I have an HP 8740w that currently has 4GB of RAM.
I would like to upgrade the RAM to a total of either 8GB or 16GB.
I could install the 8GB as 2 x 4GB, and have 2 slots left open. . Or I could do the 8GB as 4 x 2GB, and have four-fold symmetry, filling all 4 slots.
In a similar vein, I could install 16GB as 2 x 8GB, and have 2 slots left open. . Or I could do the 16GB as 4 x 4GB, and have four-fold symmetry, filling all four slots.
One might think that four-fold symmetry would be preferred. . However, in researching RAM configurations on the 8740w, I came across a forum thread at hp.com which states that filling all four slots causes unexpected shutdowns for some 8740w owners . . .
"8740w shuts off with four memory chips - HP Support Forum - 257720"
http://
[One post (dated 02-08-2012) on the above thread even states that . . . "I have 35 of the HP8740W's. My failure rate has been about 75%. I have one unit that is on it 4th motherboard. Some units have not failed but many have failed more than once." (He/she leaves unclear what percentage of the 35 laptops had four-slots-filled.)]
Within another possibly-related thread is a suggestion that instablility could be due to problems involving the operating system . . .
"Would you exchange a 8740w with a 8760w for free?"
http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-business-class-notebooks/686197-would-you-exchange-8740w-8760w-free.html
My questions are...
- Has anyone here experienced any unexpected shutdowns or instabilities that seem to be related to filling all four memory slots?
- Does anyone here have any further information as regards possible causes or solutions?
- Is there any way to tell in advance whether I should avoid filling all four slots?
- To what extent does four-fold symmetry for four memory slots matter that much anyway?
Thanks for your counsel and/or replies.
I would like to upgrade the RAM to a total of either 8GB or 16GB.
I could install the 8GB as 2 x 4GB, and have 2 slots left open. . Or I could do the 8GB as 4 x 2GB, and have four-fold symmetry, filling all 4 slots.
In a similar vein, I could install 16GB as 2 x 8GB, and have 2 slots left open. . Or I could do the 16GB as 4 x 4GB, and have four-fold symmetry, filling all four slots.
One might think that four-fold symmetry would be preferred. . However, in researching RAM configurations on the 8740w, I came across a forum thread at hp.com which states that filling all four slots causes unexpected shutdowns for some 8740w owners . . .
"8740w shuts off with four memory chips - HP Support Forum - 257720"
http://
[One post (dated 02-08-2012) on the above thread even states that . . . "I have 35 of the HP8740W's. My failure rate has been about 75%. I have one unit that is on it 4th motherboard. Some units have not failed but many have failed more than once." (He/she leaves unclear what percentage of the 35 laptops had four-slots-filled.)]
Within another possibly-related thread is a suggestion that instablility could be due to problems involving the operating system . . .
"Would you exchange a 8740w with a 8760w for free?"
http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-business-class-notebooks/686197-would-you-exchange-8740w-8760w-free.html
My questions are...
- Has anyone here experienced any unexpected shutdowns or instabilities that seem to be related to filling all four memory slots?
- Does anyone here have any further information as regards possible causes or solutions?
- Is there any way to tell in advance whether I should avoid filling all four slots?
- To what extent does four-fold symmetry for four memory slots matter that much anyway?
Thanks for your counsel and/or replies.
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