PC3-10600R = Reject?

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Level 1

26 points

PC3-10600R = Reject?

Recently got some PC3-10600R (1333MHz) for my Mac Pro 2009 (UPgraded to 2010 Via Firmware). Upon putting it in, however, it completely rejects it, gives the "DO NOT LIKE RAM STICKS" LED's, and blinks the power light thing. However, upon using 4X 8500R Sticks instead for a total 32GB, it starts up just fine, and likes all the RAM. Upon mixing the two, it starts up, but only appears to use the 8500R sticks, and gives the LED's for the 10600R sticks.

Why on earth is this happening? I'm pretty sure the RAM itself is fine, as It is perfectly new. It runs registered fine, since the other registered sticks were used flawlessly in it. It runs 1333MHz Nonregistered and 1600MHz Nonregistered just fine as well, even when mixed (Though downclocked to 1066).

Could it be because it is the 2009 model, and still has the 2009 processors (2.26 8 core) that only does up to 1066?

On that note, though, i'm curious as well, why is it that Registered and Nonregistered can't be mixed in the same computer?

Thanks

-C

Posted on Dec 10, 2011 11:04 PM

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Answer 1

Chris J Witt Author

Level 1

26 points

Dec 10, 2011 11:34 PM in response to Chris J Witt

Whoops, how on earth did I end up posting this in iMac?

May a moderator please move this to the mac pro discussion?

Sorry about that

-C

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Answer 2

Dec 11, 2011 8:47 AM in response to Chris J Witt

You can spend months obtaining the expertise to specify RAM for your Mac Pro, typically a one-off purchase.

Or you can deal with a Vendor that knows Mac memory intimately and can tell YOU, based on your Mac model, what memories will work first time every time -- guaranteed or your money back.

If these are not ECC memories, you should not even THINK about putting them in a Mac Pro. If you do, Error-Correction will be disabled, and ANY problems you encounter MAY be memory-related, so you will need to stop what you are doing an run memory tests or a few days.

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Answer 3

Chris J Witt Author

Level 1

26 points

Dec 11, 2011 12:48 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

They are all in fact ECC, I've never seen registered memory that wasn't ECC too. Got these mostly because they were good deals (or so it seemed at the time).

It looks like OWC offers the same Stats of the 8GB's for one of the mac pro's (PC3-10600 ECC) Though it's not registered. OWC's *look* like samsung too on the pics they show, though i'm not absolutely sure. The ones I have are samsungs.

I'm really at a loss here as to why the 8500R's would work just fine, but the 10600R's would make it angry. Is it something weird to do with how registered memory works?

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Answer 4

Dec 11, 2011 1:33 PM in response to Chris J Witt

You did not belabor the "minor" detail that these are 8GB DIMMs. If you had, it would have set off alarm bells all over the place.

Many sites, OWC included, make a Big Deal that 8GB Dimms cannot be mixed or matched with ANY other sizes (or, they say, any other brands).

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Answer 5

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Dec 11, 2011 1:49 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

2009 w/ updated firmware, with 8GB DIMMs and trying to use four, right?

Try with just one or even two.

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Answer 6

Chris J Witt Author

Level 1

26 points

Dec 11, 2011 2:10 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

They're all Samsungs.

The four 8500R's work just fine totalling to 32GB. When I put in the four 8500R's and the two 10600R's, the mac pro still starts up, but it just gives the LED's for the 10600s.

When I *only* put in the two 10600R's (for total 16GB) then it gives me the flashing startup lights.

So overall I have 4 8500R's, 2 10600R's, all are Samsung, all are ECC Registerd, and all are 8GB each.

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Answer 7

Dec 11, 2011 2:19 PM in response to Chris J Witt

Special note:

8GB Module sets require that all installed modules be of the same kind OWC 8GB module.

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Answer 8

Chris J Witt Author

Level 1

26 points

Dec 11, 2011 3:06 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

As I said, the 10600R's are both the exact same kind, exact same model number (Samsung 8GB 2Rx4 PC3-10600R-09-10-E1-P1 M393B1K70CH0-CH9). When I put *Only* both of those in (Not with the 8500R's), the same kind, it gives the flashing light.

It works perfectly fine with the 8500R's.

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Answer 9

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Dec 11, 2011 4:17 PM in response to Chris J Witt

same spec can have differing DNA SPD CAS RSA... and from different batches, even if they are the same, and firmware code and number of dram blocks.

Ever wonder why, even if only one of a set fails a vendor wants and replaces the set?or that you see "tested sets" being sold? those 2100mhz ddr3 enthusiast ram?

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Answer 10

Chris J Witt Author

Level 1

26 points

Dec 12, 2011 9:30 AM in response to The hatter

I see...

Well, I tried each stick individually in my mac pro (one at a time) and still got the same result.

Looks like i messed this up royally. And now i'm stuck with several sticks of what seem to be the wrong speed. What to do with them?

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