Can anyone please help, I have just bought a Kingston 1GB DDRAM mem module to upgrade from 512MB. However, although my BIOS (Award-Phoenix) recognises that my RAM is now 1GB, my PC would not boot after the first XP Windows screen before you get to the log on screen. After this point my screen stayed blank. The specs of my motherboard say it can take up to 2GB at 400MHz. I also have a spare PC, same specs but with AMI BIOS and the same thing happens on that. The only information I can find is that a 2 slot RAM motherboard is more efficient if both slots are used. Could this be the problem, and just use 2 512MB RAM modules instead of a single 1GB module? I just don't know. Any advice will be much appreciated, thanx.
Eamonn.
EAMON 0 Junior Poster in Training
blud 82 Linux Reject Moderator
Well, you state it is DDR memory, is it DDR or DDR2? Do you know if it's ECC Registered?
A general rule of thumb (to avoid issues) is to always update your RAM with 2 sticks at a time.
Most of the newer motherboards require ECC memory, which requires you to upgrade in pairs anyway.
EAMON 0 Junior Poster in Training
Well, you state it is DDR memory, is it DDR or DDR2? Do you know if it's ECC Registered?
A general rule of thumb (to avoid issues) is to always update your RAM with 2 sticks at a time.
Most of the newer motherboards require ECC memory, which requires you to upgrade in pairs anyway.
Thanx BLUD for your reply, the memory I used is definately DDRAM not DDR2. As for ECC registered, I cant find any specs on my machines, motherboards, RAM old or the new module that can say if any are ECC registered. From what I do know for ECC is that as a home user who never plays games let alone high end graphic games, ECC RAM would not be a neccessity. If at a later date I upgrade to VISTA maybe I would need it then, at this time I simply don't know. I understand the reasons to upgrade in pairs, but when I purchased my PC it only held one 256MB module, although sluggish it worked ok. I upgraded last year by adding another 256 into the vacant slot with no problems. I will thanx to your advice return the 1GB module and replace with 2 X 512's.
One thing that baffles me is the DDR2 memory module, according to what I found out about DDR2 on the net, that it is basically an improved version of SDDRAM. If that is the case, why does it have a DDR slot and not 2 SDDR slots. If it is a SDDR upgrade, then machines using current SDDR are physically unable to use it. Just a thought?
Thanx again, Eamonn
reezin14 1 Junior Poster
Did you try putting in the 1GB of RAM and the 256MB, and was the 1GB installed into the first slot on the MOBO, some older MOBO's require you to put the highest module in first so make sure that it is installed this way.
EAMON 0 Junior Poster in Training
Did you try putting in the 1GB of RAM and the 256MB, and was the 1GB installed into the first slot on the MOBO, some older MOBO's require you to put the highest module in first so make sure that it is installed this way.
Hi reezin14, I took advice from the fist reply and exchanged the 1GB for 2 X 256MB Kingstons. Again strange, both in together exactly the same thing happened to both my machines, yet I had them running perfectly with just 1 256 in each !!!! The shop where I bought them, thinks I should flash my BIOS, that I am not keen on at all. I havn't tried mixing 2different size modules yet, but ultimately I want 1GB of RAM on here. Thanx,
Eamonn.
PS both MOBO's are less than 2 years old and have specs to take 2GB at 400MHz.
lol_hacker101 4 Junior Poster
Do you think it may be a problem with the two 216-MB's you replaced the 1 GB with?
reezin14 1 Junior Poster
Hi reezin14, I took advice from the fist reply and exchanged the 1GB for 2 X 256MB Kingstons. Again strange, both in together exactly the same thing happened to both my machines, yet I had them running perfectly with just 1 256 in each !!!! The shop where I bought them, thinks I should flash my BIOS, that I am not keen on at all. I havn't tried mixing 2different size modules yet, but ultimately I want 1GB of RAM on here. Thanx,
Eamonn.
PS both MOBO's are less than 2 years old and have specs to take 2GB at 400MHz.
Interesting EAMON, seeing that your MOBO is relatively new... Do you still have the old sticks of RAM?? If you figure out what the problem is lets us know. GOOD LUCK
EAMON 0 Junior Poster in Training
Hi lol hacker 101, I apologise for my last post, I swapped the 1GB RAM for 2 X 512MB modules not 256! Must have been a bit tired writing that. But as to responce both 512's work fine on thier own in both my PC's but not as a pair, again in both PC's. Thanx,
Eamonn.
caperjack 875 I hate 20 Questions Team Colleague
i ahve been flipping ram between my 2 yr old computer and a older on i have here, and when i change it in my p4 2.8 ,from 256 to q 512 ddr it will not boot up either ,until i go into the bios and set defaults and save changes then it will boot to the changed ram .weird, i think but works for me .
Be a part of the DaniWeb community
We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.