I have a Sony Vaio PCG-K23 which came preinstalled with 2 x 256MB Infineon HYS64D32020GDL-7-B PC2100 SO-DIMMs. I recently purchased 2 x 512MB Patriot Memory PSD512333S PC2700 SO-DIMMs hoping to replace the Infineon SO-DIMMs and bring it up to the maximum capability of 1GB. I realise that the PC2700 parts will only run at PC2100 speeds so don't worry about that. However when I install the 2 x 512MB parts the laptop (BIOS and Windows) still only reports 512MB.

Lavalys Everest reports the following BIOS details (apologies for formatting):

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[ BIOS ]    BIOS Properties:      Vendor                                            Phoenix Technologies LTD      Version                                           R0110X1      Release Date                                      05/19/2004      Size                                              512 KB      Boot Devices                                      Floppy Disk, Hard Disk, CD-ROM      Capabilities                                      Flash BIOS, Shadow BIOS, Selectable Boot, EDD, BBS, Smart Battery      Supported Standards                               DMI, ACPI, ESCD, PnP      Expansion Capabilities                            PCI, AGP, PCMCIA, USB

and unfortunately I can't find any BIOS update available from Sony. I've tried eSupport but they don't say in advance of purchase what BIOS update you are buying for your $30.

I installed one of each SO-DIMMs just to collect the details on them for comparison and Everest gives the following:

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SPD Memory Modules:      DIMM1: PDP Systems                                512 MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM  (2.5-3-3-7 @ 166 MHz)  (2.0-3-3-6 @ 133 MHz)      DIMM2: Infineon 64D32020GDL7B                     256 MB PC2100 DDR SDRAM  (2.5-3-3-7 @ 142 MHz)  (2.0-3-3-6 @ 133 MHz)

and

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[ DIMM1: PDP Systems (512 MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM) ]    Memory Module Properties:      Module Name                                       PDP Systems      Serial Number                                     None      Module Size                                       512 MB (1 rank, 4 banks)      Module Type                                       Unbuffered      Memory Type                                       DDR SDRAM      Memory Speed                                      PC2700 (166 MHz)      Module Width                                      64 bit      Module Voltage                                    SSTL 2.5      Error Detection Method                            None      Refresh Rate                                      Reduced (7.8 us), Self-Refresh    Memory Timings:      @ 166 MHz                                         2.5-3-3-7  (CL-RCD-RP-RAS)      @ 133 MHz                                         2.0-3-3-6  (CL-RCD-RP-RAS)    Memory Module Features:      Early RAS# Precharge                              Not Supported      Auto-Precharge                                    Not Supported      Precharge All                                     Not Supported      Write1/Read Burst                                 Not Supported      Buffered Address/Control Inputs                   Not Supported      Registered Address/Control Inputs                 Not Supported      On-Card PLL (Clock)                               Not Supported      Buffered DQMB Inputs                              Not Supported      Registered DQMB Inputs                            Not Supported      Differential Clock Input                          Supported      Redundant Row Address                             Not Supported  [ DIMM2: Infineon 64D32020GDL7B ]    Memory Module Properties:      Module Name                                       Infineon 64D32020GDL7B      Serial Number                                     010C5B16h      Manufacture Date                                  Week 32 / 2004      Module Size                                       256 MB (2 ranks, 4 banks)      Module Type                                       Unbuffered      Memory Type                                       DDR SDRAM      Memory Speed                                      PC2100 (133 MHz)      Module Width                                      64 bit      Module Voltage                                    SSTL 2.5      Error Detection Method                            None      Refresh Rate                                      Reduced (7.8 us), Self-Refresh    Memory Timings:      @ 142 MHz                                         2.5-3-3-7  (CL-RCD-RP-RAS)      @ 133 MHz                                         2.0-3-3-6  (CL-RCD-RP-RAS)    Memory Module Features:      Early RAS# Precharge                              Supported      Auto-Precharge                                    Not Supported      Precharge All                                     Not Supported      Write1/Read Burst                                 Not Supported      Buffered Address/Control Inputs                   Not Supported      Registered Address/Control Inputs                 Not Supported      On-Card PLL (Clock)                               Not Supported      Buffered DQMB Inputs                              Not Supported      Registered DQMB Inputs                            Not Supported      Differential Clock Input                          Supported      Redundant Row Address                             Not Supported    Memory Module Manufacturer:      Company Name                                      Infineon Technologies AG      Product Information                               ...

and the following about the North Bridge:

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[ North Bridge: ATI Mobility Radeon 7000 IGP ]    North Bridge Properties:      North Bridge                                      ATI Mobility Radeon 7000 IGP    Memory Timings:      CAS Latency (CL)                                  2T      RAS To CAS Delay (tRCD)                           3T      RAS Precharge (tRP)                               3T    Memory Slots:      DRAM Slot #1                                      256 MB  (DDR SDRAM)      DRAM Slot #2                                      256 MB  (DDR SDRAM)

Does anybody know what the problem here might be with the laptop not recognising the full capacity of the 512MB parts? Could it be

• The Patriot parts are simply not compatible?
  
