Powermac G5 Quad Ram

skinniezinho · Jun 20, 2013

Hi guys, I was searching for ram for my upcoming Quad g5, and found a guy selling Kingston 4x KTM3211/1G sticks, they say it's specific for lenovo/ibm, but the specs seem to be the same as the ones for the powermac according to everymac.com
How finicky is the G5 with Ram?
My G4 accept kingston value ram and other brands ,all together just fine.

rabidz7 · Jun 20, 2013

skinniezinho said:
Hi guys, I was searching for ram for my upcoming Quad g5, and found a guy selling Kingston 4x KTM3211/1G sticks, they say it's specific for lenovo/ibm, but the specs seem to be the same as the ones for the powermac according to everymac.com
How finicky is the G5 with Ram?
My G4 accept kingston value ram and other brands ,all together just fine.

As long as it is just normal DDR2 it will work fine, do not use buffered or registered RAM.

wobegong · Jun 20, 2013

skinniezinho said:
Hi guys, I was searching for ram for my upcoming Quad g5, and found a guy selling Kingston 4x KTM3211/1G sticks, they say it's specific for lenovo/ibm, but the specs seem to be the same as the ones for the powermac according to everymac.com
How finicky is the G5 with Ram?
My G4 accept kingston value ram and other brands ,all together just fine.

I always use the system configurator on the Crucial website ( http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listparts.aspx?model=Power Mac G5 (Quad 2.5GHz DDR2)&Cat=RAM ) even if you don't use their memory at least it confirms exactly what the specs should be for any given system. Link above is for the Quad G5.

Nameci · Jun 21, 2013

skinniezinho said:
Hi guys, I was searching for ram for my upcoming Quad g5, and found a guy selling Kingston 4x KTM3211/1G sticks, they say it's specific for lenovo/ibm, but the specs seem to be the same as the ones for the powermac according to everymac.com
How finicky is the G5 with Ram?
My G4 accept kingston value ram and other brands ,all together just fine.

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g5/specs/powermac_g5_quad_2.5.html

It's all there that you wanted to know spec wise.

skinniezinho · Jun 21, 2013

rabidz7 said:
As long as it is just normal DDR2 it will work fine, do not use buffered or registered RAM.

Thanks.I though I could use ECC ram (At least owc sells it for the G5).Read somewhere that you can mix ECC with non Ecc.

wobegong said:
I always use the system configurator on the Crucial website ( http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listparts.aspx?model=Power Mac G5 (Quad 2.5GHz DDR2)&Cat=RAM ) even if you don't use their memory at least it confirms exactly what the specs should be for any given system. Link above is for the Quad G5.

Thanks, I've been there too =)

Nameci said:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g5/specs/powermac_g5_quad_2.5.html

It's all there that you wanted to know spec wise.

THanks, that is the first site I go, althought I wanted to be 100% sure.

Nameci · Jun 21, 2013

Those kingstons will work perfect. PC2-4200 533MHz low density un-buffered un-registered. I have 4x2GB Micron, and another 4x2GB OWC on my quad.

Raise it up to 16GB and you will not regret.

skinniezinho · Jun 21, 2013

Nameci said:
Those kingstons will work perfect. PC2-4200 533MHz low density un-buffered un-registered. I have 4x2GB Micron, and another 4x2GB OWC on my quad.

Raise it up to 16GB and you will not regret.

Thanks.
I still don't have the machine with me, but from what I've seen on the pics that the owner sent me it has 2x1Gb kingston.
I won't do anything very heavy with it, so the upgrade will be cost wise, I guess + 4x1Gb would be more than enough for it =)

Cox Orange · Jun 21, 2013

I once found this here and bookmarked it:

"The Memory controller clock is what it is; 533 MHz. That's all that you'll get. As for latency, the G5 is constipated (high latency beyond CAS); the SPD will set default regardless of what it finds in the EEPROM. With faster RAM in the G5, it usually finds the slower rating first, reports that, then defaults the remainder of the settings, CAS=4, unless the installed RAM is slower. Only CAS 4 or 5 is supported in the dual core G5." (Dual Core means, late 2005 G5s, which includes the Quad)

BTW: mixing non-ECC and ECC is possible in Sawtooth G4 (tested it myself). In G5 don't mix. ECC can solely be used, but doesn't get you advantages.

skinniezinho · Jun 22, 2013

Cox Orange said:
I once found this here and bookmarked it:

"The Memory controller clock is what it is; 533 MHz. That's all that you'll get. As for latency, the G5 is constipated (high latency beyond CAS); the SPD will set default regardless of what it finds in the EEPROM. With faster RAM in the G5, it usually finds the slower rating first, reports that, then defaults the remainder of the settings, CAS=4, unless the installed RAM is slower. Only CAS 4 or 5 is supported in the dual core G5." (Dual Core means, late 2005 G5s, which includes the Quad)

BTW: mixing non-ECC and ECC is possible in Sawtooth G4 (tested it myself). In G5 don't mix. ECC can solely be used, but doesn't get you advantages.

