R61e - RAM issues - BSOD

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twr7cx · #1 Post by **twr7cx** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:31 am

I have purchased 2 x 2GB DDR2 PC-5300 667MHz 200-pin SO-DIMM Corsair Value Select VS2GSDS667D2 RAM to fit into my Lenovo R61e ThinPad which has a maximum capacity of 4GB of this type of RAM.
The old RAM is 2 x Samsung 512MB DDR2 SODIMM 200-pin PC2-5300 M470T6554CZ3-CE6 RAM.

So I removed the old Samsung RAM, and replaced with the Corsair. Booted the computer up and as it was loading Vista it gave me the BSOD - the error message was "PFN_LIST_CORRUPT". I tried again, same deal. Tried Safe Mode, same deal. Tried putting the installation DVD in, and near the end of loading the files it does the same deal.

So I did a bit of playing around. If I fit either 1, and only 1 of the Corsair RAM's into the computer, into either Slot 0 or slot 1, and leave the other slot, the computer will load no dramas and Vista will show 2GB of RAM. But if it's in slot 1 and slot 0 is empty, i get a message on booting up warning me of this, but i can press a button and it'll continue to load up.

Now if I fit a corsair RAM into Slot 1 (the top slot), and a samsung into slot 0 (the bottom slot), the computer loads fine and shows 2.5GB of RAM. I tried this with both combinations.

But I do the same as above, but instead put the Corsair into slot 0, and the Samsung into slot 1 I get a new BSOD, this time the error is "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL" - happens with both modules of corsair and samsung.

So i put the two samsung modules back in and works fine.

Any ideas?
Could it just be faulty RAM? Or incompatible brand/model?

twr7cx · #2 Post by **twr7cx** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:30 am

Just a bit of an update, I stole some RAM out of my Toshiba Tecra M4. It uses DDR2, but only PC-4300 or 533MHz (slower). The module in it was a 1GB Samsung, m470t2953by3-cd5.

Had this Toshiba Samsung module in slot 1, and the Corsair in slot 0 and BSOD - pfn list corrupt message.

Swaped them around so Toshiba in slot 0 and corsair in slot 1 and vista loads up and shows 3GB of ram.

So - what does this mean? I guess it means that if I can't get the 2 x 2gb units to work, I can hopefully get a 1GB unit in the correct speed and at least cut my losses having 3gb.

sjthinkpader · #3 Post by **sjthinkpader** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:41 am

How many chips are on each SO-DIMM, 8 or 16?

twr7cx · #4 Post by **twr7cx** » Wed May 21, 2008 5:17 am

sjthinkpader wrote:How many chips are on each SO-DIMM, 8 or 16?

16. May I ask if that makes a difference? Do you think if I get some sticks with 8 they'd be more likely to be compatible?

edit - just had a look around and i can't see any modules with only 8 chips.

twr7cx · #5 Post by **twr7cx** » Wed May 21, 2008 6:30 am

So I have run Memtest 86 v3.3 with the 1GB Toshiba and 1 x 2GB Corsair in and it passed no dramas. I've removed them and fitted the other corsaid and 1 of the original samsungs, running it again.

My guess is that there's nothing wrong with the memory, just not compatible with the computer.

I've found some garanteed compatible on ebay usa for $50 per stick. I'm wondering if I just buy 1 of these and put in slot 0 and a corsair in slot 1 if it'll work as it currently is...

twr7cx · #6 Post by **twr7cx** » Wed May 21, 2008 8:04 am

All the RAM passed memtest - so must just be a case of incompatibility with the brands and sizes.

twr7cx · #7 Post by **twr7cx** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:37 am

So I've just installed 2 genuine Lenovo RAM units - 2GB each and same issue. It's got me beat.

j00j4nt200 · #8 Post by **j00j4nt200** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:15 am

Did you tried update to latest bios? (with stabile memory off course)

R61e - RAM issues - BSOD

R61e - RAM issues - BSOD

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