• The BIOS needs an upgrade (if so - where would be a good place to get this since I can't get it from Sony)?
  
• The Infineon 2 ranks, 4 banks versus the Patriot 1 rank, 4 banks details above are significant?
  
• The North Bridge/memory controller is limited even though the Sony specs on the laptop claim that up to 1GB of RAM (2 x 512MB) is possible?
  
• Something else?
  

If anybody needs further technical information feel free to ask and I'll post it. Thanks in advance for any assistance that anybody here can provide on this query.

Hi ClubMan, welcome to SAF

First of all, it's not a BIOS problem. DO NOT try to reflash your BIOS, as you may mess witrh all your system.

You'd better use two PC2700 DDR unbuffered SDRAM to avoid compatibility problems. Also, the whole memory will run at 133 MHz instead of 166.

Concerning memory reports, the correct is the BIOS report (total memory which appears on POST screen at start up), as Windows XP and some programs like Everest may "remember" the previous settings. As an example, I had 512 Mb on my system, but removed a bad memory stick and am now running 256. My Windows (and Everest home) still reports 512 megs... My POST screen (memory check at start up) reports correctly 256 megs.

So, what is POST screen memory check showing ? 512, 768 or 1 Gb ?
Have you tried to swap the memory sticks, the olders first, newers after ?

Chris

Hi Chris,

Thanks a lot for the prompt reply. As I said I do understand that the PC2700 memory will only ever run at PC2100 speeds since this is a limitation of the BIOS/North Bridge/motherboard etc. No harm in pointing it out again though! I appreciate that flashing the BIOS is a potentially dangerous thing to do so would not do it lightly or without some guarantee that it would solve the problem and/or that I could revert to a previous known good version if it did not. Unfortunately the lack of a floppy drive on the laptop may militate against this approach in any case!

The BIOS shows 448MB (512MB less the 64MB of system memory that the Vaio's ATI Radeon IGP video card uses) no matter which memory parts are installed and whatever combinations (e.g. 2 x Infineon, 1 x Infineon + 1 x Patriot, 1 x Patriot + 1 x Infineon, 2 x Patriot). In case of problems with the BIOS "remembering" the wrong settings I have cleared the BIOS settings to default each time I made a memory config change but to no avail.

I've tried comparing the specs for the two memory modules to see what might the problem with compatibility but other than the Infineon 2 ranks, 4 banks versus the Patriot 1 rank, 4 banks details mentioned above I could not see anything that looked significant. If the memory was simply incompatible why might that be? Would it be different chip select signals, or something like that, that the memory controller can't "see" thereby limiting its view of the 512MB SO-DIMMs to 256MB?

Thanks again for your assistance.

There are some issues involving Sony Vaio ram slots, but I'll need to search a litlle more...

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Double Data Rate-Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDR-SDRAM) PC-2100 266MHz

I know that you know the specs for Vaio Ram upgrade, and they recommends 2X512 PC-2100 sticks... maybe it does not handle PC-2700 sticks properly.

I'm not so sure. I've used a few of the online memory upgrade selector tools (e.g. Crucial, Kingston etc.) and sometimes they suggest PC2700 parts for upgrading the Vaio. For example Crucial suggest the following PC2700 parts. On the other hand while the Vaio may be compatible with some PC2700 parts perhaps it's the case that it is simply not compatible with the specific Patriot parts that I have... I've been trying to root around for detailed specs on compatible PC2700 parts and compare them with the specs for the Patriot parts to at least see why the latter might not work fully (i.e. only 256MB of the 512MB capacity recognised) but with no joy so far. The original Sony part reference number for a 512MB SO-DIMM upgrade is PCGE-MMDDR512 but I haven't been able to find detailed specs on the original part (whatever about allegedly compatible parts) so far.

And just to complicate matters ... the laptop was purchased in the US (Fry's, CA) back in February 2005 but I am based in Europe so support is basically non existant (the risk you take when getting a bargain abroad! ). Similarly the memory was purchased in Fry's by a colleague on a recent trip to CA so exchange is not an option. If the worst comes to the worst (i.e. the parts are simply incompatible) then I will probably need to look at selling on or exchanging the Patriot parts and getting a couple of 512MB SO-DIMMs that do work. Oh well...

Thanks again for your assistance. Much appreciated.