Newly installed PNY memory runs at ddr533 instead of 667.

Hello NotebookReview. I'm a long time reader, first time poster.

I just bought an HP dv2000 notebook and decided to upgrade the system memory to 2GB. Comp usa had a PNY 2GB kit for $80. I snatched it up, installed it, and was up and running in no time. Vista started up fine and showed that I had 2GB but there was a problem. According to CPUz the memory is only running at ddr533. When I had the 1 GB of factory installed memory CPUz showed it running at the full ddr667. Is there some way I can manually increase the memory speed? I see no options for this in the system BIOS.

Thanks.

 

Are you sure that you did in fact purchase 667 memory and not 533?

I mean if it initially supported 667 speeds, and now all of a sudden it doesn't, then there's really no explanation for this except that you got the 533 memory.

If it was somehow bad memory, it would not work at all, so that's not it. And obviously your machine supports that speed, as it worked before, so to me that's the only explanation. All machines that I upgraded the ram in worked at the correct speeds w/o any BIOS or other tinkering.

 

Depending on whether your laptop uses DDR2 memory or not, your motherboard may only support a 533MHz RAM bus. If that is the case, then the new 667MHz stick you introduced to the system will automatically downclock to the supported speed.

 

bc135, if you read his post, he mentions that his original 1gb of memory was indeed running at 667MHz, so his laptop can in fact take that speeds, and there's no reason why it would be downclocked to 533 if both ram sticks are 667.

He has a dv2000, which has core 2 duo cpus, which most definitely accept 667 ram.

 

Maybe they packed the wrong sticks in the kit? I dunno...

 

This is the said memory kit: N22GX53OPT

Are there any free utilities out there that allow me to manualy set the memory speed from inside windows vista?

Should I move this thread to the HP specific forum?

 

What are the numbers on the RAM itself? Both.

 

The sticker on each module reads:

1GB, DD2 SODIM, F
AOTF-T PO132222

The actual memory chips read as folows:

PNY
64X8S3FF4E
/8-AOA
TW 0724
TCR378-A936

 

Sorry for the screw up! I should have read the OT's post more carefully.

Beyond a defective motherboard (or design problem) I can't imagine why the original would clock in at 667 while your new one would do only 533. Google around for similar problems; chances are good that others have had it.

PS; actually, have you verified that your PNY stick is DDR2? A long shot, but it's worth a try.

 

It's definitely ddr2, as ddr1 is completely incompatible with current ddr2 motherboards. It's got different voltage requirements, and won't physically fit. So we can rule out the ram not being ddr2. What we can't rule out is if it's only 533 ram.

 

PNY Free 24-hour technical support 1-800-234-4597

 

Good idea powerpack.

Wow, I've never been on a forum where so many people responded so quickly.

 

I'll be following you guys pretty closely caus I'm looking to buy the exact same memory kit for my Dell 6400/1505

 

Any word on this?

 

I think the numbers on the chips indicate DDR2-533. I'm not familiar with PNY's numbering scheme and it has been a long time since I've looked at part numbers on chips, but as I recall RAM chips usually have the speed indicated on them. The cycle time for DDR2-533 is about 8 ns, and your chips have "/8" written on them. DDR2-667 chips should have a cycle time of about 6 ns.

It is quite possible that the "/8" doesn't have anything to do with the speed, but that's the only number I see that looks like a speed rating.

 

Sorry, I must be wrong about the chip numbers. I see several places sell these PNY memory sticks as DDR2-667.