How to read Crucial memory part numbers?

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nospam - 20 Aug 2008 03:24 GMT

Can someone explain what's different about these two Crucial memory
sodimm modules:

CT32M64S4W7E

CT32M64S8W7E

I understand 32M64, but what's the difference between S4 and S8?

Crucial used to have an explanation online, but damned if I can find it now.

Thanks!!

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Phil Weldon - 20 Aug 2008 04:12 GMT

An unknown poster wrote, in part:

> Can someone explain what's different about these two Crucial memory
> sodimm modules:
>
> CT32M64S4W7E
>
> CT32M64S8W7E

_____

Perhaps you are thinking of the guide for reading Micron memory chip
designations (Crucial is a division of Micron.)

From the Crucial website:

256MB
CT32M64S8W7E 144-pin SODIMM SDRAM, PC133 . CL=2 . Non-parity . 133MHz .
3.3V . 32Meg x 64 .

256MB
CT32M64S4W7E 144-pin SODIMM SDRAM, PC133 . CL=2 . Non-parity . 133MHz .
3.3V . 32Meg x 64 .

Seem to be identical specs.

Phil Weldon

> Can someone explain what's different about these two Crucial memory
> sodimm modules:
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Thanks!!

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Paul - 20 Aug 2008 04:58 GMT

> An unknown poster wrote, in part:
>> Can someone explain what's different about these two Crucial memory
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> Phil Weldon

They're not identical. One is high density, and the other is low density.

To tell the difference, one speculative technique, is the part number
printed on the bag. I offer these two pictures, as a means of guessing
at the difference.

CT32M64S8W7E.8TDY ".8" = 8 chip version = high density = not for 440BX chipset
http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/20-148-027-02.jpg

CT32M64S4W7E.16FGY ".16" = 16 chip version = low density = OK for 440BX chipset
http://c1.neweggimages.com/productimage/20-148-026-02.jpg

The best way to avoid problems, is to use the Crucial search engine
to get a part number. But for prebuilt computers (Dell, HP etc),
the part number returned is not a generic "CT..." type number, but
a number only for a limited number of prebuilt computers. And then
it becomes even more difficult to tell what you're getting.

Basically, the idea is, you pay a premium for product knowledge,
which the vendor withholds to make more money. As consumers, we could
break this system, by posting images of each proprietary product
offered, but that isn't likely to happen any time soon. And
heat spreaders with warranty stickers on them, to seal them,
is another technique to obfuscate the product knowledge.

Paul

>> Can someone explain what's different about these two Crucial memory
>> sodimm modules:
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>>
>> Thanks!!

Reply to this Message

nospam - 20 Aug 2008 05:03 GMT

> An unknown poster wrote, in part:
> > Can someone explain what's different about these two Crucial memory
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Perhaps you are thinking of the guide for reading Micron memory chip
> designations (Crucial is a division of Micron.)

CT=Crucial Technology

> From the Crucial website:
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Phil Weldon

Thanks Phil, but I think I finally stumbled on the answer, or at least half
the answer.

S4/S8 refers to chip density:

S4 = 128Mbit chips, 16MB x 16 chips = 256MB
S8 = 256Mbit chips, 32MB x 8 chips = 256MB

Apparently Crucial had so many compatibility issues with the 256Mbit
chips ("high density") they stopped selling them. Or at least I think
that's the case (that's the half I'm not sure of).

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Paul - 20 Aug 2008 05:42 GMT

>> An unknown poster wrote, in part:
>>> Can someone explain what's different about these two Crucial memory
[quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
> chips ("high density") they stopped selling them. Or at least I think
> that's the case (that's the half I'm not sure of).

The S8 is reviewed here.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16820148027

There aren't many reviews for the S4, which is a deactivated item at Newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16820148026

Paul

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nospam - 20 Aug 2008 07:05 GMT

> >> An unknown poster wrote, in part:
> >>> Can someone explain what's different about these two Crucial memory
[quoted text clipped - 45 lines]
>
> Paul

Paul, one of the reviews for the S8 claims it didn't work in his BX
chipset notebook. That's the incompatibility I was referring to.

Also, Crucial's online memory selector program no longer has any
S8 parts, but I did see three S4's.

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