M2400E memory expansion

I bought an ASUS M2400E a year and a half ago. As it only came with 256 MB of memory (2 x 128 MB), I wanted to upgrade it to 640 MB (128 MB + 512 MB). The manual clearly states that I need to supply one 3.3 Volt 133MHz SDRAM SO-DIMM 144-pin module. Armed with this information, I bought a Kingston module that seemed to fit the bill, the KVR133X64SC3/512.

According to Kingston's web site, this should be a "Standard 64M X 64 Non-ECC 133MHz 144-pin Unbuffered SODIMM (SDRAM, 3.3V, CL3, Gold)". Seems to fit the bill perfectly, right?

Nope, the module doesn't fit! The space between the pins is located in a different spot. Here's what my current 128 MB module looks like (the one that was factory-installed):

<pre>
+--------------------------+
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|-|||| ||||||||||||||||||-+
</pre>

The new module looks like this:

<pre>
+--------------------------+
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|-||||||||||| |||||||||||-+
</pre>

As you can clearly see, the space is in the middle. I'm sure that there's some kind of agreed-upon standard for this, and that the reason the space is even there is to prevent people from inserting incompatible memory.

So my question is this: where did I go wrong? I have tried, to no avail, to find information on this notebook on the Internet, but there is no such information to be found (the M2400N seems to be the model that everyone talks about). According to Kingston, the M2400N needs memory like this. Is this what I should be getting?

Thanks for any insights you can provide me with!

 

I have upgraded the memory in my M2400N, and I used a stick of Kingmax DDR-266 512Mb so-dimm, this works great (http://218.214.72.24/eshared/images/Hardware/Memory/KM/MSDC22D-38KB3_B.gif"). Note this is 200pin and the stuff your trying to use is 144pin thats why it won't fit. Where did it tell you to get that speed ram, cause they are barking ya up the wrong tree.

From the ASUS web site:
http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?modelmenu=2&model=34&l1=5&l2=23&l3=0
Main Memory - On board 256 MB DDR266 (M2000N) / DDR333 (M2000Ne) DRAM design
- 1 x SODIMM socket for expansion up to 768MB (BTO option) on system bottom side

Hope this helps, and make sure you get a refund for the ram ya got.
a

ps kingston ram should work fine as well, I have used Geil ram and it is also fine in my M6Ne


ASUS M6Ne 15.4" WSXGA 1.7 PM ATI9700 80Gb HDD 1Gb RAM

 

Thanks for your reply!

I got that information straight from the manual (p. 56). The computer on the cover looks exactly like my notebook, and it says "M2 Series" on the cover, so I can't imagine that they have given me the wrong manual.

Your memory looks exactly like the one that is already in my machine. Apparently, I need 200-pin memory. I'm not convinced that I have a M2400Ne machine -- it doesn't say so anywhere, it only says M2400E. I consciously chose not to get the Centrino-powered notebook (M2400N), as I'm running Linux and Intel had no drivers for the wireless chip for Linux at that time.

Viking Components has the M2400E in their database. Supposedly, I should get a "DDR266/PC2100 SO DIMM". Interestingly enough, the M2400N is not listed as being compatible with this memory module, only the M2400E.

As I can't find any technical information on the Viking part, I think that I'll simply get that one. Thanks for your help.

 

I'm sure that Viking makes great components, but yikes, are they expensive! I'm getting this part instead.

Those configurators sure come in handy!

 

Thats abit weird ie manual thing. Maybe there was an earlier model that took SD ram?? But as far as I know the M2N only ever came in a PM cpu + DDR ram but that don't mean other varieties don't exist. Also this model can be config. by the retailer so it may have been the retailer who has changed things up??? It is possible that it is a M2N but was sold without the intel wireless card thus didn't carry the centrino (marketing) bagde.
Can you use cpu-z or asusprobe? these will help give some more info on what your machine is...asus probe will give m/b details which are = to model #, while cpuz is good for memory info speed, etc. Both are free.
Other than that I would make sure that you can exchange the memory before ya buy just in case.
Good luck and I hope it works out...my wifes M2N runs like a dream with the extra RAM (256+512Mb), its virtually a new machine...even used it for a BF1942 Lan the other nite and it went quite well.
a




ASUS M6Ne 15.4" WSXGA 1.7 PM ATI9700 80Gb HDD 1Gb RAM

 

From what I gathered, the M2E should basically be a M2N but without the Centrino stuff. I still find Asus' model numbers confusing -- some sites refer to a M2000E, some M2E and yet others M2400E. I don't know if M2000E simply refers to the M2000E series, or if there is an actual model called M2000E. As my manual is for the "M2 series", I'm assuming that all M2* models are extremely similar, so that they even ship with an identical manual.

