need RAM help

[comp-noob]

i just installed a new 1gb ram pc2700 ddr (they said it was low density) memory in to my computer along with a 512mb pc2700 ddr sdram that came in it now i have problems with programs shutting down any help is great

[Rik_]

Do you have a laptop or a PC?

[comp-noob]

i have a pc its a hp my mobo is a asus A7VBX-LA Socket A (462) AMD Motherboard w/Sound, Video, Lan with a amd athlon 3100+ 2.20 Ghz 236 mb, with 512 mb pc2700 ddr - sdram memory. my mobo has 2 memory slots i didnt know if the slots are ordered like primary and secondary so when i installed the new 1gb i put it in the original 512mb slot

[Rik_]

I also have an Asus mobo and know that they are very fussy when it comes to ram. You should be able to download the manual from Asus and see exactly what is does support.

[Xlphos]

Hello,

Have you tried each module individually?

Have you tried alternating the slots used?

[Tropp]

I would always suggest installing memory in matched pairs. 512mb and a 1gb stick sounds like asking for issues

[comp-noob]

im thinking that it might be the new card i took out my 512 and just ran the gig it still had the same problem just not as often

[jbennet]

If its DDR hasnt it got to be installed in pairs of matching size and speed?

Try running MemTest86 to identify if the RAM is faulty. There is a livecd you can download.

[tom curren]

In my 3 decades of RAM experiences, other than defective RAM and too much RAM for the BIOS or OS to access, the number one problem is mismatched RAM speed (measured in time such as nanoseconds or speed such as gigahertz). Be it slow or fast, all RAM banks must be the same. It generally doesn't hurt if it is also all the same manufacturer but that is only for swapping and power considerations. The chips themselves have the ratings written on them.

[jbennet]

the number one problem is mismatched RAM speed (measured in time such as nanoseconds or speed such as gigahertz). Be it slow or fast, all RAM banks must be the same

Not strictly true. Ive got a mix of PC133 and PC100 RAM (Not DDR) in an old machine and it runs just fine for the last 7+ years. One is 256mb and the other is 128mb.

[crunchie]

The faster RAM will just default to the slowest RAM's speed. Having said that, ideally one should have matching sticks.

[Rik_]

I have also come across 2 old Dell's and 3 old HP's with a mix of 100 and 133. The 2 Dell's had damage to a slot and would only support 1 stick and the 3 HP's all came up with constant memory errors, even with a single slot used or both with 100 or 133. So I think it depends on the make and model as to whether a pc can support more than one speed without problem.

As I stated before tho, Asus are well known for having problems with mixes of ram. It is best to stick with the makes of ram they recommend. I, for example, have filled all my slots on my Asus board with Infineon as they are on the supported list for my mobo and they work perfectly well.

[jbennet]

I have also come across 2 old Dell's and 3 old HP's with a mix of 100 and 133. The 2 Dell's had damage to a slot and would only support 1 stick

Same with me. The machine i mentioned earlier is a dell XPS T600. 3 slots, and one of them is damaged.

[tom curren]

jbennet

Those two may be a lot closer in speed than you realize.

The important part is that you got 7 years of usage. Well Done!

[jbennet]

Well, thats just in that config, probably more overall - Got it in 1999 - had NT4.0 on it (which i wiped for win98 as i wanted games lol)

Cost a bomb for my parents back then, but its a good machine. Thinking about upgrading it actually, its got win2k as its only got 256mb ram, but it says it can take 256mb a slot up to a max of 768 (seeing as one is broken, 512) which means i could run XP quite well on it.

[comp-noob]

with just the gig in the computer restarts almost constantly with the 512 it runs just fine with both i keep getting a message that say instruction at (number) referenced memory at (number) memory cant be "read". and then it restarts am i overloading my computer with ram

[jbennet]

Well that sounds like bad RAM

Did you run MemTest86 like I said?

[comp-noob]

no i didnt i dont know how to write just the image to a cd

[Josh Connerty]

It sounds more like a dodgey stick of RAM, I know AMD motherboards can have the funnies but it is unlikely. I have had an eMachines Intel Celeron M system and that had a 512MB RAM that I upgraded to 1.2GB RAM with mis matching frequencies and the newer higher frequency 1GB module clocked down as it should do.

So yes run memtest and confirm what they are clocking at so as to dismiss the dodgey underclocking.

[jbennet]

no i didnt i dont know how to write just the image to a cd

Download a tool called DeepBurner (There is a free version - the free one is the one you want, not the pro or portable one). Install it, run it and choose "Burn ISO image". Point it at the image and click burn.

[comp-noob]

i ran memtest thanks for the help with that jbennet it said that it all passed no errors

[jbennet]

Hmm. Glad to help, but it still doesnt solve your peoblem.... I dont know what it could be then. Any ideas anyone?

[crunchie]

Try clearing your bios by removing the cmos battery on the motherboard. Leave it out for 30 seconds, install both sticks of RAM, then replace battery.
You will need to enter the bios to reset the clock/date.

[Josh Connerty]

Yes clearing the CMOS sounds like the next step. Other than that you may have to find someone else with a 1GB stick of DDR and see if theirs works any better, by this I mean one that doesn't need to clock down.

But clearing the CMOS should make your BIOS administer new RAM. In a sense it has to POST from scratch all of your hardware to the BIOS so clearing it will make sure it scans for installed hardware again.

As said before it is major simple, there should be a 3/4 inch round battery either upright or flat, remove all of the power to the motherboard and remove this battery.

I leave it for 2 minutes just to be sure. Then fit your RAM, there shouldn't be a primary and secondary like the hard drives and ATA devices, then pop the battery back in.

After this boot your system and go into the BIOS and make sure your boot devices are in the correct order and correct the time and date. Then save the settings and reboot the system.

You should leave it to boot into the OS and login etc. and if all is fine then this has worked. ;)

(This is just incase you don't know how to clear your CMOS)

If this doesn't work however then I am lost. I haven't seen this happen too often but sometimes it requires you to format your hard drive but this really is a last resort.

[comp-noob]

it worked thanks guys for all your help you'll all be seeing rep points

[Josh Connerty]

No problem (that is if I have helped :P)