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    M17x R1 RAM issues

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by nemoris, Sep 8, 2012.

  1. nemoris

    nemoris Notebook Evangelist

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    Hello, I've recently tried to upgrade my ram for my M17x R1, but ran into issues with the Kingston HyperX 4GB 1600 Modules.

    My computer boots fine with I have my old 2GB 1066 stick + this Kingston 4GB 1600 stick (and it shows that I have 6GB of ram)... but it doesn't boot at all (just a black screen, can't get into bios or anything) when I have two Kingston 4GB sticks in, or just a single one in WITHOUT the original 2 GB stick. I've made sure none of them are defective by testing each one also.

    I know these HyperX are faster with 1600mhz, and my computer can only go up to 1333, but shouldn't that not matter? Shouldn't it just downscale itself to 1333 (or 1066)? It's especially confusing because it works perfectly fine with it is combined with my 1066 2GB stick.

    Thanks for any help.
     
    nemoris, Sep 8, 2012
    #1
  2. mihaispd

    mihaispd Notebook Enthusiast

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    From what i know the problem is your motherboard doesnt know 1600 ram...and when you connect 2 with different values of ram the system is running on the lower value ...in your case the 1066.
    That means that even the Kingston ram is running at 1066.
    So you wont gonna make it work cause the motherboard doesnt know the 1600 ram values.
     
    mihaispd, Sep 8, 2012
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  3. nemoris

    nemoris Notebook Evangelist

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    Ah, I was afraid of that. So there is no way to make the motherboard accept the Kingstons as 1066? Quite annoying... especially because I've read that it was okay to put higher ram into your notebook because it'll just downclock. Disappointing if it's not true for this case... gotta go through another week or so to return this to try another and all.

    Thanks for the reply~
     
    nemoris, Sep 8, 2012
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  4. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    Certain higher clocked memory doesn't like being run at that low speed. And does the R1 support 1333 MHz DDR3?
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Sep 8, 2012
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  5. nemoris

    nemoris Notebook Evangelist

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    Yeah, I've just read here in an old thread that it did.

    Totally sucks that this doesn't work... now I have to send it back, get hit with restocking fees, and wait another week to try another one.

    It's like my computer needs the old 2GB 1066 stick as a "guide" to tell it to run at 1066... which allows the 4GB 1600 stick to work with it... but once that 2GB stick is pulled out... the computer stops booting. It's crazy that I'm the only one that seems to be having this issue.
     
    nemoris, Sep 8, 2012
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  6. mihaispd

    mihaispd Notebook Enthusiast

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    What you have to do.. is sell the rams....both of them.
    Buy 2 rams with same specification, best 2x kit, with a 1333 and CL9 values.
     
    mihaispd, Sep 26, 2012
    #6