Resolved The right RAM for my PowerMac G5 (dual 2.0Ghz)?

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

So as many of you know, RAM that's advertised for use in a PowerMac G5 costs a lot of money. (I am talking $36 for like 1-2GB). Now, I tried the old trick of searching the actual RAM type on eBay so that I wouldn't get expensive PowerMac G5-advertised stuff. However, is there something really special about the RAM that goes into one? Mine is a 2003 model running at 2.0Ghz. It takes PC3200U-30330 DDR SDRAM. I looked on eBay for that exact RAM type and found someone selling theirs from their former Windows PC. Post Titled: Elixir 512mb x 2 DDR 400mhz CL3 PC-3200U-30330 SDRAM (1GB Total)

Okay, well in the middle of this post I bid on it and won it for $6. I guess a small loss if it ends up not working. I am not on the computer I used so I cannot post now. However, will this RAM be fine?

Wish me luck...


EDIT: The RAM arrived and it works! 4GB of RAM now

 

[bunnspecial]

My single 1.8 has all 8 slots fully populated with 512mb sticks PC3200, and there are probably three different brands in the mix.

My dual core 2.0 has a mix of 2gb and 1gb PC2-4200 sticks from 4 different manufacturers.

Although both machines still have some of the RAM that was in the computer when I bought it, I've added RAM with little regard as to whether it's "Mac" ram or not.

Both systems are rock-stable. The DC 2.0 hasn't been with me very long, but I've had the single 1.8 running pretty much continuously in its current configuration for several months now and taxed it pretty hard with Photoshop and some other RAM-intensive tasks. The one caveat is that I do take care to use the same brand RAM sticks in matched pairs in G5 towers. I'm not sure if this actually makes a difference or not(provided that the capacities match), but I figure I'm not hurting anything.

Just remember that you do need to install in pairs of at least the same capacity. In my experience, the ram will be "invisible" to the system if there is some sort of mis-match. I spent a while fighting with my DC last night and a pair of RAM that wouldn't show up, before realizing that I'd inadvertently paired an ECC and non-ECC stick(of the same brand and capacity). Once I replaced the ECC with non-ECC, everything was fine.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

My single 1.8 has all 8 slots fully populated with 512mb sticks PC3200, and there are probably three different brands in the mix.

My dual core 2.0 has a mix of 2gb and 1gb PC2-4200 sticks from 4 different manufacturers.

Although both machines still have some of the RAM that was in the computer when I bought it, I've added RAM with little regard as to whether it's "Mac" ram or not.

Both systems are rock-stable. The DC 2.0 hasn't been with me very long, but I've had the single 1.8 running pretty much continuously in its current configuration for several months now and taxed it pretty hard with Photoshop and some other RAM-intensive tasks. The one caveat is that I do take care to use the same brand RAM sticks in matched pairs in G5 towers. I'm not sure if this actually makes a difference or not(provided that the capacities match), but I figure I'm not hurting anything.

Just remember that you do need to install in pairs of at least the same capacity. In my experience, the ram will be "invisible" to the system if there is some sort of mis-match. I spent a while fighting with my DC last night and a pair of RAM that wouldn't show up, before realizing that I'd inadvertently paired an ECC and non-ECC stick(of the same brand and capacity). Once I replaced the ECC with non-ECC, everything was fine.

Thank you for your detailed answer, it has helped a lot! Hopefully I have nothing to worry about. It seems as if this RAM I bought should work. I too have used non-'Apple' RAM in a system and I have had it work fine, but that RAM was free. I didn't want to fool around with this once money was involved. (Ooohh $6 xD). I am aware that they need to be in pairs, so it's good that these two sticks I bought are identical 512MB ones. If this works, then I cannot believe the prices I see for "PowerMac G5 RAM". If this works, it will only be bringing me up to 4GB from 3.5, but 3.5 is a weird number that I want off of my chest xD. Maybe I can find a cool deal like this that involves 1GB sticks. Thanks again...

 

[CYB3RBYTE]

I think that for the G5 as long as you get ECC memory you should be fine.

 

[bunnspecial]

I think that for the G5 as long as you get ECC memory you should be fine.

I'm not aware of any ECC requirement for the G5s...in fact I think it's specifically recommended against for the earlier ones(the last generation had ECC memory as a BTO option).

AFAIK, it will work provided that you pair ECC with ECC. As I've found, ECC paired with non-ECC will not be recognized by the system.

 

[DeltaMac]

None of the PowerMac G5s can take advantage of ECC (error correcting code) memory, although if you choose to use that in matched pairs, then it will use the memory. As bunnspecial noted, you can't mix ECC with non-ECC in the same pair, but you CAN use pairs of each.

