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ReggieX · Sep 14, 2002, 05:29 PM

I picked up a 512M stick of PC133 RAM today at my local PC store because I noticed that it was so damn cheap (CAN$95) Took it home, plugged it in, and Apple System Profiler in OS9 reports it as "Incompatible." I know that the bux speed in this Mac is only 100MHz, but have never seen problems with putting 133 RAM in one.

Note: I haven't done the firmware upgrade that disabled a lot of cheaper RAM. Is there anything to try to fix this, or do I just take it back and see if I can get my money back? I've bought PC RAM from the same store before (a 128 I think) and it worked perfectly.

Footy · Sep 14, 2002, 05:54 PM

Take it back if they'll let you and order from one to the many online retailers that sale RAM at cheap prices that meet all Apple specifications.

http://www.macsales.com This is Other World Computing, been buying RAM from them for years and never had an issue.

ReggieX · Sep 14, 2002, 07:11 PM

No way. I did that before, and after duty (yes, duty! NAFTA my ass!), taxes, currency conversion and shipping charges, it's a total rip-off.

My local Mac place wants $269 for the same DIMM.

Scotttheking · Sep 14, 2002, 07:50 PM

Just don't buy that stuff.
It's that simple.
If it's not ram that meets full spec, it's not worth it.

ReggieX · Sep 14, 2002, 08:09 PM

Well, sure, scott, I can say the same thing after the fact!

I was just curious why it wasn't working.

Zimmerman · Sep 14, 2002, 08:37 PM

I believe that while the bus will throttle PC133 down to PC100, your issue might be with the other half dozen designations that ram has. Macs can only take NonECC, Non Registered, and if your motherboard can't accept more than 1.5gb total, then it must be low density ram. If your motherboard will not accept more than 1gb ram, then you can only get 256mb modules and smaller to work.
The following G4 system cannot have more than 256mb/slot: G4 PCI graphics version (Yikes! motherboard). The AGP version and all those newer will accept 1.5gb under OS 8/9 and 2gb under X.

If your ram failes in any of these, then it is a no-go. Can someone back me up on this?

tooki · Sep 15, 2002, 03:31 AM

Some 512MB modules will not work at all in Yikes/Yosemite systems, while other 512MB modules work, but only as a 256MB module! (This is independent of the speed; however, PC133 tends to be with the high-density chips that will not work at all.)

tooki

ReggieX · Sep 15, 2002, 11:04 AM

I think tooki's answer is the winner. Away wit' ye, bad RAM!

Footy · Sep 15, 2002, 06:50 PM

Originally posted by ReggieX:
No way. I did that before, and after duty (yes, duty! NAFTA my ass!), taxes, currency conversion and shipping charges, it's a total rip-off.

My local Mac place wants $269 for the same DIMM.

If the issues are fees because your out of country then I'd be more than happy to purchause the item for you and send it out. I don't have a bidpal account or anything but I'm sure we could work something out. Let me know cause I'm planning on a purchase from Other World Computing this week myself.

ReggieX · Sep 15, 2002, 09:15 PM

Thanks for the offer, Footy! I actually have some family in the USA, so I could always make my sister get it for me

I'm have a decent amount of RAM already, I was just taken in by the price as a total impulse buy. Caveat emptor etc.

the weatherman · Sep 16, 2002, 03:04 PM

Originally posted by ReggieX:
Thanks for the offer, Footy! I actually have some family in the USA, so I could always make my sister get it for me
I'm have a decent amount of RAM already, I was just taken in by the price as a total impulse buy. Caveat emptor etc.

Be careful with OWC. Their cheap ram is always tempting to buy, but it is like tempting fate too. I'd go for their more expensive offering or go buy from Kensington or Crucial. Not to discourage those of you planning on buying OWC, I have had mixed results from them. I have bought good ram from them, but I have also been sent bad ram, and getting replacements can be a very tedious process.

I now have in my possesion 2 256 mb PC 133 which seems to work fine most of the time but will give you occassional kernel panics in X. Something hard to explain, especially if you are planning on asking for replacements.
Its either, it works or it does not.

Just sharing my experience.

ReggieX · Sep 16, 2002, 03:37 PM

I took it back today and after a 15% "restocking fee"

got my money back. Went to the Mac place up the street, and he quoted C$249 for 512M. Uh, no thanks.

I've ordered 2 other sticks from OWC for this machine, and they work just fine. However, with those, I ordered the kind that they specified for Macs.

Eh, I should just quit while I'm ahead, I shouldn't really be spending the money. Just got a new video card and CDRW/DVD drive... As we all know, a bargain is a great price on something you don't really need