Can you fit SODIMM memory into a standard DIMM Mobo? Yes, you can!

[AshleyAshes]

I started a thread about this some seven weeks ago, after finding SODIMM to DIMM adaptors on eBay for less than $5 each.  I asked if anyone had any info and I was met with some pretty stupid responses.  Actually, let's go over some of those responses shall we?

 

"They don't." -MagnesiumPC

 

He really supplied firm backing for his opinion here.

 

"lmao that's not even a DDR3-style desktop connector. Looks a LOT more like regular DDR lmao lmaoooooo" -tmcclelland455

 

This guy doesn't seem to actually know what DDR3 looks like, but whatever.

 

The general concensus I received was that this was snake oil.  It would never work.  It's fake.  The photos are fake.  Don't bother.  I Googled a LOT and could not find a lot of information on them at ALL.  So I'll explain my use case.  I have 2x4GB of DDR3 SODIMM memory sitting in a package that was pulled from a laptop two years ago.  The laptop was upgraded to 2x8GB.  I was rebuilding my server and I could have spent about $50 to get 8GB of DDR for my server or I could pay $12.19 CAD with free shipping and I could use these SODIMM sticks in a desktop board.  I would save money AND recycle existing memory that was otherwise unused.  I liked this even though people thought it was bullshit.  So, about 7 weeks later they have arrived.  Free shipping from eBay from China tends not to be fast.  You get what you pay for...

 

Here are the SODIMMS in the DIMM adaptors that will 100% totally not work:

 

 

 

And here they are installed in an old Gigabyte P67A-UD3-B3 motherboard.  There is enough room that these adaptors will fit in all four slots without getting in the way of each other, not that that matters because they will never work.  If you're curious, there's an i5 2300 under that cooler.  It's a shame though, because this machine will surely not POST in this configuration.

 

 

Here is the computer failing to POST.  Ignore all this 'BIOS' you see, and the report on the CPU and the 8GB of detected RAM.  It's just confused and THINKS it POSTed with all memory detected.  It totally didn't POST.

 

 

Since it didn't POST, this is absolutely is not CPU-Z reporting on the specific model of the RAM which matches the RAM from the photo.  What actually happened was the SODIMM adaptors blew up my TV via the HDMI cable and somehow this is how the pixels got stuck.  Crazy, right?

 

 

 

In conclusion, yes, you can TOTALLY run laptop SODIMM memory via a very cheap adaptor in a desktop build.  Also, some people on tech forums have no idea what they are talking about but are sure something will not work just because they never heard of it and it sounds silly to them.  Frankly, SODIMM has less pins but some of the pins on DDR3 DIMMs are only used for ECC, some are 'N/C' or 'No Connection' and serve no purpose, and others are redundant and the SODIMM adaptor just has less redundant connections.  If you think about it, this makes PERFECT sense.  There are desktop boards with low powered mobile CPUs on them but have full DIMM memory slots.  There are also motherboards with desktop CPU slots but have SODIMM memory slots (A lot of ITX boards for example). So there's no real argument that they wouldn't work, excluding manufacturing defect, other than the belief in voodoo or evil spirits that control weather your computer works or not.

[Unhelpful]

Neat!

[QueenDemetria]

Pew pew pew

 

 

(although your CPU-Z pic doesn't prove that its actually running on the desktop. It would help to have another CPU-Z window open at the same time also showing the CPU and whatnot. I know these adapters work though so you don't have to prove it to me, just some people might be anal.)

[Dabombinable]

Yes, they work. And what motherboard is that? Some one needs a beating for making a BIOS that badly. As in worse than the BIOS in my mobo from the mid to late 90's.

 

Edit: *sigh* Gigabyte still makes shit BIOS after having over a decade to improve them (late 90's-2011).

[Mark77]

How 'bout an overnight run of memtest86?    On the DIMMS that "100% won't work". 

 

 

[AshleyAshes]

10 minutes ago, QueenDemetria said:

Pew pew pew

 

 

(although your CPU-Z pic doesn't prove that its actually running on the desktop. It would help to have another CPU-Z window open at the same time also showing the CPU and whatnot. I know these adapters work though so you don't have to prove it to me, just some people might be anal.)

Let it never be said that I had anything to hide in this thread.

 

2 minutes ago, Mark77 said:

How 'bout an overnight run of memtest86?    On the DIMMS that "100% won't work". 

