Why does high density DDR3 not work with some motherboards?

[Gaeus]

Hello all,

I would like to know from you all:

1. What is high density about all new RAM?
2. What is the technical reason it doesn't work with some motherboards?

Case in point:

My motherboard is an LGA775 P43 chipset ASUS P5P43TD board. I recently purchased Kingston HyperX 2 x 4GB DDR3-1600. The RAM doesn't work. After finding out about the high density, low density difference I wanted to know what is it on a hardware level/software level that inhibits the proper operation?

Thank you.

 

[junkeymonkey]

don't know if this helps any ??

Hi, I'm Jewel with Kingston Technical Support and would like to offer our assistance. It is possible that the HyperX 4GB memory modules are Single Rank as the latest builds of that part number are Single Rank. Up until recently 4GB modules were standard Dual Rank. Basically, the issue that can occur is that the memory module uses high capacity individual memory chips (DRAM) that the motherboard is not equipped to recognize. Usually, if a motherboard is able to recognized standard 8GB modules it should not have an issue recognizing Single Rank 4GB modules. A "1R" may be printed on the label which would indicate it as single rank. Otherwise, we can confirm this based on a reference number printed on the memory label that we can look up in our system. Other common issue with the DDR2/DDR3 combo motherboards that can be overlooked is that it only supports DDR2 OR DDR3 memory. This means you cannot have both DDR2 AND DDR3 memory installed at the same time, it is an either/or option. We do not currently support your PFG41C-M LX motherboard as we no longer manufacture memory that would be compatible with that motherboard. For any further assistance, please call us at 1-800-435-0640 (USA and Canada only) M - F 6am - 6pm PT and I or another available Technician will assist you. Please be sure to have the part in question on hand when you call.

thing is to find memory that's still compatible with older chipsets like yours ..


http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2926293/good-rams-g41m-combo.html

 

[martinch]

If it's any help, Crucial reckon their 8GB kits will work with your motherboard: http://uk.crucial.com/gbr/en/compatible-upgrade-for/ASUS/p5p43td

 

[junkeymonkey]

best thing to do is e-mail there support and get there word on it first that way it on them and your not left holding the bag

funny thing about all this is that 775 was a split ddr2/ddr3 and you see this issue today now look at skylake with its ddr3/ddr4 ??

wonder if this crap will pop up for it down the road as well as ddr4 evolves ??

 

[Gaeus]

don't know if this helps any ??

Hi, I'm Jewel with Kingston Technical Support and would like to offer our assistance. It is possible that the HyperX 4GB memory modules are Single Rank as the latest builds of that part number are Single Rank. Up until recently 4GB modules were standard Dual Rank. Basically, the issue that can occur is that the memory module uses high capacity individual memory chips (DRAM) that the motherboard is not equipped to recognize. Usually, if a motherboard is able to recognized standard 8GB modules it should not have an issue recognizing Single Rank 4GB modules. A "1R" may be printed on the label which would indicate it as single rank. Otherwise, we can confirm this based on a reference number printed on the memory label that we can look up in our system...

thing is to find memory that's still compatible with older chipsets like yours ..


http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2926293/good-rams-g41m-combo.html

Thanks for this information, junkeymonkey. I think my question is more along the lines of what is it about 1R that doesn't work on motherboards that support only 2R modules. I am confused about what is the actual technical reason behind the whole thing.

If it's any help, Crucial reckon their 8GB kits will work with your motherboard: http://uk.crucial.com/gbr/en/compatible-upgrade-for/ASU...

martinch,

Thanks for replying. How can I or anyone find out whether these modules are high density/low density with the information given on their site even though the Crucial web tool has picked the compatible models?

I think to add to my list of questions, or to ask in a different way, what is it about the engineering of the DDR3 modules that is not compatible with some boards? Or is it not even the engineering but requirement of manual setting in the BIOS?

 

[junkeymonkey]

contact Kingston with this and see how they reply to that ??

then post it here so we can all see how they put it to you and know better next time ?? you got old chipset and it may just be a limitation of it [''that the motherboard is not equipped to recognize''] and company's moved on from its support main stream products ??

time moves on and old things just get left in the dust and fade off in to the sun set

The density of a memory module is basically determined by the DRAM chips that make up the memory module. For example a 1GB DDR2 module like the one in your system can be made up of 8x 1Gb (gigabit) chips or 16x 512Mb (megabit) chips. The fewer chips on the module, the higher the density. This is because the individual DRAM chips have a higher density to make up the full megabyte value of the actual memory module.



Most systems will accept either type without any issues and so we manufacture and sell both types of memory. If a particular system's chipset has issues identifying a certain type then we usually have this information built into our Advisor Tools to ensure customers get the correct upgrade. Your system is one of those affected by such problems and so we do only recommend lower density 16 chip versions of the 1GB modules. It is possible that you have not used the Advisor Tool and just bought the part from a generic list and this is why you did not get the specific revision you needed.

We can of course exchange it for you, please follow the link below to view the return options:



http://www.crucial.com/uk/support/returns.aspx


'' am sorry but that MB is based on the Intel P43 Chipset and as the information on this chipset comes up with an error on Intel's site, I would check with them to be sure what the Chipset will support, but I would assume it will be the same spec as the P35-X38 Chipset which can only support memory made with 128M X 8 Memory IC's and we no longer manufacturer memory made with these IC's most of our production has moved to 256M x 8 or 512M X 8 Memory IC's. Sorry.

http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86998&highlight=ASUS+P5P43TD

looks like if you were to find something that works today you better grab it if it better then what you all ready got