Nice!
I only talked about ECC because there are guys in ebay selling server ram for "cheap".
Do the G5 works with 667 and 800MHz ram (downclocking it)?
I am asking because the 1066 DDR3 Macbook/MBP won't work..

Nameci · Jun 22, 2013

skinniezinho said:
Nice!
I only talked about ECC because there are guys in ebay selling server ram for "cheap".
Do the G5 works with 667 and 800MHz ram (downclocking it)?
I am asking because the 1066 DDR3 Macbook/MBP won't work..

Its kind of borderline there for me, I have tried a 667 and it works but it will show the lowest freq that its been rated to on the sys info.

CptSky · Jun 22, 2013

skinniezinho said:
Nice!
I only talked about ECC because there are guys in ebay selling server ram for "cheap".
Do the G5 works with 667 and 800MHz ram (downclocking it)?
I am asking because the 1066 DDR3 Macbook/MBP won't work..

It will downclock the RAM to PC2-3200 instead of PC2-4200.

skinniezinho · Jun 22, 2013

CptSky said:
It will downclock the RAM to PC2-3200 instead of PC2-4200.

Very very strange.Then I will buy PC2-4200 =)
Thanks all of you guys

666sheep · Jun 22, 2013

CptSky said:
It will downclock the RAM to PC2-3200 instead of PC2-4200.

Nope. It will run @533. It's just cosmetic issue caused by info stored in ROM chip of the RAM.

Nameci · Jun 22, 2013

666sheep said:
Nope. It will run @533. It's just cosmetic issue caused by info stored in ROM chip of the RAM.

trisix is right. I have tried a multi-speed RAM, I guess they call it a valuRam or something. It works but the speed stated on the sysinfo is PC2-3200 but it runs at 533MHz.

Intell · Jun 22, 2013

Cox Orange said:
BTW: mixing non-ECC and ECC is possible in Sawtooth G4 (tested it myself). In G5 don't mix. ECC can solely be used, but doesn't get you advantages.

You can mix ECC and non-ECC ram in G5's. My own G5 is running a strange mash up of ram with about a third of it being ECC. It's all seen and running at the same speed. Sawtooth's cannot accept ECC ram in an fashion with any mixture. Be it all ECC or some of both, it won't work. If it does work, it'll be the mix of both with it only being able to use the non-ECC ram and possibly ignoring the ECC or only showing it but not using it. No G3 or G4 can see or use ECC ram.

Cox Orange · Jun 22, 2013

Intell said:
You can mix ECC and non-ECC ram in G5's. My own G5 is running a strange mash up of ram with about a third of it being ECC. It's all seen and running at the same speed. Sawtooth's cannot accept ECC ram in an fashion with any mixture. Be it all ECC or some of both, it won't work. If it does work, it'll be the mix of both with it only being able to use the non-ECC ram and possibly ignoring the ECC or only showing it but not using it. No G3 or G4 can see or use ECC ram.

Then, my G4 was showing it, but not using it, I'd say. Sorry, for spreading false info, then. ouups.

Edit: just tested it for you. I did deeply dig in my RAMs and found the ECC SDRAM again.

Test 1 (ECC-only):
one slot occupied. Only RAM I put in Kingston KFJ-C150/512 SDRAM PC-133, ECC.
Boot succeeded (only that one ECC RAM in it!). Under OS 10.4 and 10.5
System Profiler shows it as ECC-RAM.

Test 2 (mixed):
two slots occupied.
Slot 1 ECC
Slot 2 non-ECC (Kingston KVR133X64C3/512)
Boot succeeded.
Shown as ECC and on non-ECC

Test 3 (mixed):
Slot 1: non-ECC
Slot 2: ECC
Boot takes longer.
Boot succeeded.
RAM displayed as installed.

Opening multiple DV-files in QT (some playing at same time), to make filling the RAM easier, I use one 256MB non-ECC stick (512MB-ECC in slot one, 256MB in slot 2, should have done it the other way round

):
activity monitor shows over 512MB used. See attachment. But I might not interpret it right (see virtual memory?).

I have a Sawtooth with UNI-N Bridge Revision 0007 (maybe very early models couldn't do that?)

Intell · Jun 24, 2013

I have a Unirev7 board that can't read any type of ECC ram. Don't know why yours can. Maybe the ram isn't ECC, but it labeled as such. Wouldn't be the first time I've seen that happen. Know a couple of very unhappy server admins because of it.

Cox Orange · Jun 24, 2013

But systemprofiler says it is ECC, too. So it must not only be the sticker (or bumper?) on it, but also the info stored in the chip.

But as you say that, it seems that it happens more than once, that people have the same Mainboards (Macs etc.), but see their Mac behave different.

