Member Avatar for TxGirl67

Hi everyone. I apologize for my first post being a doozy of a problem but I'm at my wit's end.
Less than 2 weeks ago, my son's friend, a self-proclaimed computer genius, offered me new RAM for my system. My computer came with 128MB RAM about 5 years ago, bought brand new. It was enough for me but he insisted it was free and not a big deal. I DON'T KNOW WHY I LET HIM NEAR MY COMPUTER! I have this 'thing' that I don't let people get near my computer or my car. I don't know why I trusted him. He's 20 years old. Let me also say I'm not a 'newbie'. I know a lot but not enough about computers, the ins and outs of them. I was a computer forum moderator for quite some time as well. But I'd never advertise to anyone that I'm a 'computer genius'. Nonetheless...

Upon opening the case, he took out 2 sticks of RAM, one 'real' and one 'dummy' that are paired in the slots. As soon as he removed them, he saw that his kind were far different and would not work. Of course, I tried to tell him my RAM was not common and quite expensive as I'd always been told, you just couldn't get it anywhere. But the genius insisted he knew what he was doing. Well, he never attempted to put in his RAM, knowing they were far different. So he put my RAM back in their slots and closed the case. He left to go to work.

I connected all my cords and wires. Upon booting, the hard drive light stayed lit and it would beep, 7 long beeps then a pause, then the cycle repeated itself. Looking that up, it points to RAM. The guys at another computer forum site said he damaged my RAM somehow. I ordered new RAM and installed it last night. No beeps but the computer and fan hum, the hard drive light stays lit, and nothing else. It never goes to POST and I get no display at all.

Please help me figure this out. Here are my specs.
SONY VAIO desktop system, PCV-RX370DS
WinME
PC-800 RDRAM (RAMBUS)

My RAM must be installed in pairs and no slot can be empty. Assuming the RAM was damaged by the genius (due to static charge or mishandling), I gave up the 64MB and the dummy that he removed and installed 2 sticks of 128MB each. That would then make 1 dummy, 1 64MB, 128MB, and 128MB in total.

Please help. A new system is not an option and I'm devastated to think I would lose everything on my hard drive. Please help me determine the REAL problem. I LOVE my system, I LOVE WinME, and I NEED everything working again.

Is my only remaining option to take my 'baby' to a repair shop? What could be preventing my computer from functioning? Help me please.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by BuggZ
Member Avatar for BuggZ

It's been a while since I worked on a system with RAMBUS but I suspect it is because either there is an incompatibility between the new memory and the old, or the new memory isn't compatible with your system, or the CRIMM (dummy stick) is in the wrong slot. When using CRIMMs the RAMBUS memory should be in the first slot and CRIMM should be in the second slot. Since you have 2 128Meg RIMM sticks and 1 64Meg stick and one CRIMM, try putting the 128Meg sticks in the first two slots, the 64Meg stick in the third, and the CRIMM in the fourth slot. If that doesn't work try to get your system back to the original working configuration with the 64Meg sticks in the first and third slots and the CRIMMs in the second and fourth slots. If that works, try replacing your 64Meg sticks with the 128Meg sticks. Also check the number of chips on the 128Meg sticks. They will probably be either 8 or 4-chip sticks. Some computers that use RAMBUS memory don't seem to like the 4-chip memory especially if it is mixed with 8-chip. Hope this helps.

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