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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > PowerMac G4 AGP + more Ram = nothing

PowerMac G4 AGP + more Ram = nothing
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iNeusch
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Jun 13, 2006, 09:00 AM
 
Hello all...
I've been trying to find an answer to this on the forums but couldn't... please forgive me if the answer was somewhere else...

I've been playing with and old G4 350 AGP graphics to handle a few server duties I didn't want on my powerbook anymore.

Installed Tiger on it, everything is setup fine and works headless with Apple Remote Desktop. I even poped the graphic card out... just for fun

The mac is installed with 256 mb of PC133 ram, and so I wanted to add some more and got a 512 and a 128 mb upgrades from old stuff I had. These are PC133 ram chips and it seems that they are not recognized by the mac... just shows empty slots in about tis mac > more info...

Is that mac at its max at 256 mb with Tiger ? Any idea ?
     
Nivag
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Jun 13, 2006, 10:07 AM
 
the PowerMac you've got takes PC100 ram and should be able to take 512MB chips. Although it is physically possible to install 2GB, a maximum of 1.5GB is addressed through the Finder under Mac OS.
     
iNeusch  (op)
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Jun 13, 2006, 10:16 AM
 
Thanks for your answer !

How come it works with a PC133 256mb chip ? and not when I add more PC133 chips ?
     
OreoCookie
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Jun 13, 2006, 10:30 AM
 
Faster RAM such as PC133 RAM should be backwards-compatible. However, especially if you have cheap RAM from a PC, there is a significant likelihood that it won't work. This is due to the fact that no-name RAM often doesn't stick to the corresponding specifications.

On the other hand, the RAM modules might be defective. Have you checked them in another computer?
( Last edited by OreoCookie; Jun 14, 2006 at 09:39 AM. )
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bowwowman
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Jun 14, 2006, 08:55 PM
 
Originally Posted by Nivag
the PowerMac you've got takes PC100 ram and should be able to take 512MB chips. Although it is physically possible to install 2GB, a maximum of 1.5GB is addressed through the Finder under Mac OS.
OS X does 2GB, OS 9 & << can only do 1.5Gb

And yes, a 350mhz Sawtoooth WILL take 4x PC 133 or PC 100 x 512's, but they have to be the right specs, specifically LOW density (16 X 32) with 8 IC's on each side of the pcb, 8ns, 3.3volts, NON-ECC, 168-pin SDRAM

thats what I have in my ST & it runs like a champ
Personally I find it hilarious that you have the hots for my gramma. Especially seeins how she is 3x your age, and makes your Brittney-Spears-wannabe 30-something wife look like a rag doll who went thru WWIII with a burning stick of dynamite up her a** :)
     
Eriamjh
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Jun 24, 2006, 08:23 PM
 
Not ALL PC133 is truly backwards compatible. First, you have to make sure that you get "low density" ram. I think it is sometimes called "32x8". Don't get 64x64 ram. That's high density ram.

There can also be odd problems when mixing ram. Some ram will make other ram not be recognized. Usually the ram doesn't work by itself either.

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forevermac
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Jun 26, 2006, 12:54 PM
 
ah well, you need unbuffered unregistered ram for your powermac G4. I've had interesting ones where 2 different matching pairs will work, but try them together and the mac just grey screens.
     
SirCastor
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Jun 27, 2006, 01:11 PM
 
Man, all this talk of matching reminds me of the old days of Simms and buying ram in pairs of two at some $200 a pop...
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imitchellg5
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Jun 27, 2006, 02:27 PM
 
Originally Posted by SirCastor
Man, all this talk of matching reminds me of the old days of Simms and buying ram in pairs of two at some $200 a pop...
Me too. I just got an extra 1 mb SIMM for my Classic II. Yeah!
     
   
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