Help! - problem with installing memory.

[Ansel]

Hi - I wondered if anyone could shed some light on a problem I've encountered.

I decided to install an additional 2 x 128Mb rambus memory to supplement the existing memory pair. I bought them both at the same time online from a UK supplier who I've used before without any product quality issues. The only warning they gave is that they must be installed as a matched pair.

I put the new memory in, powered up the PC & hey presto....only 480Mb of memory was seen by Win Me....where's the remaining 32Mb gone?

No problems I thought, lets swap the old pair into the new pairs slots & vice versa. Reboot....great 512Mb

Next day, power up again.....Bios detected a decrease in memory size back down to 480Mb

I reswapped the memory pairs.....then powered on.....horror!! the PC beeped at me twice & wouldn't boot!!

I ended up taking the new pair out & I'm back down to 256Mb & $100 out of pocket (rambus is more expensive than DDR!!).

Any pointers please??

 

[Zwelgje]

When I upgraded my RAM I saw on a few websites the warning that you have to use the same sort of RAM to upgrade (same speed, same type). Did you check that?

 

[Ansel]

I haven't checked this....do you have any of these website details?

 

[ainwood]

Ram actually has a frequency rating that it should run at. You need to ensure that the 'new' ram is designed to run at the same setting as the 'old' ram.

In the BIOS, you should be able to set RAM timings etc. Have a look there! I think that it tends to get automatically detected, so what you may be able to do is leave the old ram in, boot and see what the bios recommends the settings to be. Swap that out, and put the new stuff in, and repeat.


Either that, or wait for someone like Jeratain to answer your question in more detail...

 

[Zwelgje]

This is quite a nice website.
Or indeed wait for some of the real computer-experts to turn up and answer your question. I'm not an expert on computers and only know about this RAM question because I installed new RAM in my computer a few months ago. Before that I decided to do a google search and find out what type of RAM to buy.

 

[Comraddict]

32MB is used by onboard/shared video card. It doesn't have its own memory, yet it need some

 

[Centrifuge]

Originally posted by Comraddict
32MB is used by onboard/shared video card. It doesn't have its own memory, yet it need some

I was thinking this as well, but it doesn't explain why he had a full 256mb to start with, and the 32megs disappeared only after adding a couple more sticks.

 

[Comraddict]

If he would tell us what is his motherboard, or video adapter, or he (unlikely she) can download AIDA32 and tell us from there. http://www.aida32.hu/aida32.php

 

[Ansel]

Originally posted by Comraddict
If he would tell us what is his motherboard, or video adapter, or he (unlikely she) can download AIDA32 and tell us from there. http://www.aida32.hu/aida32.php

Thanks for the advice.....I've downloaded the app (at work) & I'll install it on my home PC tonight.

P.S. The last time I looked I was definetely erring on the male side!!