Who makes your Mac Pro memory?

[BuzzLightyear]

I'm curious who makes the memory you use in your Mac Pro -- both the stock Apple memory and any third party memory you've added.

But first, is there a tool that tells you this already?

If not, here's how I've done it for my machine. Run System Profiler (in /Application/Utilities).

Under Hardware, select Memory.

For each DIMM you have installed, post whether it was pre-installed "Apple" RAM or where you ordered it from and what "brand" they claimed it was.

Then, from System Profiler, include:

• Manufacturer
• Whether or not the serial number changes (for FB-DIMMs that are the same part number)

Here's my data:

A1/A2/B1/B2: 2GB FB-DIMM from MacRamDirect (their house "HyperVelocity" brand)
Manufacturer: 0x014F
Serial number does NOT change when selecting any of these 4 slots

A3/B3: 1GB FB-DIMM (original Apple RAM that shipped with my machine)
Manufacturer: 0x802C
Serial number DOES change when selecting these 2 slots

A4/B4: 1GB FB-DIMM from MacRamDirect (supposedly the same "Samsung" memory used by Apple. The MacRamDirect label says "Samsung")
Manufacturer: 0x014F
Serial number does NOT change when selecting these 2 slots

JEDEC publication number JEP-106-X provides manufacturing identification codes.

0x014F is in bank 2 and is assigned to Transcend Information.

0x802C is in bank 1 (the high bit is a parity bit) and indicates Micron Technology.​

(I can look up others as they are posted.)

It appears Apple used Micron memory in my Mac Pro (the sticker on the FB-DIMMs had the Micron logo and I assume they use their own DDR2 chips) which makes me wonder why MacRamDirect says Apple uses Samsung?

I do realize that the manufacturing code on the FB-DIMM SPD is not necessarily indicative of who makes the actual memory chips on the FB-DIMM, but it's still an interesting exercise nonetheless.

The reason I am curious about whether or not the serial number changes for your RAM is because according to JEDEC Standard 21-C Page 4.1.2.7, Appendix X: Serial Presence Detect for Fully-Buffered DIMM (Revision 1.1) it clearly says (emphasis mine):

The supplier must include a unique serial number for the module. The supplier may use whatever decode method desired to maintain a unique serial number for each module. One method of achieving this is by assigning a byte in the field from 122-125 as a tester ID byte and using the remaining bytes as a sequential serial number. Bytes 117-125 will then result in a nine-byte unique module identifier. Note that part number is not included in this identifier: the supplier may not give the same value for Bytes 119:125 to more than one DIMM even if the DIMMs have different part numbers.​

so it appears the Transcend modules I got from MacRamDirect violate this requirement.

 

[deathshrub]

I was under the impression that hynix produced all of the memory that shipped with macs.

 

[BuzzLightyear]

Hmmm... nobody wants to post this info for FB-DIMMs purchased from OWC, TransIntl, etc.?

I know I'm curious!

 

[Techguy172]

I was under the impression that hynix produced all of the memory that shipped with macs.

Some have Samsung Ram.

 

[Fubar89]

Buzzlightyear,
I too am very curious as to who makes the memory. Here's what I have in each DIMM bank

A1/A2: 1GB FB-DIMM (original Apple RAM that shipped with my machine)
Manufacturer: 0x830B
Label shows Nanya
Serial number DOES change when selecting these 2 slots

B1/B2: 2GB FB-DIMM (purchased from Mac Memory World on ebay)
Manufacturer: 0x014F
Top label shows Samsung (see pic)
Bottom label (after peeling off top label) shows Transcend (see pic)*
Serial number DOES NOT change when selecting these 2 slots
* I emailed Mac Memory World to find out why it had Samsung label on top and Transcend label on bottom. The computer recognizes the memory and looks fine, but the discrepancy makes me think I got scammed.

A3/A4/B3/B4: Empty

 

[mcc]

I purchased 6 GB of memory from OWC for my Mac Pro 3,1. The memory was listed as "Apple Qualified" rather than "Apple Certified" memory.

The Manufacturer is identified as 0x05F7 and the Part Number is identified as 0x000000463732323842353245353830304600. The Serial Number for each FBDIMM is either 0x00000000 or can't be decoded and is displayed as that.

The original memory from Apple had the Manufacturer identified as 0x80AD and the Part Number identified as 0x48594D5035313241373243503844332D5335. Both FBDIMMS had unique serial numbers.

 

[iamcheerful]

Transintl

DIMM Riser A/DIMM 1 & 2:

Size: 2 GB
Type: DDR2 FB-DIMM
Speed: 800 MHz
Status: OK
Manufacturer: 0x0000
Part Number: 0x000000463732353642363145353830304600
Serial Number: 0x00000000

 

[gotzero]

I have 4x2GB of OWC 800mhz memory in mine. The serial numbers do not change. I assumed it was assigned or something for warranty purposes.

