PC Peripherals Bought Transcend DDR2 RAM from Flipkart - is this fake?

vishalrao

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I just bought 2x2GB Transcend RAM (DDR2, yes DDR2) to add to my existing 2x2GB RAM on my 7 yr old PC (Intel P35 chipset mobo) and I am wondering if it's fake/generic, even though it seems to be working OK.

CPU-Z shows my old RAM's manufacturer name (Transcend) and part number JM800QLU-2G as DDR2 800 (PC2-6400/400mhz speed with 5-5-5-18 latencies) along with a serial number.

But the new sticks do not show manufacturer name or model number or serial number, it just shows the DDR2/800 and 6-6-6-18 latencies. The listing on Flipkart was the same part number JM800QLU-2g but the sticks are narrower and the sticker has the Transcend name/logo and a hologram with "U-DIMM" marked on it and no part number apparent.

Ran a memtest and everything, both Windows and Linux report the capacity as 4G (total 8GB on my PC now) and the Windows memory diagnostics passed clean.

I'm just concerned that the CPU-Z not showing the manufacturer name/model/part number or serial number - could it be a "fake" or "generic" RAM? My previous experience with "generic" RAM is they go bad pretty soon.
 
Transcend RAM sticks come in a tamperproof packaging like below. Did yours come with a similar packaging?
transcend-jm1600klh-8g-400x400-imadg2ygfazztnpu.jpeg
 
Nope, it wasn't tamperproof package, it was similar shaped but just had a red/white sticker with "Transcend JM800QLU-2G" wrapped around the middle section.
 
Here's a pic of the case and one of the sticks of RAM:

WP_000440_noserial.jpg

I checked the serial numbers on http://www.transcend-info.com/support/verification and they seem to check out with the part number and lifetime warranty mentioned with "2GB JM DDR2 800 U-DIMM 2Rx8" in the product description.

My only remaining concern is that CPU-Z does not show any manufacturer name, part number or serial number on it.

Am I being too paranoid? Could this be genuine? Or a really really good fake? :D

In any case I think I will settle down and not fret too much over this, unless someone tells me otherwise![DOUBLEPOST=1434600631][/DOUBLEPOST]Cost me Rs. 2.2k for the 2x2GB sticks off flipkart.[DOUBLEPOST=1434604467][/DOUBLEPOST]Just noticed on the attached pic that the actual black chips on the sticks have "Hynix" printed on them, does that make anything clearer?
 
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The sticker on the RAM stick looks legit. Plus if the serial number passed the verification, then it should be legit (p.s. you should probably mask the serial number in your pic ;)). Hynix is one of the largest suppliers of RAM ICs, so no surprise seeing hynix chips there.

Very puzzling that the data isn't being read off the SPD. Try using only the new RAM sticks and in the slots where the data is being read correctly.
 
Its genuine need not worry. My ddr2 also came in similar packages during ddr2 era.
And cpu-z also didnt read rams info properly. It was either partial or null.
Same with a Kingston stick as well but my rams severed me pretty well for 4 years without any rms/replace before shifting to ddr3.

Try "Lavalys Everest ultimate edition" tool It should definitely give you any detailed info. of your system components.

**Just stay away from Transcend pen drives.
 
Very puzzling that the data isn't being read off the SPD. Try using only the new RAM sticks and in the slots where the data is being read correctly.

Yup, tried those already, no luck.

Got a reply from Transcend contact over their website that serial numbers are OK (well, duh) but they missed/ignored my question about the chips having Hynix printed on them, so I repeated the question to them, lets see if they say anything.

I guess I'll just continue with these sticks and hope I don't start getting BSODs and/or data corruption after a few weeks/months :D

Thanks a lot for your inputs guys!
 
I think they are genuine.
As Crazzy _Eddy pointed out Hynix is a memory manufacturer, SK-Hynix to be precise.
Transcend, Kingston, G-Skill and the likes of them just put them along with a memory controller on a PCB. SK-Hynix, Micron, Samsung are the actual memory chip manufacturers, so be rest assured that they are genuine.
Also in this day and age you can surely find "fresh" DDR2, heck even DDR1, and a lot of money is made on them as they are required by legacy systems.
 
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