Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2005 17:01:46 -0800 (PST) From: Erica Stolte <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
I wanted to add new RAM to a powerwave 604/132 and have gotten confused about type to get as well as which brand/company might be recomended. I know it takes 168 pin dimm FPM but can it also take FPM with EDO together? I see such RAM with powerwave listed such as: http://eshop.macsales.com/Catalog_Item.cfm?ID=6454&Item=OWC5MD128MBE2
The PowerWave will work fine with EDO or FPM. Some folks have had problems if they mixed them, so it's probably best to stick with one or the other.
Some folks have categorically recommended staying away from EDO in Power Computing machines, but that is incorrect. The PowerTower Pro and the PowerWave can use EDO. The confusion arose because *so* many other PCC models cannot use EDO memory.
Apple clearly states that EDO RAM should not be used in the PM7200 which uses the Catalyst memory controller.
The following PCC models also use the Catalyst memory controller: PowerCurve, PowerCenter, PowerTower, PowerCenter Pro. The bulk of the machines sold by PCC were Catalyst (7200) based machines and so could not use EDO memory. I imagine this is why some folks believe that no PCC machines should have EDO memory.
Another interesting tidbit is that G4 upgrades do not work in Catalyst based machines because the Catalyst chip requires the DRTRY signal and the G4 processor does not supply it. IIRC, the Sonnet G4/800/700 does something funny with extra circuitry to make it work in those machines.
This is also why standard Apple CPU cards do not work in those machines. A normal Apple CPU card does not supply the DRTRY signal.
Next I found a list of sources, which brand is recomended? I know it's said don't buy cheap RAM because it will be bad quality but how does one tell cheap bad quality RAM from RAM that is merely on discount or special sale?.
The best way to check it is to install it in your machine and run RAMometer (part of the NewerTech Guage series) for about 1300 iterations, using the RAM sandwich method.
The RAM sandwich method involve putting known good DIMMs in slots 1 and 4 so that those DIMMs soak up the OS. The memory occupied by the OS do not get tested, so passing a memory test doesn't tell you anything about the outer DIMMs. Then put a DIMM to be tested in slot 2 or 3 and if it passes then it's good.
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