The RAM that came with it has serial numbers.

This is probably obvious, but shouldn't the current MPs be 2,1? The 2.66, 3.0, 3.0x8 was the only prior generation, right?

 

[scottydawg]

My memory from OWC says:

Size: 1 GB
Type: DDR2 FB-DIMM
Speed: 800 MHz
Status: OK
Manufacturer: 0x05F7
Part Number: 0x000000003732323842363145353830304600
Serial Number: 0x00000000

 

[pwn247]

iRam. Great customer service. I bought a 2GB kit, advertised as 800MHz, arrived as 667MHz. So I emailed them, and the guy (Jason) was very nice about having them replaced and keeping everything simple.

 

[Roy]

iRam. Great customer service. I bought a 2GB kit, advertised as 800MHz, arrived as 667MHz. So I emailed them, and the guy (Jason) was very nice about having them replaced and keeping everything simple.

So what you are saying is that they screwed up on the first order, but they were nice about correcting their mistake.

 

[rpaloalto]

So what you are saying is that they screwed up on the first order, but they nice about correcting their mistake.

Funny

 

[xraydoc]

Four the 6GB of RAM in my machine is from OWC, purchased at two different times.

System Profiler reports:
Size: 1 GB
Type: DDR2 FB-DIMM
Speed: 667 MHz
Status: OK
Manufacturer: 0x0416
Part Number: 0x4E4C43313237413236343037462D4435334D
Serial Number: 0x00000000

and

Size: 1 GB
Type: DDR2 FB-DIMM
Speed: 667 MHz
Status: OK
Manufacturer: 0x02FE
Part Number: 0x47523244463238373238454C363637490000
Serial Number: 0x00000000

The other 2GB are Apple factory RAM.

 

[Chilz0r]

My Apple RAM is from Micron. (reports as 0x802C)
My 3rd party RAM I ordered from macfixit.com.au reports as 0x0000 which is TransIntl

 

[CaptainChunk]

The stock RAM in my Mac Pro was Hynix. The 8GB of additional OWC memory I added to it after purchase has Samsung modules.

 

[Freymour]

Mac Pro Memory

2 x 1GB Apple Memory
DDR2 FB-DIMM @ 800 MHz
Manufacturer 0x80AD
Part Number 0x48594D5035313241373243503844332D5335
2 Unique Serial Numbers

6 x 2GB Mushkin Memory
DDR2 FB-DIMM @ 800 MHz
Manufacturer 0x8394
6 x Part Number
6 Unique Serial Numbers

 

[Rt&Dzine]

Stock RAM is Micron.
OWC RAM appears to be TransIntl. I think it would have been cheaper to order directly from them

 

[iamcheerful]

Stock RAM is Micron.
OWC RAM appears to be TransIntl. I think it would have been cheaper to order directly from them

that's really one big laugh we can get ...

 

[UpperQuadrant]

I was under the impression that hynix produced all of the memory that shipped with macs.

NO, Apple uses MANY different suppliers depending on what model and actual part. At any given point in time, they could be getting memory from 3 or 4 different companies. The more important thing is that they get compatible memory that's been tested to higher level of specs than what is commonly shipped through the open market. If you look at the support communities and the mfg own user forums, they constantly have problematic memory. That's why it's always best to just pay more and get higher quality RAM from Apple directly, plus their own hardware test software can tell if it's 3rd party memory, and they usually tell you to replace it with Apple memory so they can further test your system. IF you use 3rd party memory and call Apple, they'll tell you to replace it with Apple memory since they can't support memory they didn't supply.

I just looked at my Late 2012 27inch iMac and it has Hylinx memory and the System Information says MFG Part number 0x80AD

I just looked at my 2014 13inch MacBookProRetina and it has 0x02FE as the memory mfg. I haven't cracked open the unit since it's not something they want us to do, so I don't know who that supplier actually is. But it could be just about anyone. But my last iMac had Samsung memory that Apple supplied. I've also run into Toshiba memory that Apple used. They are always using a variety of different RAM suppliers. It keeps everyone on their toes.

 

[Baunkjaer]

Replaced the original Hynix with 3*8GB Samsung...

 

[nigelbb]

When I bought my 2008 Mac Pro 3,1 (in 2008) I ordered it with minimum memory & ordered a further few FB-DIMMs from Crucial at a saving of about 50%. When I opened up the case to put the Crucial RAM in I discovered that the installed RAM sticks were identical Crucial parts without even an Apple sticker to justify the premium price.