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    HP 8740w -- Upgrading RAM -- Is 4 x 2GB (or 4 x 4Gb) likely to cause shutdowns?

    Discussion in 'HP Business Class Notebooks' started by nrFan3, Aug 17, 2013.

  1. nrFan3

    nrFan3 Newbie

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    I have an HP 8740w that currently has 4GB of RAM.

    I would like to upgrade the RAM to a total of either 8GB or 16GB.

    I could install the 8GB as 2 x 4GB, and have 2 slots left open. . Or I could do the 8GB as 4 x 2GB, and have four-fold symmetry, filling all 4 slots.

    In a similar vein, I could install 16GB as 2 x 8GB, and have 2 slots left open. . Or I could do the 16GB as 4 x 4GB, and have four-fold symmetry, filling all four slots.

    One might think that four-fold symmetry would be preferred. . However, in researching RAM configurations on the 8740w, I came across a forum thread at hp.com which states that filling all four slots causes unexpected shutdowns for some 8740w owners . . .

    8740w shuts off with four memory chips - HP Support Forum - 257720

    [One post (dated 02-08-2012) on the above thread even states that . . . "I have 35 of the HP8740W's. My failure rate has been about 75%. I have one unit that is on it 4th motherboard. Some units have not failed but many have failed more than once." (He/she leaves unclear what percentage of the 35 laptops had four-slots-filled.)]

    My questions are...

    - Has anyone here experienced this problem?

    - Does anyone here any further information relating to the cause or solution of this problem?

    - Is there any way to tell in advance whether I should avoid filling all four slots?

    Thanks for your counsel and/or replies.
     
    nrFan3, Aug 17, 2013
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  2. nrFan3

    nrFan3 Newbie

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    In trying to research this further, I have found a possibly-related thread . . .

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-business-class-notebooks/686197-would-you-exchange-8740w-8760w-free.html

    . . . with a possibly-related post by "Molvol" dated 5th September, 2012 12:33AM [scroll down about half to two-thirds of the way down]. Part of that post says: . "I'm sure it is a software issue related to Win7. There are numerous people here that report their 8740w is crashing when going into or resuming from sleep (and I even found reports of people with other laptops not to mention several M$ hotfixes trying to address the problem) . . ."

    It may be that what is presented as a memory-slot problem in the hp.com thread is really more of Windows 7 software issue for Window 7 running on the 8740w ? ?

    I would appreciate hearing from anyone who may be able to shed any light on these matters.
     
    nrFan3, Aug 19, 2013
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