SoDIMM DDR3 1866 not working when laptop supports 1333 MHz?

[Peroxyde]

Hi,

I bought 2x4GB GSkill F3-1866C11D-8GRSL when it was on sale (in Nov 2015) in at a local store.

My daughter came home for xMas an I proceeded to replace the original 2x2GB on her HP Elitebook 8540w.

The GSkill RAM modules show immediately instability. Whether I mount 1 single module or 2. In the BIOS if I ran the Diagnostic utility, as soon as it reach the RAM test, the computer hang. Power off is the only solution. If I skip the diagnostic and booted directly to Windows 8 (64 bits), then Windows enter in a boot loop: quickly display a message "Windows had an abnormal start ... (I don't remember the exact message)" rebooted to bios and the cycle repeated endlessly.

The store refused to exchange / return because I go way past the return period. The technician told me this was caused by the speed incompatibility. The RAM is 1866 MHz while the laptop is expecting 1333 Mhz.

Question: How come a faster RAM cannot work at slower speed? Is there any solution other than exchaning for a slower RAM?

Thanks in advance for any help

ANSWER: GSkill tech support told me to return the 1866 MHz modules in exchange for 1333 MHz ones.
UPDATE: received exchange (model F3-10666CL9D-8GBSQ, DDR3-1333, PC3-10666) now working perfectly on this laptop

 

[lyssword]

faster ram can definitely work at slower speed, maybe something wrong w that specific one. Maybe it can't on laptop versions. Can you change ram speed in bios? or multiplier anything like that?

 

[Peroxyde]

faster ram can definitely work at slower speed, maybe something wrong w that specific one. Maybe it can't on laptop versions. Can you change ram speed in bios? or multiplier anything like that?

Unfortunately, in the HP Bios setting, there is no option related to memory speed settings.

 

[bbhaag]

Have you tried running a memory test yet? Memtest 86+ for example.
When I was building my 965 system several years ago I purchased some Kingston Value ram that constantly caused the system to crash even though it was brand new.
Turns out it was bad and I had to send it back to Kingston for a replacement.
Might be worth running a secondary test to make. Then send it back to Gskill if it fails.

 

[arcenite]

Curious what the SPD table looks like for these sticks... they might not even support 1333 (667), which would be silly, but it could be a thing. Example below (different memory, just showing an example of a SPD table). Very possible the timings are out of whack.

Edit: I think I found it, and I don't see anything for 667Mhz in the timings table but I don't think CPU-z shows the whole picture; I see it's only showing #5-#8. If you want to get to the bottom of it they sell SODIMM -> DIMM adapters so you can play with it in a more advanced machine. Don't know if it's worth it though. Too bad you are outside the return period. Might be worth giving gskill a shout.

 

[Peroxyde]

I think I found it, and I don't see anything for 667Mhz in the timings table but I don't think CPU-z shows the whole picture; I see it's only showing #5-#8. If you want to get to the bottom of it they sell SODIMM -> DIMM adapters so you can play with it in a more advanced machine. Don't know if it's worth it though. Too bad you are outside the return period. Might be worth giving gskill a shout.

There is no way I can get the laptop to boot into Windows to run CPU-Z. The furthest it can go is about a few seconds into Windows just enough to display a brief error msg about a previous bad start and it reboots to the Bios screen. And enters in a bootloop cycle. I wrote to GSkill tech support, hopefully they will answer soon.

 

[Peroxyde]

Have you tried running a memory test yet? Memtest 86+ for example.
When I was building my 965 system several years ago I purchased some Kingston Value ram that constantly caused the system to crash even though it was brand new.
Turns out it was bad and I had to send it back to Kingston for a replacement.
Might be worth running a secondary test to make. Then send it back to Gskill if it fails.

Is the Memory Diagnostic utility available from the HP Bios good enough? It is certainly not as advanced as Memtest 86+ but the trouble is that with the GSkill RAM, the laptop hangs right away. If I replace the GSkill module with the original RAM modules, the HP Bios Memory Diagnostic utility runs without any issue. As there is no RAM setting in the Bios, I think that simple test is enough to conclude that the GSkill RAM is not working on this laptop.

 

[LTC8K6]

Have you tried just one 1866 module at a time? Perhaps only one is bad?

You might also try one 1866 module with one 1333 module to see if it will boot.

 

[Jembo]

Maybe its low voltage memory & you needed regular

 

[Dahak]

Generally I have found that the branded class ram from manufactures most times did not work a few years ago. In this example like the op the RipJaws, Kingstons Hyper-X etc...

Where as the generic stuff from the various manufactures would work fine.

On thing you could try is put the original stuff back in and do a bios update and then see if it works as sometimes a bios update will add some more compatibility for different ram modules.

Worse case scenario is that this ram will not work in the hp laptop

 

[Peroxyde]

Have you tried just one 1866 module at a time? Perhaps only one is bad?
You might also try one 1866 module with one 1333 module to see if it will boot.

Tried both. As soon as GSkill module is present. The laptop hangs.

Maybe its low voltage memory & you needed regular

GSkill Product page says " DDR3 1.5V Support: Does your system only support DDR3 1.5V SO-DIMM? No problem! Ripjaws SO-DIMM is also compatible with systems that support DDR3 1.5V!"

On thing you could try is put the original stuff back in and do a bios update and then see if it works as sometimes a bios update will add some more compatibility for different ram modules.

Oups! I should have tried that. But too late now, the kid is back to university.

 

[VirtualLarry]

OP's issue is why I try not to stray too far from the original OEM RAM specs when upgrading laptops. Sure, 1866 RAM should be able to be run at 1333 without issue, but who knows with some of those OEM BIOSes, whether they will manage that feat successfully.