It clearly says "M2400E" on the back of my notebook, so I'm pretty sure that's what I'm actually using, but I wouldn't mind running those diagnostics utilities, if you could share more on what they do, where I can get them, etc (a link would be fine).

Here's the output of /proc/acpi/asus/info, which would indicate that it indeed is a M2E:

<pre>
Asus Laptop ACPI Extras Driver 0.29
Model reference : M2E
SFUN value : 0x027f
DSDT length : 18048
DSDT checksum : 68
DSDT revision : 1
OEM id : ASUS
OEM table id : M2000E
OEM revision : 0x1000
ASL comp vendor id : MSFT
ASL comp revision : 0x100000e
</pre>

(/proc is a virtual file system in Linux that gives lots of information on the computer hardware and the kernel.)

Glad to hear that your wife's machine runs better with the extra RAM! I'm trying to do some image-processing on 5 megapixel images, and the machine keeps hitting the disk as it runs out of real RAM. Quite painful, especially considering the slow disks that are normally in notebooks. Other than that, I'm quite pleased with my machine, the battery is even holding up well after all this time.

 

Yup, that's my machine all right, although there's a 1.8 GHz P4 CPU in mine. I did get 512 MB of 266 MHz memory, I suppose that I will have to replace one of the 128 MB modules with that one for a total of 640 MB RAM. That will certainly help with the GIMPing (the main image editing program on Linux is called The GIMP)

Thanks for helping me out.

 

Ok I finally found some info on the M2E model. All the info on this one has been striped from the ASUS website. It looks like you can put a Max of 512 266 DDR ram in! This should help quite abit. My wife was also really struggling with photoshop images, hers are 8Mp but now with the extra ram it fly's no probs, so hopefully the same will happen for you!
I must admit I had never seen or heard of the M2E, I orginally mistook it for the M2Ne, so sorry for any mis info that I might have given.
Good luck with the upgrade
a



Asus M2400E DVD/CDRW Notebook Base Unit 2,524.25
Windows XP Home 0.00
Intel Mobile Celeron 1.5GHz 256K 56.35
Fujitsu 20GB IDE Hard drive Short Supply - call for availability! 205.85
14.1" Colour XGA TFT Screen, 1024 x 768 64k colour
128MB DDR 266 Ram onboard (+ 1 SODIMM slot, expansion up to 640MB)
2 Year International Warranty (RTB)*
SiS 650 + 961 Chipset, SiS MuTIOL technology delivery of 533MB/sec bandwidth
Intel Mobile P4 Processor 1.5GHz+ ready or Intel Mobile Celeron 1.4+ ready.
8x8x4x24 DVD/CDRW Combo Drive (interchangeable with FDD, 2nd HDD, Traveller's Drawer)
Optional External USB Floppy Drive
SiS 650 Integrated Graphics, 16MB to 64MB (16MB Default)
1 x IEEE1394, 1 x IR, 1 x VGA, 2 x USB, 1 x printer, 1 x RJ-11, 1 x RJ-45,
2 x audio, 1 x PortBar II/PortDock II connector, 1 x PCMCIA (Type II)
Built-in 56K modem, 10/100 LAN, 5 instant launch keys, built-in touch pad
IBM ViaVoice v8.0, Adobe Acrobat Reader v4.05, PC-Cillin 2000, PC Probe
Li-Ion battery, AC Adapter, Carry Bag, Logitech Aluminium Mouse
Dimensions: 306(W)x253(D)x22(H)mm (front) 36mm(rear), Weight: 1.98kg (with travellers drawer)
* Warranty on battery is one year only and cannot be upgraded


ASUS M6Ne 15.4" WSXGA 1.7 PM ATI9700 80Gb HDD 1Gb RAM