For example, Macs with 128GB HDD limit. A member here recently reported he couldn't just use a 160GB drive and discard the rest that is over 128GB (me too), but others do that and it works fine. OK, that can be explained with different HDDs, brands, Firmware, etc.
There are other topics where reports for the same equipment differ. May it be, that there is a detail, we since now have overlooked. Maybe, we two have the exact same Board, but there is one single chip, that was manufactured by another sub-manufacturer and they were given differing drivers, firmware or whatever.

If, you were not living in the US, I would send you the RAM to let you test it in your board.

GermanyChris · Jun 24, 2013

Cripes dude buy some DDR2 and put in your computer this isn't rocket science.

Frost7 · Jun 24, 2013

CptSky said:
It will downclock the RAM to PC2-3200 instead of PC2-4200.

It will not. It'll downclock to PC2-4200. However, in the system profiler it always reports as the lowest speed available when it does that, so it'll show up as though it's PC2-3200. Only way to avoid that is to make sure you get true PC2-4200 devices. It doesn't affect anything performance-wise, though.

RamJet's been a great source of true PC2-4200 devices for me in the past, FYI.

Cox Orange said:
BTW: mixing non-ECC and ECC is possible in Sawtooth G4 (tested it myself). In G5 don't mix. ECC can solely be used, but doesn't get you advantages.

According to Apple's documentation, it's okay to mix ECC and non-ECC in G5s as long as you don't pair them. That is, only pair ECC with ECC and non-ECC with a non-ECC in the matching slots.

That said, I haven't tried mixing them myself.

Cox Orange · Jun 24, 2013

GermanyChris said:
Cripes dude buy some DDR2 and put in your computer this isn't rocket science.

Hey! If you are talking to me. Intell and I were talking about a PowerMac G4, that has PC100 and PC133 RAM. He said you can't mix ECC and non-ECC in a G4. I said, that in my G4 they work and I can fill both RAMs. So I elaborated, no rocket science done so far.
With my last post, I wanted to consider, why sometimes different Mac-Users have differing symptoms for the same issue.

The OP was talking about DDR2-RAM and if he could use/mix ECC/non-ECC.

For "Cripes" sake, I won't buy DDR2 RAM for a PowerMac G4, that doesn't even physically have the same slots as DDR2 RAM needs them, right?

GermanyChris · Jun 24, 2013

Cox Orange said:
Hey! If you are talking to me. Intell and I were talking about a PowerMac G4, that has PC100 and PC133 RAM. He said you can't mix ECC and non-ECC in a G4. I said, that in my G4 they work and I can fill both RAMs. So I elaborated, no rocket science done so far.
With my last post, I wanted to consider, why sometimes different Mac-Users have differing symptoms for the same issue.

The OP was talking about DDR2-RAM and if he could use/mix ECC/non-ECC.

For "Cripes" sake, I won't buy DDR2 RAM for a PowerMac G4, that doesn't even physically have the same slots as DDR2 RAM needs them, right?

The OP is talking about a G5 Quad...

Cox Orange · Jun 24, 2013

GermanyChris said:
The OP is talking about a G5 Quad...

Yes and I answered that you can use ECC in a Quad, but can't mix them. THAT WAS IN FIRST POST - and I added, that in a G4 you can even mix them, that was were Intell came in and said it wasn't, so I guess I am right to tell him why I come to believe it was and I am not telling sh**.

Since you told me I'd better talk German: Vergiss es!

skinniezinho · Jun 24, 2013

GermanyChris said:
Cripes dude buy some DDR2 and put in your computer this isn't rocket science.

Go to ebay, search DDR2, you will find lots of "good" deals for ecc, bla bla bla ddr2 ram
Guess what?if it won't work in the G5 it won't be a good deal.

To give you an example:

In Portugal, in a common used sales site: 2x1Gb DDR2 Kington valueram: 30eur
In ebay: 4x1Gb: about 30eur or less..
So guess I have reasons to ask.
A lot have been explained here, I didn't ask for further help after that, so it's not my fault if other people post here.

GermanyChris · Jun 24, 2013

skinniezinho said:
Go to ebay, search DDR2, you will find lots of "good" deals for ecc, bla bla bla ddr2 ram
Guess what?if it won't work in the G5 it won't be a good deal.

To give you an example:

In Portugal, in a common used sales site: 2x1Gb DDR2 Kington valueram: 30eur
In ebay: 4x1Gb: about 30eur or less..
So guess I have reasons to ask.
A lot have been explained here, I didn't ask for further help after that, so it's not my fault if other people post here.

I've yet to find any DDR2 that won't work to include DDR2 1066..

----------

Cox Orange said:
Yes and I answered that you can use ECC in a Quad, but can't mix them. THAT WAS IN FIRST POST - and I added, that in a G4 you can even mix them, that was were Intell came in and said it wasn't, so I guess I am right to tell him why I come to believe it was and I am not telling sh**.

Since you told me I'd better talk German: Vergiss es!

So go buy some DDR2 on ebay...geee's Louise..

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