Z doesn't boot with 8GB RAM

I have just tried 2 x 4GB Corsair but my Z690 doesn't boot. Anyone who successfully boot Z with 8GB can suggest some other brands?

Thanks!

 

It's too expensive 2 x 4GB. Did you try 1x4GB?

 

Yes it will boot with either 1x4G installed, and it will boot with 2G+4G=6G installed, but it will not boot with 2x4G=8G installed

 

Did you upgraded bios ?
Z vaio support DDR3 RAM
look here : http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=297224&page=47

but this is Vaio AW series ..

 

Make sure you have the right RAM (DDR3), but chances are Sony may have this locked in BIOS. Sony has done it in the past. For example, my G2 wouldn't boot if I had 4GB in there; Sony only allowed 2GB of RAM total.

 

That's a shame, i'm at 2gb+4gb now and was looking forward to going to the full 8gb. As someone has already said sony has a tendency to lock max ram at the bios level. The chipset on my old S could handle 4gb but it wouldn't POST if i put in more than 2gb. I've had sony's from as far back as the V505 but their draconian way of locking users out of bios' (first their handling of VT on the Z's and now this) makes me want to give up on them. Not that they're the only manufacturer to seriously gimp the bios options on laptops. I woud say you could try sony support and hope you get someone sympathetic to your problem on the line though i have a feeling they would just reiterate that the machine can only handle 6gb of ram.

 

Now, to be fair, in theory the Z should support 8GB (the hardware is capable), but Sony never said it does.

They do make some laptops which do support 8GB (I believe the BZ does), but it's clearly not the same. I would bet Sony will support 8GB at some point, but not now. 8GB for the Z is also really expensive - $700 or above. So I would bet that has a lot to do with it.

Stuff like this is what's driven me to try the HP 2530p (which was a massive failure for me) and now a Toshiba (the R600). I'm hoping come the fall when Windows 7 is out, and Sony really has to support VT-x if they want to sell Ultimate, they'll come around.

 

The issue with 4+4GB memory is not in it being recognized but rather with total electric current required to run it. There is a limit on how much memory bus can provide. Seek for 4GB DIMMs that have minimal number of chips on them. Also, not all chips created equal: some may be less power hungry than others. That also explains why 2+4GB combo may work - it just barely fits to electric current requirement.

 

Oops! Meant to say they'd just reiterate that the max was 4gb on the machine per their marketing specs.

Now if they could just give the Z's the BZ's bios, i'd be a happy camper, though i don't really ever use VT-x it irks me to know that should i ever need to i wouldn't be able to.

The ram could very well be a voltages issue as stated by ZugZug in which case a bios update might not really help. Unfortunately i can't seem to find what the voltage is on the Corsair 4gb dimm, well without turning off the machine and just checking the chip, which i might do later. The Crucial 4gb 204 Dimm has a voltage of 1.5V according to newegg.

 

i think this is the point. if no one has the experience here i'll have to ask ebay seller how they manage to install 8GB and boot.

also note that the new Z4 series from Hong Kong site now officially supports 8GB at max

 

both corsair and crucial is working at 1.5V voltage. i have just returned corsair and ordered a pair of crucial to see if it works

 

crucial is not good
corsair is better quality..