DDR3L compatibility

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w2krules

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#196171 21-May-2016 18:09

I ordered 4 GB of DDR3 memory to upgrade an AMD desktop with an AM760 chipset. But I was sent low voltage DDR3L memory and the PC won't boot. I understand that the low voltage DDR3 is meant to be backwards compatible?

I've upgraded to the latest BIOS but that didn't help. The memory voltage is adjustable on the motherboard, but only up from 1.5V.

Is there anything else I can try, or is the DDR3L RAM simply incompatible?

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Oblivian

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#1556954 21-May-2016 19:37

I theory it's meant to be. But Intel don't officially support it with the new skylake/170s. But motherboard makers do. I don't think it'll go backward on anything but one of those thats been tested/provisioned for. The idea being they can be used on new mobos with the DDR4 slots which are the same low voltage. However it seems makers can do some sort of detection and allow it to go over-voltage. Which in itself sounds scary.

Oblivian

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#1556956 21-May-2016 19:38

Mr wiki also thinks so. But I guess if it's not flash stuff it may refuse to..

The DDR3L and DDR3U specifications are compatible with the original DDR3 standard and can run at either the lower voltage or at 1.50 V.

w2krules

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#1556983 21-May-2016 20:40

Just noticed that the label on the package says 1.2 - 1.45 V. Not quite sure how that will work with a 1.5 V supply.

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Lias

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#1556987 21-May-2016 21:27

Make sure you have the latest bios for that board, otherwise best thing to do is find the motherboard model number, visit the manufacturer website, find the ram compatibility list, and buy something on that list.

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w2krules

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#1557203 22-May-2016 11:59

I've upgraded to the latest BIOS, which is about 5 years old now.

Looks like I'll have to return the memory and see if I can find some normal voltage DDR3 to be on the safe side. I'm slightly annoyed that the supplier didn't state that it was low voltage otherwise I would have looked elsewhere.

I was a geek before the word was invented!