2x4GB DDR3L 1600MHz works in Pavilion DM1 but not Elitebook 8440p? But both support only 1066MHz RAM

[N_Maniac_64]

I have two Elitebook 8440p PCs that both run an Intel i5 520m (though one of them has a discrete Nvidia NVS 3100m while the other does not and uses the integrated Intel graphics).

I also have a Pavilion DM1-3020us with an AMD E-350 APU; this is the only other PC I own that takes SO-DIMM DDR3 modules.

I just bought this Crucial 2x4GB DDR3L 1600MHz in hopes of using it with the 8440p without the Nvidia graphics:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/crucial-2-pack-4gb-1-6ghz-pc3-12800-ddr3l-so-dimm-unbuffered-non-ecc-lap...

However, it causes hangs and BSODs as soon as it tried to boot into Win7 64bit on both 8440p PCs.  Also when trying to boot Linux Mint 18 I gut a kernel panic, and running Memtest86+ just results in the PC restarting after a few seconds.  Yet I can navigate around the BIOS all day long and it'll keep running fine...

But here's where it gets really odd - the RAM works perfectly fine in my DM1 laptop in both Memtest86+ and Win7 64bit (I'm using it as I type this).  Why is this odd?  Because both the AMD E-350 and the Intel i5 520m only support up to 1066MHz RAM!

The only thing I can think of is that there's something wacky where the RAM can't run at 1066MHz at 1.5v or isn't able to run at 1.5v at all (the E-350 support 1.35v and 1.5v RAM while the i5 520m only supports 1.5v) which itself would be really odd as Micron (who actually manufactured the RAM) states on their website that their 1.35v and 1.5v RAM actually have the same die (much like mobile quad i7s vs desktop quad i5s) and that both can run at 1.5v, thereby implying that the 1.35v product is simply a higher binning:

https://www.micron.com/~/media/documents/products/technical-note/dram/tn4114_ddr3_1_35v_1_5v_compat....

Nevertheless, Crucial live chat support closed several hours ago for the day, so I figured I'd at least make this post in the meantime.

[banhien]

Hi,

No, they are not the same kind of machine. MHz alone won't guaranty RAM from one machine would on another machine specially Elitebook 8440p machine is an upper class machine.

Regards.

[N_Maniac_64]

Well of course they're not exactly the same, but if the 8440p is a higher-end machine and considering that Intel memory controllers are superior to AMD ones (especially vs Bobcat), then if anything one would expect the RAM to work in the 8440p and not the DM1 rather than the other way around.

Regardless, if it's not the MHz and theoretically not the voltage, then what else could the issue be?  Timings?  I honestly didn't think timings made any difference compatibility-wise.

Oh and for reference, the RAM that was already in the DM1 works perfecctly fine in the 8440p...

[banhien]

Hi,

Please use the following parts:

4096-MB memory module (PC3-10600 DDR3 1333-MHz) 599092-001
2048-MB memory module (PC3-10600 DDR3 1333-MHz) 598856-001
1024-MB memory module (PC3-10600 DDR3 1333-MHz) 598859-001

and a note from HP:

NOTE: Due to the non-industry standard nature of some third-party memory modules, we recommendHP branded memory to ensure compatibility. If you mix memory speeds, the system will perform at thelower memory speed. Full availability of 4 GB or more of memory requires a Windows 64-bit operatingsystem or Linux. With Windows 32-bit operating systems, the amount of usable memory is dependentupon your configuration, so that above 3 GB all memory may not be available due to system  resourcerequirements

Regards.

[N_Maniac_64]

Could you at least explain to me why, even if the voltage and speed is compatible, it could be possible for the RAM to not work?  And even then how it could work perfectly fine in the BIOS but not once it tries to actually boot into an OS?

Also a large part of the reason I bought that RAM was because I had a Best Buy gift card.  Without that, I likely wouldn't have even bothered.  Therefore it's more likely that I'll go into Best Buy directly to return the RAM and actually bring the physical PC and manually test for compatibility right then and there in the store (and maybe even run a Memtest since it is included in the bootloader for Linux Mint 18).

[banhien]

Hi,

You need more than speed and voltage

          

Regards.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Please see this thread, and the discussion I posted within that thread...and you will have your answer. 

The 6550b has the same chipset as the 8440p.  I have posted the link to the NewEgg site for the memory you need to buy if you live in the USA/Canada within the discussion I referenced to the other person who had the 8440p.

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/RAM-memory-modules-that-actuall...

There are several discussions regarding this issue if you want to search some more.  All solved by the specific G.Skill memory I posted.

As far as why it works in the dm1 and not the 8440p, the chipsets are different.  The Intel chipset in the 8440p does not support DDR3L voltage.  Comparing AMD and Intel chipsets are like comparing apples and oranges.

I also believe the amd chipset in the dm1 is newer than the chipset in the 8440p, and thus supports the low voltage memory.

I would just return the memory, and use the gift card on something else. 

I doubt that Best Buy has that specific memory.

[N_Maniac_64]

Thank you Paul for that - it provides a much clearer explaination of the issue at hand in that the chipset becomes incredibly picky when the memory runs maximum-size modules.  This reminds me of the Intel 965 chipset where I couldn't run 2x2GB but could run 2GB+1GB...

Seems to me that Intel memory controllers are merely faster than their AMD counterparts, but when it comes to compatibility, AMD wins.

...though I can't help but think that the Intel chipset not supporting 1.35v memory shouldn't make a difference since Micron's 1.35v memory is supposed to be able to be ran at 1.5v anyway.   Of course, "should" and "shouldn't" seems to be completely thrown out the window if the thread(s) you linked to are to be believed - this is very much in the area of what my father calls "digital hocus-pocus".

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

For some reason that Mobile Intel series 5 chipset rejects most memory installed.   Not only on the business models like the 8440p and 6550b, but also on the consumer dv6's etc. with the mobile Intel series 5 chipsets.

It is nuts...you buy memory that meets the specs, and it doesn't work for some odd ball reason.

But if you do want to install 2 x 4 GB of memory in your 8440p, that G.Skill memory will do the trick, and it isn't that expensive.