HP Pavilion ze4530us Memory

[Rich Anton]

I ordered a cheap generic SODIMM to add 128mb of memory. It's sold by
Coast to Coast Memory. It did not work at all. So I am wondering if
there is something special about the HP memory. The original memory
manufacturer is Infineon.

[Ben Myers]

Rich,

It is rare these days for computer manufacturers to use strange and wonderful
memory modules. There's simply no margin in it. Whatever money they would make
selling proprietary memory is more than wiped out by the design and
manufacturing costs of building something really bizarre.

The HP web site states "256 MB DDR SDRAM (1 x 256 MB) at 266 MHz" as the
original memory in the computer. I doubt very much that good quality DDR
SODIMMs would fail. Other nomenclature for this memory is PC2100. It's likely
that PC2700 (333MHz) memory would also work.

Infineon is a joint venture between Siemens and Hyundai, and the quality of the
memory chips is good. But, then, so are Crucial (Micron) and Samsung, the two
other very large manufacturers of memory chips and (sometimes) SODIMMs and other
memory modules. Also Kingston and Simple Tech are respectable brands.

Assuming you can still return the memory for a refund, do so. Tell the seller
you got bad memory, and don't want a replacement. Then buy some good quality
memory, but not HP memory, outrageously priced for the "genuine HP" sticker
added to it... Ben Myers

On 9 Apr 2004 16:14:49 -0700, antonr01@yahoo.com (Rich Anton) wrote:
I ordered a cheap generic SODIMM to add 128mb of memory. It's sold byCoast to Coast Memory. It did not work at all. So I am wondering ifthere is something special about the HP memory. The original memorymanufacturer is Infineon.

[Just mee]

Question:

Did you pair up this new memory with the original, or simply replace
the original?

The reason I ask is that newer computers do not like memory sticks
that are not "matched" ( and this has nothing whatsoever to do with
the brand name, but the memory sticks actually have to be internally a
match with each other, or the computer will not like it).

So if you did pair it up with the original, the memory may be fine,
but failed because it was not an internal match to the original.

YMMV,
JM

On 9 Apr 2004 16:14:49 -0700, antonr01@yahoo.com (Rich Anton) wrote:
I ordered a cheap generic SODIMM to add 128mb of memory. It's sold byCoast to Coast Memory. It did not work at all. So I am wondering ifthere is something special about the HP memory. The original memorymanufacturer is Infineon.

[gb]

As to "matching" memory, my experience is just the opposite. Right now my
HP ze4300 is running one 512mb PC2700 SODIMM and one 512mb PC2100 SODIMM
(they are both good quality though). Absolutely, no problems.

I agree that when buying multiple new pieces of memory, it's best to buy
"matching" ones, but you can't assume that it is the source of of a problem
or that it is unlikely to work.

[Mark Bilger]

Mostly, "matched" memory is only necessary when you are running
dual-channel DDR and want to achieve the fastest timings. I've never seen a
case where a PC2700 module didn't work in a system that requires (minimum)
PC2100 timings. I will admit I haven't seen everything, though. Exactly what
do you mean "it didn't work at all"? Was it detected as being present in
BIOS? Maybe you didn't get it seated correctly? Is that possible? Good luck.

E-vil

"gb" <notanaddress@notadomain.com> wrote in message
news:40789044$0$49440$a04e5680@nnrp.fuse.net... As to "matching" memory, my experience is just the opposite. Right now my HP ze4300 is running one 512mb PC2700 SODIMM and one 512mb PC2100 SODIMM (they are both good quality though). Absolutely, no problems. I agree that when buying multiple new pieces of memory, it's best to buy "matching" ones, but you can't assume that it is the source of of a
problem or that it is unlikely to work.