RAM

[fredadore]

Hi, what RAM do I use to upgrade this laptop?  The laptop currently has 1 x 4GB DDR4 2666 PC4-2133.  I want to upgrade from 4GB to 32GB.  The HP site said it should be DDR4 2666 PC4-2133 32GB (2 x 16GB) but that didn't work even with 1 sodimm.  I found on another site that it should be DDR4 3200 PC4-2566 but that didn't work either even if I installed 1 sodimm.  The laptop currently has 1 x 4GB DDR4 2666 PC4-2133.  When I move the 4GB to the other slot it doesn't work, the same thing happens with the new RAM or moving the 4GB, fan starts and continues to ramp up speed but it will not boot or post.

I am not new to IT work but this is the first time I have run accross this issue in before.  The incorrect RAM will sometimes do this but 2 separate purchases of RAM that was supposed to work didn't work.

Thanks, Ted

[NonSequitur777]

@fredadore,

Welcome to our HP community forum!

Depending on your processor, the fastest RAM in your HP Notebook - 15-Db0031nr (4JB82UA) can run is 2400 MHz:

Link: c06719946.pdf (hp.com).

Also confirmed here: UserBenchmark: HP Laptop 15-db0xxx Compatible Components.

What I would try, if you are still interested in 2 x 16GB (and if you got a Ryzen processor!), is to purchase this RAM: DDR4 PC4-19200, 2400 MHz, Dual Rank (2Rx8) Non-ECC, Unbuffered, SODIMM, 260-pin RAM, such as this purchase example: Timetec 32GB KIT(2x16GB) DDR4 2400MHz PC4-19200 Non-ECC Unbuffered 1.2V CL17 2Rx8 Dual Rank 260 Pin ....

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[fredadore]

Thanks for the reply NonSequitur777.  This is very frustrating, with any other manufacturer I can look up specs with model & S/N (or Ser Tag) and get detailed information but not with HP.  Anyway it is an AMD A9 3.1GHs (reporting from Windows) and according to the chart below I would have to get DDR4-1866 dual channel support for A9 processor.  Why did the 4GB of DDR4-2666 work that came it the laptop.

Thanks for you help.

[NonSequitur777]

@fredadore,

First, let's ascertain what the actual clock speed is of your existing RAM in your laptop.  To that end, please download/install this freeware utility program called CPU-Z from here.

Run it, and click on the "Memory" tab:

The actual RAM speed your RAM is running at is the "DRAM Frequency" x 2: in my HP ZBook, that is 3200 MHz.

There may be an issue with your second RAM slot, of course.  Please inspect it carefully and try compressed ("canned") air to clean it out.

On second thought, perhaps you want to try out 2 x 8GB of RAM, such as this purchase option. That would still be a major upgrade compared with the 4GB RAM and is less likely to cause issues.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[fredadore]

I downloaded and ran CPU-Z, the DRAM Frequency is 931.4 Mhz.

Thanks,

[NonSequitur777]

@fredadore,

That means your 2666 MHz RAM has 'bridged' (down throttled) to 1866 MHz as expected.

At this point in time, as mentioned, I would try a matching 2 x 8GB 2400 MHz RAM kit.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[fredadore]

Two things, I can't get the second RAM slot to work.  I have cleaned the slot with air and still nothing.  I did find in my collection 2 x 4GB PC4-2400T  PC4-19200 and both slots work and Windows reported 8GB and CPU-Z had it running at 931.4MHz.  Supprisingly Windows is reporting the AMD processor as A9-9425 which it did not do with the previous RAM.  So the second slot would not work without the first slot having the correct RAM.

Secondly, I found and used this DOS command "wmic memphysical get maxcapacityEx" and it reported 67108864 which is maximum capacity if you know the number of channels of memory.

So you are correct on the speed of RAM (DDR4-2400) but what is your best guess on the amount of RAM?

Thanks, Ted

[NonSequitur777]

@fredadore,

Well, when you divide 67108864 by 1024 and again by 1024, you get 64GB.

In other words, if we are to believe the WMIC command result, your laptop should be capable of fitting 2 x 32GB RAM!

This is interesting, because secondary sources, such as Crucial, specify 2 x 16GB as the maximum RAM limit.

Regardless, I wouldn't go beyond a 2 x 16GB matching (dual Rank) 2400 MHz RAM kit, as you wouldn't gain much system performance beyond 2 x 16GB.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777