R50p - memory upgrade problem

[davorin74]

Dear all.
I decided to upgrade my R50p to max. amount of memory (2GB by spec.). I also upgrade BIOS to the newest version (and loaded BIOS defaults).
Until now I use 2x512MB PC2700 SODIMM with no problems.
I bought 2x1GB PC2700 CL2,5 200-pin SODIMM (Kingston KVR333X64SC25/1G).
When I put both in the notebook, BIOS usually doesn't start or sometime it go through and notebook freeze in the middle of booting Win7.
It is interesting that I can use 1x1GB (new) + 512MB (old). So the maximum of 1,5GB works with no problem.
What could be wrong that 2x1GB doesn't working?

I use IBM R50p (183223G)

[RealBlackStuff]

Welcome to the Forum.
I assume you also updated the Embedded Control Program, if that was not already at Version 3.04.
Go into BIOS, press F9 to load defaults, then press F10 to save and exit.
Try booting with a single 1GB in one slot, then move it to the other slot and try to boot.
Repeat with the other 1GB stick.
Then try both, and also swap those sticks.
Any better?
Get Memtest here: http://www.memtest.org/ and run it 2-3 cycles on each stick, then on both.

[A31]

If you can use 1.5GB RAM for the time being until you can get 2x 1GB chips working properly, that should be good!
I'm not really sure why it won't allow you to have 2x 1GB RAM?? You've updated the BIOS and clearly you have accidently bought DDR2 rather than DDR SODIMMs if you can get 1.5GB to work...

Keep us updated on this!

[ajkula66]

No, I'm certain that OP has the correct RAM installed.

Even if you managed to push DDR2 DIMM into a DDR slot, the machine would die on boot, right then and there. With no resurrection.

Having owned dozens of R50p units, I'll attest that they should work with 2GB RAM with no questions asked.

My initial thought would be a bad DIMM, closely followed by a bad slot.

Good luck.

[schen]

I recently experience some weird behaviors with lower end RAM on my T42 which seem fairly similar to the OP, although it was a set of Corsair Select 1GB modules.

Although they were identical, they behaved differently regardless of the slot used. One would cause the machine to not even finish the XP splash screen before it froze and the other would wait until you ran an application, then freeze the machine. Both were RMA'd back to Corsair and replaced, then the replacements exhibited the same symptoms.

I sold both to a friend with a Toshiba with similar specs to my T42 and they've run beautifully for the last 3 months! Go figure.

[Adda]

Back when I had an R50p I used 2x1GB Corsair Value Select DDR400 sticks with no problems what so ever.
When buying generic memory for laptops, it is a good idea to buy sticks that can handle more than the laptop can give, to make sure they can run at the speeds an latencies the laptop demands.
With my T22 I bought 2x256MB PC133 CL 3-3-3-7 Dane-Elec sticks and they didn't work with it at all, so I returned them and bought some Crucial PC143 sticks and they worked like a charm.
I still use those Crucial sticks today in my A30 running 133MHz at CL 2-2-2-5.