Member Avatar for applemaz

A friend has an older laptop which uses PC2100 DDR-266 200 pin SODIMM's. I have a P2-5300 DDR2-667 200 pin SODIMM left over from an upgrade.

It looks to me that both are keyed in the same spot on the RAM so I'm wondering if my DDR2-667 RAM would work in the DDR-266 slot.

I don't care that about the fact that this is like putting a car engine in a lawnmower, I just want to know definitively if it will work without damaging the RAM or laptop.

I'm not looking for guesses, I need a yes or no from someone that knows about RAM.

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Member Avatar for dcc

How about the make and model of that laptop.

Member Avatar for applemaz

Make and Model isn't necessary. I already know its specs. It takes PC 2100 DDR-266 SODIMM RAM.

I know it can take at least up to PC2700 DDR RAM, the question is, will DDR2 RAM function in the slot as long as the RAM is keyed the same for the slot.

Member Avatar for jbennet

Speedwize it should be ok, it will just run at the lower speed, however i am not sure about it being a different type of DDR though. I dont think DDR2 work in pcs which are meant for DDR1

Member Avatar for dcc

Make and Model isn't necessary. I already know its specs. It takes PC 2100 DDR-266 SODIMM RAM.

I know it can take at least up to PC2700 DDR RAM, the question is, will DDR2 RAM function in the slot as long as the RAM is keyed the same for the slot.

Well congratulation then. Since you know the specs I won't need to look them up for you, and you will already know what the chipset is and whether it will be compatible with DDR2.

Member Avatar for applemaz

DDR2 RAM (full size for desktops) will not function in a DDR1 slot, because they are keyed differently for voltage and have a different number of pins.

DDR2 SODIMM's, however, have the same number of pins and are keyed the same as DDR1 (or so it seems), so there exists the possibility that it might work, which is why I'm even asking.

As for the chipset, a laptop with a chipset released prior to DDR2 RAM even being released into the market and developed specifically for DDR1 RAM, could not have been made to explicitly work with DDR2 RAM.

If the DDR2 RAM works in a DDR1 slot, it would only be due to it being backward compatible. There is no manual to look in stating that RAM which has yet to be produced, would work with that chipset.

Member Avatar for applemaz

After an extensive search on the web, I found the answer. While the pinout is the same for DDR1 and DDR2 SODIMMS (200), the voltage notch on DDR2 is barely 1 mm offset from the notch on DDR1 so it won't fit the slot. The voltages are less by almost 1 volt for DDR2 RAM.

For more information see: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/212/2/

Member Avatar for Yo-man

Why not try it anyway, give it a shot. Maybe it will work after all. It's the only way to know for sure, right?

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