can't send the modules back after two years but now others know to check modules out better.

Callahan

I think you may be right about the modules being mass-produced. I recently was watching a video of some guy in Shenzhen who is modifying his iPhone and he showed his viewers how the Chinese have a very simple machine to flash information to a flash-memory chip.

Considering memory sticks are just circuit boards with a number of flash chips soldered to them, it is quite likely that there was an industrial version of the machine flashing the same register information to all circuitry chips.

It was interesting to see how the machine could read the color of the iPhone said chips were taken from (he was using junk parts from the iPhone planar to practice). I wonder what information is written to the protected-area for the memory chips we see in our computers?

[Callahan]

I decided to move some memory around in my other two ThinkPads. I placed the Samsung memory (2 GB) into my best ThinkPad ... a 15 inch T42. After checking the memory modules in the 15 inch T42 earlier today, I discovered they are also fake or I guess counterfeit.

These two modules are even worse that the two I first posted about. They are Identical with same date of manufacture and have no manufacture company listed and no serial number but the Module Name has a number of some sort. I also think these two modules were bought from the same seller at Amazon ... but I have not logged on yet to check my purchases from several years back.

Here is the information from Everest ... I will say the modules do seem to work ... 2 GB of memory are showing.

DIMM 01: V01D1SF1GB64864833

Memory Module Properties:
Module Name V01D1SF1GB64864833
Serial Number None
Manufacture Date Week 28 / 2014
Module Size 1 GB (2 ranks, 4 banks)
Module Type Unbuffered
Memory Type DDR SDRAM
Memory Speed PC2700 (166 MHz)
Module Width 64 bit
Module Voltage SSTL 2.5
Error Detection Method None
Refresh Rate Reduced (7.8 us), Self-Refresh

Memory Timings:
@ 166 MHz 3.0-3-3-7 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS) / 10-12-2 (RC-RFC-RRD)
@ 166 MHz 2.5-3-3-7 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS) / 10-12-2 (RC-RFC-RRD)
@ 133 MHz 2.0-2-2-6 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS) / 8-10-2 (RC-RFC-RRD)

Memory Module Features:
Early RAS# Precharge Not Supported
Auto-Precharge Not Supported
Precharge All Not Supported
Write1/Read Burst Not Supported
Buffered Address/Control Inputs Not Supported
Registered Address/Control Inputs Not Supported
On-Card PLL (Clock) Not Supported
Buffered DQMB Inputs Not Supported
Registered DQMB Inputs Not Supported
Differential Clock Input Supported
Redundant Row Address Not Supported


DIMM 02: V01D1SF1GB64864833

Memory Module Properties:
Module Name V01D1SF1GB64864833
Serial Number None
Manufacture Date Week 28 / 2014
Module Size 1 GB (2 ranks, 4 banks)
Module Type Unbuffered
Memory Type DDR SDRAM
Memory Speed PC2700 (166 MHz)
Module Width 64 bit
Module Voltage SSTL 2.5
Error Detection Method None
Refresh Rate Reduced (7.8 us), Self-Refresh

Memory Timings:
@ 166 MHz 3.0-3-3-7 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS) / 10-12-2 (RC-RFC-RRD)
@ 166 MHz 2.5-3-3-7 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS) / 10-12-2 (RC-RFC-RRD)
@ 133 MHz 2.0-2-2-6 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS) / 8-10-2 (RC-RFC-RRD)

Memory Module Features:
Early RAS# Precharge Not Supported
Auto-Precharge Not Supported
Precharge All Not Supported
Write1/Read Burst Not Supported
Buffered Address/Control Inputs Not Supported
Registered Address/Control Inputs Not Supported
On-Card PLL (Clock) Not Supported
Buffered DQMB Inputs Not Supported
Registered DQMB Inputs Not Supported
Differential Clock Input Supported
Redundant Row Address Not Supported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Samsung modules seem to be the real thing ... different dates of manufacture and different serial numbers. I'm debating whether to order more Samsung modules from the eBay seller for those two computers or just live with what I ended up with. They may be fake modules but they seem to work.

Just curious what some of you have to say about these fake modules. Would you just keep them in the computers or replace them with real modules?

Thanks ...

[thinkpadcollection]

Well, as long as they work do not worry for now.

Best thing is post photos of these memory modules in question helps us.

Cheers, thinkpadcollection

[Callahan]

I don't have a camera at present, but I am looking at a cheap USB camera on Amazon ... $6.99 with free shipping. Some people like it and some says it's junk but it may work OK for my needs.

https://www.amazon.com/Fosmon-21001WEB- ... ion+camera

There have been times when I could post a picture here or somewhere else but I had no way to do so.

What would the pictures show, the memory stick looks like any other stick, not much of a label on the one. I thought reading the memory information with a program like Everest would provide what there is 'inside' the module.

I may order that camera today just to have it available.

thanks ...