Best Buy/PNY scam?

[low-standards]

A scam?

I have a few computers and my older computer happens to be a business model HP with 96mb memory (64+32). I upgraded the system to Windows XP Pro and we know that 96mb memory won't cut it. So I put my own 256mb PC 133 Crucial SDRAM in the slot that had the 32MB DIMM in it and booted the computer up no problem. Computer registered 320MB memory (256+64). Perfect. Then I took that module of PC133 memory and put it in my moms system since she really needed it.

So I went to Best Buy and spent $49 on 256mb PC133 SDRAM to put in my system so that I will be back up to 320mb Ram. I noticed right off the bat that the packaging for this name brand PNY memory clearly stated "For use in 133mhz systems only." I disregarded it since I thought that PC133 memory is backwards compatible with PC100 memory. This has always been the case on systems I've used and built in the past for friends/co-workers. So I installed it into my system and PC would not even Boot!! So I thought it may be an incompatibility with the other memory in the other slot. So I took the other memory chip out and now only the PNY memory was in there and it still would not boot. So I took off to my office and installed it in my PC there (which has 100mhz bus) and NO BOOT either!! WHY IS IT THAT MY OWN PC133 MEMORY FROM CRUCIAL CAN RUN ON SYSTEMS WITH 100MHZ BUSES YET THIS STORE BOUGHT PNY PC133 MEMORY CANNOT?!?. No time to ponder it though so I exchanged it and got the same brand memory but this time stated on the packaging PC100 memory. But check this out: the packaging said "For use in both 100 & 133mhz systems." I shook my head and looked again. Sure enough, the packaging stated that this PC100 memory can run on a 133mhz bus!! What the hell? And to make matters worse this memory even though 256mb as well cost $20 more!! Sound fishy? I think it does. Sounds to me like PNY is putting some sort of bus frequency detecting deal in its chips FORCING you to purchace a different, and possibly, more expensive chip from them. Hit the website or your local store and check this out. I would scan the package for you but scanner is broke. What are your thoughts on this?

[muzikjunkie]

it's not a scam, it's an hp, you can't put bus detecting anything on memory, PC133 is backward compatible, but PC100 usually won't work on a PC133 bus. plain and simple: it's a s****y motherboard with s****y and picky components. best thing to do is use the memory that works in the hp and the memory you bought whereever it was before. or throw that HP out the window and get a real computer

[Panda]

I have to ask this, which did you feel was most likely?

A) The retail box was telling the truth and it's not backwards compatible.

B) Your ram is crappy or dead

C) Your hp motherboard is picky

D) PNY has a vast conspiracy where they put "sensor chips" inside ram to purposely not work on specific systems.

Did you really think D was likely enough to post it? And if you did, why did you include best buy?

[SkyDog]

He said it's one of HP's business models, so it's probably not as s****y a computer as you seem to think! HP Pavilions are crap, but their business desktop lines are rock solid.

I'd be more inclined to say it's an incompatibility with that particular PNY module than with PC133 in general. Sometimes memory from certain vendors doesn't work while similar models from other companies work just fine. Memory from some companies like Crucial and Kingston seem to work in just about anything, while other brand memory modules occasionally have quirks with a number of machines.

There are a few rare occasions where a system is sensitive to different memory specs, too. Maybe it has something to do with a modules's SPD settings -- I can't say for certain. But as an example, I've got an IBM ThinkPad 600E that will take just about any PC66 or PC100 SODIMM memory, but it'll only work with a few certain brands of PC133 memory.

[doctor15]

Several companies do make memory that is only compatible w/ PC133 including Kingston. I dont understand it either, but I know several people who have bought PC133 memory that will not run in their pc100 systems. Exchanging it for a different model of the same brand that specifically says "backward compatible" and they have no problems.

[eqpablon]

I have to ask this, which did you feel was most likely?

A) The retail box was telling the truth and it's not backwards compatible.

B) Your ram is crappy or dead

C) Your hp motherboard is picky

D) PNY has a vast conspiracy where they put "sensor chips" inside ram to purposely not work on specific systems.

A) PNY ram is now crappy (it used to be decent)

In the past PNY used samsung chips and their pc133 memory sticks would downclock to pc100. Now PNY uses generic chips and you must use the pc133 in systems designed for pc133 only.

IIRC the only brand of memory that BBY sells that will downclock to pc100 is the Kingston memory. Be careful tho, they have two types of Kingston pc133, one type will downclock the other will not. Just read the box; its clearly stated on the front of the Kingston Box whether or not it will downclock

-Pablon

[Dalhectar]

I hope the lesson you learned today is...

http://www.crucial.com

[Mr Cherry]

Originally posted by Dalhectar
I hope the lesson you learned today is...

http://www.crucial.com

lol, a lesson I learned years ago! N00bs grow up so fast these days.