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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Scoop on PB12 RAM issues

Scoop on PB12 RAM issues
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SEkker
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Join Date: May 2003
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Jan 30, 2004, 12:33 AM
 
Here's the info from OWC as they've wrestled with making RAM work on the Apple PB12 machines:

"Author:_OWC Larry
Date:___01-28-04 16:05

When they [Apple 12PBs] were originally shipping, processor sluing was not engaged on the PowerBook 12" Models. But with recent OS updates (and new shipping models), they have been activating that feature. Apple didn't make any change to the memory specifications they publish - but the way this processor sluing technology works, there should have been.

Essentially, with processor sluing engaged, variations in the voltage supplied to the memory bus occur. DDR is supposed to be supplied a standard 3.3v line - but this isn't perfectly the case anymore... and accommodation in the module design had to be done so that the memory can operate correctly with these line voltage variations.

That is the issue.

Larry O'Connor
Other World Computing"

What this means is that generic memory may or may not work with the Apple PB12 machines. This issue is found in both revA AND revB machines.

My advice: buy from a reseller with experience with Macs, and if it acts up at ALL, send it back.
     
ibook_steve
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Join Date: Oct 2001
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Jan 30, 2004, 02:30 AM
 
I'm surprised OWC has this completely wrong. From Apple's documentation, they are using *bus* slewing (not sluing; is that supposed to be like gluing?), not voltage slewing. The bus speed changes between a lower speed and the high speed of 133 MHz (167 MHz in the 15" and 17") to save power. On top of that, DDR is 2.5 V, not 3.3 V! That cannot be changed! I guess Larry hasn't been doing his research.

Steve
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jan 30, 2004, 10:13 AM
 
In addition, the Rev. A Powerbook 12" doesn't even *do* bus slewing. There is no "automatic" speed setting in the energy saver preferences.

-s*
     
SEkker  (op)
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Jan 30, 2004, 10:54 AM
 
Strange. OWC has been a very good Mac advocate for some time.

Larry IS, however, a salesman.

I'll see if I can get him to come over and back up his statements.

All I know is from my reading of the Apple literature, PB12 should use standard RAM. And from experience with both revA and revB PB12 models, not all RAM up to the Apple specs works (including some Apple installed RAM).
     
   
 
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