 

[weckart]

None of the PowerMac G5s can take advantage of ECC (error correcting code) memory,

The late 2005 models with DDR2 RAM certainly can.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

I think that for the G5 as long as you get ECC memory you should be fine.

I do not recall the memory I have to be ECC. I think it could accept that kind of RAM but it's obviously an option that one would have to consider, and use that RAM solely per pair.

UPDATE: The later models COULD take it. I do know that the RAM I got is not ECC though, which is good.

 

[CYB3RBYTE]

This is one of those whoopsies moments...

What I meant to say is that as long as it is not ECC RAM you should be okay. I think I had a little much coffee this morning!

For your machine I would recommend a 4x2GB configuration, since that may be the RAM limit for your machine. If your machine is not a Early 2005 model, then you can run up to 8GB.

That being said, get what you can find for your budget. As I understand the G5's are not as picky about RAM as certain G4's, and I suspect this because trying to find low-density PC-100 for my Quicksilver was a real pain.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

This is one of those whoopsies moments...

What I meant to say is that as long as it is not ECC RAM you should be okay. I think I had a little much coffee this morning!

For your machine I would recommend a 4x2GB configuration, since that may be the RAM limit for your machine. If your machine is not a Early 2005 model, then you can run up to 8GB.

That being said, get what you can find for your budget. As I understand the G5's are not as picky about RAM as certain G4's, and I suspect this because trying to find low-density PC-100 for my Quicksilver was a real pain.

Ah, I see. Yeah, I currently have a 1GB-1GB; 512MB-512MB; 256MB-256MB configuration. Now, assuming this RAM I bought ends up working, I still haven't been able to find sticks of it larger than 512MB, that are NOT advertised as being for the PowerMac G5. I would like to max it at the 8GB of RAM it can hold, but the ones advertised as being for the "PowerMac G5" are expensive. Of course, if this RAM I got does not work, then the PMG5-advertised RAM will be my only option... Odd that I have not been able to find sticks of this RAM larger than 512MB. If these sticks work then I am sure finding a 1GB version of them will still be cheaper than the "PowerMac G5" RAM, if I can find larger sticks of this non-Apple RAM type.

 

[Intell]

That being said, get what you can find for your budget. As I understand the G5's are not as picky about RAM as certain G4's, and I suspect this because trying to find low-density PC-100 for my Quicksilver was a real pain.

Quicksilvers use PC133 memory. They often don't boot with PC100 installed.

 

[bunnspecial]

DDR PC-3200 1gb are available...in fact I was a bit surprised to find some on the shelf at the local Best Buy the last time I was there a few weeks ago(although not cheap at around $25/stick).

1gb is the largest "standard" size of DDR ram, and thus can carry a bit of a premium in my experience. $15-$20 a pair is typical of what I've seen on Ebay.

I have a pair of 2gb DDR sticks, and was not able to get my G5 to recognize them. From what I've seen, DDR sticks larger than 1gb are generally rare and expensive from online sources, so I'd avoid them.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

DDR PC-3200 1gb are available...in fact I was a bit surprised to find some on the shelf at the local Best Buy the last time I was there a few weeks ago(although not cheap at around $25/stick).

1gb is the largest "standard" size of DDR ram, and thus can carry a bit of a premium in my experience. $15-$20 a pair is typical of what I've seen on Ebay.

I have a pair of 2gb DDR sticks, and was not able to get my G5 to recognize them. From what I've seen, DDR sticks larger than 1gb are generally rare and expensive from online sources, so I'd avoid them.

Yeah, sadly that is the case. I cannot do anymore upgrading after this current purchase, as further upgrading would cause me to have to purchase 1GB sticks. I have two slots filled with 1GB each already, the next two with 2x512MB sticks, and the last two with 2x256MB sticks. By only buying 512MB sticks, which is what I just did, the most upgrading I can do is bring it up to 4GB from 3.5GB. Hopefully I can get lucky and find RAM cheaply somewhere. I was actually lucky with what I just bought. I looked online for identical RAM sticks to the ones I just purchased, as sets like mine, with 2x512MB sticks, cost way over the $6 I paid. This seller was just getting rid of RAM from his old system, but most people sell them as part of their business or know their exact value and immediately price them as such. If only this model used PC2700. It's a really common RAM type... In fact, I got a box full of 512MB and some 1GB sticks of PC2700 RAM for free from the e-waste. I maxed out my eMac to 2GB of RAM with those puppies. It sucks what people put into e-waste...

 

[CYB3RBYTE]

Quicksilvers use PC133 memory. They often don't boot with PC100 installed.

Funny, I was told it used PC-100. But when I actually checked the RAM I bought it was PC-133. I remember that I had to buy the brand of memory that came with the machine (I can't remember the name, but it starts with an M) and Apple used that brand of RAM in it's computers up until 2009.