I currently have a ReadyNAS Pro Pioneer Edition with 2GBs of RAM in it. I want to upgrade to 8GBs (2x4GBs), and have looked through lots of threads of people doing this, but all the RAM modules that seem to work 100% of the time with these boxes are extremely expensive. $150.00 or more for 8GBs of RAM is outrageous, especially when there really good DDR2 RAM is available for far less.
Has anyone upgraded their ReadyNAS Pro 6 or Pro Pioneer to 8GBs of RAM without breaking the bank? Please let me know what models of RAM you purchased.
Even if you've only upgraded to 4GBs (2x2GBs) of RAM, please let me know what you bought and for how much. Thanks in advance!
I've gone with eBay. The latest I bought was G.Skill 2GB PC2-8500U DDR2 1066 Desktop Memory, which is CL5-5-5-15. Got 4 for $72 about a year ago. I've also used OCZ Platinum, which has similar specs. Be careful with the height of the heat spreader. Anything more than a simple wrap-around like these have will be too much. Finding 4GB modules used is a bit tougher, as most of this came out of XP machines where 4GB was the upper limit.
But I found I got a lot more bang for the buck upgrading the processor to a Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93 GHz / 1066 MHz / 3M socket 775 CPU SLGTE, which now goes for under $10 on eBay. The original processor in the Pro BE or Pioneer is a Pentium Dual CPU E2160 @ 1.80GHz. Only caviat here is to make sure you have the latest motherboard BIOS (FLAME6-MB V2.0). I understand there are some very early models that are incompatible. Stock fan and heat sink keep it nice and cool (at least using Arctic Silver), as it is still has a 65W TDP.
BTW, your title says "Pro 6" and your text says "Pro Pioneer". While they are basically the same, they are not exactly. The base CPU in a Pro 6 is a Pentium Dual-Core E5300 @ 2.60GHz. Not enough extra bang to bother upgrading that to the Core2 above unless you need virtulalization (VT-x). BTW, in OS 4.2.x, CPU and motherboard BIOS info are in dmesg.log. In 6.x, it's not nearly as informative.
Thanks for the information. I've already upgraded my BIOS and replaced the CPU with a Core2Quad Q6600, plus the CPU and rear fans with high RPM/CFM models. Just looking for RAM at this point. Could you give me the model number of the OCZ Platinum, I'm trying to find exactly what people have bought, since the boxes are so picky.
I currently have a ReadyNAS Pro Pioneer Edition with 2GBs of RAM in it. I want to upgrade to 8GBs (2x4GBs), and have looked through lots of threads of people doing this, but all the RAM modules that seem to work 100% of the time with these boxes are extremely expensive. $150.00 or more for 8GBs of RAM is outrageous, especially when there really good DDR2 RAM is available for far less.
When I upgraded my Pro Pioneer to 8GB three years ago, the Patriot PSD28G800K kit (2 x 4GB DIMMs) cost around $40. It's significantly more expensive now, but if you really want 8GB, you need RAM with those particular specs. Other, cheaper DDR2 RAM -- even "really good" DDR2 RAM -- won't work.
Even if you've only upgraded to 4GBs (2x2GBs) of RAM, please let me know what you bought and for how much. Thanks in advance!
When I upgraded my Pro Pioneer to 8GB three years ago, the Patriot PSD28G800K kit (2 x 4GB DIMMs) cost around $40.
Sorry, I just checked and that's totally wrong. I paid $40, but the usual price at the time was $185... Which makes today's $130 retail price seem almost reasonable.
When I upgraded my Pro Pioneer to 8GB three years ago, the Patriot PSD28G800K kit (2 x 4GB DIMMs) cost around $40. It's significantly more expensive now, but if you really want 8GB, you need RAM with those particular specs. Other, cheaper DDR2 RAM -- even "really good" DDR2 RAM -- won't work.
For the benefit of those looking to go with 8MB, can you be more specific about which of "those particular specs" you are referring to. I used two other brands of "really good" RAM for 4GB, and they worked just fine and at top speed (as reported by OS4.2.x, OS 6.x no longer does that).
When I upgraded my Pro Pioneer to 8GB three years ago, the Patriot PSD28G800K kit (2 x 4GB DIMMs) cost around $40. It's significantly more expensive now, but if you really want 8GB, you need RAM with those particular specs. Other, cheaper DDR2 RAM -- even "really good" DDR2 RAM -- won't work.
For the benefit of those looking to go with 8MB, can you be more specific about which of "those particular specs" you are referring to. I used two other brands of "really good" RAM for 4GB, and they worked just fine and at top speed (as reported by OS4.2.x, OS 6.x no longer does that).
Ok, it's been years since I tracked down the specs of the ReadyNAS hardware and figured out its memory requirements, and I did it for both the 6-drive boxes and the very different 2-drive boxes, so it's all a little muddled in my memory... But I think the specs for the 6-drive boxes are:
240-pin DIMM
PC2-6400 (800MHz)
Non ECC
Unbuffered (also called "Unregistered")
Dual rank
Single channel
All available 240-pin DDR2 modules will meet the first two requirements. The vast majority will meet the first four. Most will meet the first five, but many WILL NOT meet the final requirement. I suspect that most of the modules that have been shown not to work with the 6-drive ReadyNAS boxes fail because they need dual memory channels.
If you've found modules that work and are cheaper than the Patriot modules, please post the part numbers.
I had exactly the same dilemma a couple of months back, and essentially gave up on the 2x4GB plan.
Instead I bought 2x2GB ddr2 pc2- 6400 cl6 from Crucial that I found for cheap (20 euros) at a local used components store. I'll take a picture of the boxes they came me in during next week, then you'll have the exact reference for the part.