 

 

That'd take time and this server does work for me.  Instead I'm going to put the server back in it's normal place, watch TV that's stored on it on my HTPCs, and I'll report if the thing crashes in the next week or so.

[AshleyAshes]

35 minutes ago, Dabombinable said:

Yes, they work. And what motherboard is that? Some one needs a beating for making a BIOS that badly. As in worse than the BIOS in my mobo from the mid to late 90's.

 

Edit: *sigh* Gigabyte still makes shit BIOS after having over a decade to improve them (late 90's-2011).

The one UEFI for this mobo that was in beta was worse.  Unstable, CPU fan runs at the wrong speed, and basically buggy as hell.  This ya know, works.  Though it is disappointed that it can't give any info on the RAM other than it's speed and size.  But this server works for me, it POSTs, it runs the OS, it mounts the hard drives.

[Dabombinable]

15 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

The one UEFI for this mobo that was in beta was worse.  Unstable, CPU fan runs at the wrong speed, and basically buggy as hell.  This ya know, works.  Though it is disappointed that it can't give any info on the RAM other than it's speed and size.  But this server works for me, it POSTs, it runs the OS, it mounts the hard drives.

Still gets the crap beaten out of it by my Abit VP6 in UI+functionality, and my old Gigabyte S370 board that caught fire.

[NumLock21]

So are you going to tell everyone to buy those adapters so they can use their laptop rams on their desktop?

[AshleyAshes]

1 minute ago, NumLock21 said:

So are you going to tell everyone to buy those adapters so they can use their laptop rams on their desktop?

One would have to have a use case.  Namely having unused SODIMM RAM and a need for RAM in a desktop board. The SODIMM memory isn't lower in voltage and really offers no advantages over normal DIMMs.

 

...Oh and they'd probably be super useful for memory testing.  If someone did a lot of repairs, it'd probably be easier to have adaptors in desktop boards for testing laptop RAM, but that'd be a pretty uncommon use case too.

[Energycore]

47 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

One would have to have a use case.  Namely having unused SODIMM RAM and a need for RAM in a desktop board. The SODIMM memory isn't lower in voltage and really offers no advantages over normal DIMMs.

 

...Oh and they'd probably be super useful for memory testing.  If someone did a lot of repairs, it'd probably be easier to have adaptors in desktop boards for testing laptop RAM, but that'd be a pretty uncommon use case too.

Just like any other adapter, they're useful when you're missing compatible parts.

 

I've a Gigabyte H61 board and it's the exact same BIOS lol.

[SLAYR]

2 hours ago, Dabombinable said:

Yes, they work. And what motherboard is that? Some one needs a beating for making a BIOS that badly. As in worse than the BIOS in my mobo from the mid to late 90's.

 

Edit: *sigh* Gigabyte still makes shit BIOS after having over a decade to improve them (late 90's-2011).

That looks slightly better then, but not as bad as an intel bios which includes this depiction of the mobo. 

49 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

 

...Oh and they'd probably be super useful for memory testing.  If someone did a lot of repairs, it'd probably be easier to have adaptors in desktop boards for testing laptop RAM, but that'd be a pretty uncommon use case too.

Yeah using these would definitely be better then constantly flipping a laptop to get access to the ram, or even worse if they put it under the keyboard.

[Clyne]

2 hours ago, Dabombinable said:

Yes, they work. And what motherboard is that? Some one needs a beating for making a BIOS that badly. As in worse than the BIOS in my mobo from the mid to late 90's.

 

Edit: *sigh* Gigabyte still makes shit BIOS after having over a decade to improve them (late 90's-2011).

Ehh, i still have boards with Pheonix's BIOS on them...

[Tech Deals]

4 hours ago, AshleyAshes said:

Also, some people on tech forums have no idea what they are talking about but are sure something will not work just because they never heard of it and it sounds silly to them.

In my experience...  everyone seems to have an opinion on just about everything, but it simply isn't possible for most people to actually be knowledgeable about more than a handful of things.

 

I suspect many people mean well, but sadly thanks to the Internet, everyone thinks they are an expert.

 

I like to think I'm more knowledgeable than average, but I am well aware there are gaps in my knowledge and I've learned many things from reading forums such as this and others, and just listening in general.

[Sintezza]

I dont realy see why this would not work.

There are also mini itx server / workstation desktop boards with so dimm slots on them to save space.

