Well the memory I ordered arrived today and after fiddling with my damn 333mhz G3 bronzekeyboard powerbook I managed to get (with friedo’s online help) both my chips in.
One is 128MB (upper slot) and the other 256MB (bottom slot). Before I had managed to get at the bottom slot the 256MB one was in the top slot and behaving as a 128MB one. I had (foolishly) hoped that swapping it into the bottom slot would fix the problem.
No such luck. It still thinks that it’s only 128MB.
The manufacturer for both chips is Marlow Data Systems. The specs look right and when I ordered it from macconnection it indicated it was for laptops.
So if any people who have more of a clue than I do could offer help it would be much appreciated.
Me too (sorry, The Tim). Only mine’s an iMac. I don’t know which slot to put my 256MB in. I now have a 32MB in each slot.
Love ya, Tim. 
Peace,
mangeorge
I was just checking into this since I pulled a SIMM from my PowerBook G3/500 and I planned to give my old SIMM to a friend with a Lombard. I checked with my memory supplier, and he said that my RAM would work in models as old as his (an original Powerbook G3, 233 with SCSI). But that won’t help with your situation much.
I’m scrounging around for my copy of “Guru” by the now-defunct Newer Technologies, it was a comprehensive RAM spec guide, but I can’t seem to find it. And alas, I have to head out of the house for an urgent errand right now. For now, I suggest you check on the Apple website, which has a nice memory installation Quicktime movie just for the Bronze models. Let me know the specs of the RAM you bought, I’ll check in when I get back.
Your motherboard may only be able to handle 128 MB of ram. I know that would be my answer to a PC user. Look at the specs for your laptop (most likely will be online) and figure out how much it can handle. It may be able to handle 256 TOTAL and won’t recognize a 256 double density stick, and that would require you to get another 128 stick.
Nope, Zipper, mine is the PowerBook that precedes The Tim’s (mine is a black keyboard “Wall Street”), and mine supports up to 512, so his should support at least that much (maybe a gig).
Is one of your two RAM chips a low profile chip? I believe the chip on the bottom needs to be a low profile chip, meaning that the distance from the contact pins to the far side is about half of that of the chips that you can use on the top. You CAN (I believe) use the low profile chips on the top as well as the bottom, but they are more expensive.
On the other hand, I thought the reason that one needed low profile chips on the bottom is that the full-sized modules would not FIT. Which you’d think would be obvious and clear when you tried to put one there…??
RAM is cheap; you might want to think about forking over for a second 256 module, this one low-profile, since you know that the existing 256 works fine in the upper slot.
Have you searched the hardware forums at MacFixit ?
Thanks for bringing those to my attention. I’ll start looking through them now.
AHunter3: Good thought but I’m pretty sure low profile is a size thing as well. If I can’t find anything I can pawn this one off onto my roommate and order a different one.
I am a PC geek but in similar circumstances with PCs (ie modules pairs not behaving) it usually turned out to be mudule incompatibility.
This link seems to suggest that SODIMMS for the G3 have to be precisely compatible with the lower slot. Again Apple units are not my baliwick so possibly I am mis-interpreting this requirement but I would suspect the modules you have are not exactly what the G3 wants.
http://store.yahoo.com/memx/apl144x256l.html
“256mb 3.3v 144pin low profile PC100 CL2 SO DIMM, made with 16 chips 16mbx8
Manufactured by MemoryX, lifetime waranty
Compatible with iMac 233, 266, 333Mhz (tray loading), PowerBook G3, iBook, PowerBook Firewire
This item has been specially developed to run in the lower slot of the iMac and the PowerBook G3 lower slots. This module will allow the iMac and PB G3 to maximize memory at 512mb. In the iMac, the 256mb module requires use of at least firmware revision 1.2”
http://www.thechipmerchant.com has this to say
http://store.yahoo.com/thechipmerchant/-10007-0.html#top
“I have a G3 Powerbook. Which RAM would I purchase for it?”
There have been four generations of the G3 Power Book. If your laptop has a white Apple on the top lid then you have the Wallstreet model (2nd generation) which uses SDRAM. The older G3 (which resembles a PB 5300 with a gray case and rainbow apple on top) uses EDO memory. The 3rd generation Power Book often referred to as the “Bronze Keyboard” or "Lombard " has a bronze keyboard USB ports and runs at 333MHz and 400MHz. That machine uses the PB G3 100MHz RAM. The 4th generation Power Book often referred to as the “Firewire” or "Pismo " has a bronze keyboard USB ports with additional Firewire ports and runs at 400MHz or 500MHz
The chip merchant “bronze” module is more expensive than a standard SODIMM (50 vs 69) so there may be some spec. it needs to meet outside of timing issues.
“Part#: 14371 - $ 69.00
Information 256 meg
This quality kit comes with a SODIMM memory module that meets all of Apple’s specifications and for your peace of mind is backed by our lifetime warranty. Installation instructions are included that will guide you through the process and we’ve even added the right size screwdriver.”
Ah, here’s the specFrom Apple’s own spec database.
PowerBook G3 Series (Bronze keyboard, 333 MHz)
Memory
Logic Board: none
RAM Slots: 2, SO-DIMM
Min - Max RAM: 64 MB - 384 MB
Min RAM Speed: 10 ns
RAM Sizes: 64, 128, 256 MB
Install in Groups of: 1
Should support at max a 128M SIMM and a 256M, and it shouldn’t matter which slot you use for either SIMM. It should not require any special design or low profile SIMM as long as it’s the right spec. I don’t think Apple ever shipped any Powerbooks with SIMMs slower than 3-2-2.
That Bronze 333 was a sweet spot in performance, I have some friends with 233s and 333s, Apple struggled a long time getting Powerbooks performance up even to the level of the G3/500. They still are hardworking laptops and worth upgrading a little.
Here’s that link I was looking for:
http://www.info.apple.com/usen/powerbook/
Down near the bottom is a helpful set of links:
Upgrading memory in a PowerBook G4, PowerBook G3 Series (Bronze Keyboard), or PowerBook G3 Series
Watch a short movie about how to install memory, or read about it in the Knowledge Base.
Those Apple specs are conservative–Apple doesn’t update their RAM specs as later versions of RAM come to market long after Apple has quit manufacturing the model in question.
My WallStreet was originally advertised (and probably continues to be described by Apple) as maxing out at 192 MB. I have 256 in it now and am probably going to 512 soon, the prices are so nice.