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differences in RAM frequencies - any problems?

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:20 am
by joshrob
I have an old laptop which, according to its manual, has the 400MHz RAM slots.

But... 400MHz chips are hard to find, and secondly - much more expensive than newer, 533 or 677 Mhz ones.

Are there any problems possible when I install RAM chips with higher frequencies?

Regards,

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:05 pm
by RealBlackStuff
Can you give us make, model etc. of that laptop?

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:32 pm
by ajkula66
533/667 Mhz chips are DDR2 and will not fit, let alone work in a 400Mhz (DDR) slot.

So, the simple answer is: no, it can't be done.

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:47 pm
by joshrob
ajkula66 wrote:533/667 Mhz chips are DDR2 and will not fit, let alone work in a 400Mhz (DDR) slot.

So, the simple answer is: no, it can't be done.
According to the manual the laptop's (not thinkpad actually) system memory is: "256/512 MB of DDR2 400 memory, upgradeable to 2 GB using two soDIMM modules"

so both 400 and 677 MHz chips are DDR2.

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:45 pm
by aaa
No, different speeds won't cause problems.

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:05 pm
by rkawakami
joshrob wrote:According to the manual the laptop's (not thinkpad actually) system memory is: "256/512 MB of DDR2 400 memory, upgradeable to 2 GB using two soDIMM modules"
See, that's why I said PC-3200 (aka 400Mhz) is tricky.

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:22 pm
by ajkula66
Once again. the DIMM will not physically fit. Some PC3200 will work in PC2700 slots, but no PC4200 and above will work in a PC3200 slot.

What type of CPU is used in the given laptop?

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:29 pm
by aaa
The only thing that matters is DDR vs DDR2.

My understanding is that this laptops uses DDR2-400. Yes, that did exist at one point.

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:44 pm
by joshrob
to quote the manual once again

"Intel® Celeron® M processor 360/370/380 (1 MB L2 cache, 1.40/1.50/1.60 GHz, 400 MHz FSB)"

http://img.ktr.pl/r/ramksodimm1gddr2400 ... 400cl3.pdf

http://img.ktr.pl/r/ramksodimm512ddr266 ... 667cl5.pdf

sorry ajkula66 but both above RAM chips have 1.8V voltage and 200pins, I do not see any reason why they should not fit in the same slot.

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:30 pm
by ajkula66
Nothing for you, OP, to say sorry for...that's up to me. I guess I've just learned something new...never have I seen a DDR2 PC3200 RAM, so thanks for the lesson and please forgive my stubbornness.

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:55 pm
by joshrob
None offence taken, George.

Cheers and thanks everybody for discussion.

Regards,