So yeah.

[done12many2]

11 hours ago, AshleyAshes said:

I asked if anyone had any info and I was met with some pretty stupid responses.  Actually, let's go over some of those responses shall we?

 

"They don't." -MagnesiumPC

 

He really supplied firm backing for his opinion here.

 

"lmao that's not even a DDR3-style desktop connector. Looks a LOT more like regular DDR lmao lmaoooooo" -tmcclelland455

 

This guy doesn't seem to actually know what DDR3 looks like, but whatever.

 

The general concensus I received was that this was snake oil.  It would never work.  It's fake.  The photos are fake.  Don't bother.  I Googled a LOT and could not find a lot of information on them at ALL.  So I'll explain my use case.   

 

Also, some people on tech forums have no idea what they are talking about but are sure something will not work just because they never heard of it and it sounds silly to them.  

 

7 hours ago, Tech Deals said:

In my experience...  everyone seems to have an opinion on just about everything, but it simply isn't possible for most people to actually be knowledgeable about more than a handful of things.

 

I suspect many people mean well, but sadly thanks to the Internet, everyone thinks they are an expert.

 

I like to think I'm more knowledgeable than average, but I am well aware there are gaps in my knowledge and I've learned many things from reading forums such as this and others, and just listening in general.

 

Everyone here is an expert bud.  From what I've seen to date, as I haven't been on this forum long, is that there are an overwhelming amount of naysayers or self-proclaimed subject matter experts.

 

Great job OP!  Taking a chance pays off a lot!

[NumLock21]

11 hours ago, Sintezza said:

I dont realy see why this would not work.

There are also mini itx server / workstation desktop boards with so dimm slots on them to save space.

So yeah.

The boards were designed to use SO-DIMMs to begin with.

[Stefan1024]

I'm quite surpiced that it works. Not because of the pinn cound but because a riser for such high speed signals is a nigthmare.

However this risers are very well engineered with inpedance and leth matching. Not what you expect from a "super cheap chinese" product, but they actually can make good quality products!

[AshleyAshes]

58 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

The boards were designed to use SO-DIMMs to begin with.

You seem to think that sodimms are somehow special and that they must be designed for beyond being designed for the proper connector.  But sodimms communicate the same way other than their lack of pins to support ECC and aren't special at all other than by being more compact.

[NumLock21]

2 hours ago, AshleyAshes said:

You seem to think that sodimms are somehow special and that they must be designed for beyond being designed for the proper connector.  But sodimms communicate the same way other than their lack of pins to support ECC and aren't special at all other than by being more compact.

I know they operate the same way and difference is ECC and less pin count. The problem is not all adapters are built equal, some work and some don't. For you, you're lucky to pick one that does work. If it doesn't, I doubt you will be creating this thread, boasting on how a "expert" you are, and others don't know what they're talking about. 

This is the same with them PCIe x16 extenders, some will work great, some don't, and others with improper wiring can fried a gpu.

[AshleyAshes]

2 hours ago, NumLock21 said:

I doubt you will be creating this thread, boasting on how a "expert" you are

 

1) I think this is an interesting topic and I totally would have reported my results had it not worked.  I couldn't Google much information on an adaptor like this at all, so even a failure would be contributing to the available information.  Maybe someone will have a similar question and find this thread via Google and it'll help them out.

 

2) I ordered something on eBay on a whim for twelve bucks, waited seven weeks, jammed SODIMMs into them, then jammed them into a motherboard and pressed power.  There's no 'boasting on how an expert I am', just reporting my results.

[Sintezza]

5 hours ago, NumLock21 said:

The boards were designed to use SO-DIMMs to begin with.

Well i have seen such adapters used in some servers.

But not very often.

There are also ECC SO-dimm's for that matter.

[X_X]

@AshleyAshes there have been SO-DIIM to DIMM adapters long before DDR3 was even released. There's always going to be FOS posts, read Dunning-Kruger to understand why for probably most of them. Meanwhile live and let live for a happier life and just ignore them. Readers can make up their own minds what they want to believe.  

[Guest]

I know this is old, but you could of at least quoted us so we could defend our selves.

 

A

[done12many2]

7 minutes ago, MagnesiumPC said:

I know this is old, but you could of at least quoted us so we could defend our selves.

 

A

 

Defend yourself against what exactly?  

 

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