"Generic" versus "name brand" RAM

[Patrick]

Nor can they guarantee that it'll (generic memory) work...with other mem they have sold you previously.

Well, in my case that won't be a problem. I plan to pull out all my current memory and fill the slots with the new RAM.

It's interesting (and sometimes confusing) to read all these conflicting opinions!

[Liquid Snake]

I used to use 256MB of some generic PC133 memory in my system. It worked fine, and my system was pretty stable (though I wouldn't say that it never crashed). Recently it was replaced by 384MB of Crucial PC133 (7E) and it seems like it crashes less, but I don't think I've been stressing my system much lately, so that may be why. I think generic RAM is basically hit-or-miss. Sometimes the generic stuff runs fine, sometimes it doesn't even work. With quality RAM it should always work (assuming you don't have a picky mobo).

[cbman]

Just to confuse the matter more.

Try not to get ram made in different countries because I heard from a guy who gets his PC repaired by djroberts (A reputable person from what I hear from his sister... or is it wife now) that the ram in different countries only recognize ram from that same country because the blueprints end up being different at the factory because there is so much lost in the translation.

Eg (Courtesy of Babblefish)

English (I made it all up btw)

The four layer PCB must be exactly 1.37 millimeters thick, have a path resistance of .76 Ohms and have traces that are spaced equidistant down to the connetor edge. Also only the highest quality PCB material must be used and the chips have to be fabbed at the .13 Micron level to allow the heat dissipation and power consumption to be within intels design specs.

Goes through translation to Chinese as such. (I don't have chinese characters enabled.)

用中文:
四层数PCB 必须确切地是1.37 毫米厚实, 有76 欧姆道路抵抗和有是间隔的等距离下来对connetor 边缘的踪影。并且唯一最高的质量PCB 材料必须被使用并且芯片必须是fabbed 于13 微米水平允许热扩散和电力消费是在intels 设计存储程序教育计算机之内。

Unfortunately poor lamos (The guys name) ends up with the following guidelines.

Four layers PCB must accurately be 1.37 millimeters thickness, has 76 ohms paths resistance and has is the gap 等距离 gets down to the connetor edge trace. And only the highest quality PCB material must use and the chip must be fabbed to 13 microns horizontal permissions thermodiffusions and the electric power expense is inside the intels design stored routine education computer.

I will let you draw your own conclusion on that one.

[Greebe]

Bwahahahahahaha

[djroberts]

Thank you cbman for the plug

Don't ever try to put Chinese + Japanese and Merican RAM in the same systum.

You will get some kinda goofy text that no one can read. Kinda like them Ejyptian Hirogilpfics.

So ya'll be careful what you put together now ya hear.

dj

[cbman]

inside the intels design stored routine education computer.

Hah... Now we know where Paul and Oboy spend their spare time...

[djroberts]

Hi cbman

You mean you can finish your education inside a computer. I better get me a bigger case.
One of them server cases would work huh.

dj

[rugger]

Generic ram

1 or 2 sticks of generic ram in a computer work fine

4 sticks of generic ram in a computer (even if each stick is fine by itself) has a much lesser chance of working.

Then when you want to take the ram back, they test each one individually (or by 2's) and fine they work fine.

Now you are stuck with 4 sticks of ram that don't all work together.

[TnT]

Between my brother and I we have bought probably 5 sticks of RAM from a local shop and have had no problems. Although I think their generic RAM is Micron half the time. Maybe that is why we haven't had any problems.

All I'm saying is that if you just need good RAM, not RAM for overclocking and/or server use, then a reputable local store will tend to sell reputable RAM at generic prices. Maybe this isn't true for everywhere else and I'm just lucky to have a few good stores near me.

[Greebe]

@TnT... and hope you don't have a picky MB!

I had purchased two different types of "generic" PC100 and PC133 with "micron chip" mem from a reputable dealer where I use to live and neither would work on the MB. Crucial's PC100 and PC133 "7E" did. I kept the "7E"

[Patrick]

Better late than never...

I just realized that I had never posted the outcome.

I installed all the RAM that I had mentioned above and it seems to work fine. The only "glitch" is sometimes Windows reports that 1022 Mbs of RAM is installed rather than 1024 Mbs. I figure I can spare those 2 Mbs. Thanks everyone for your advice.