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Expert advise on RAM problem needed
Hi
I have an old Soltek SL-75KAV (KT-133 chipset) motherboard that I had been running W98 with (2) Crucial 256 MB PC133 CL2 SDRAM sticks, with NO problem. I have since "upgraded" this system to WinXP, but had encountered on again off again BLUESCREENS at various stages of operation including bootup. I pulled my first 256 stick out of the first DIMM slot and placed the second stick from the second slot into the now empty first slot. *No* more BLUESCREENS !! So, with just the one 256 in the first slot everything runs beautifully but only with 256 total RAM!! To make a long story short, I replaced the pulled 256 stick that I thought to be "bad" and inserted the new (exactly the same) Crucial 256 stick into the empty second slot and you guessed it.... BLUESCREEN!! It seems that for whatever reason, I now can only run with ONE 256 DIMM in only ONE SLOT !! I have shuffled sticks in various combinations between my *THREE* DIMM slots, and here is what I come up with: single 256 in slot 1 OK single 256 in slot 2 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) single 256 in slot 3 OK 256 in slot 1 AND 256 in slot 2 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) 256 in slot 1 AND 256 in slot 3 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) 256 in slot 2 AND 256 in slot 3 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) The Bluescreen error messages vary, but all go away with just the one stick in either slot one or slot three. Is this a case of a bad slot /motherboard or am I missing something here by upgrading to WinXP? Thanks in advance Matt |
#2
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Mattrixx wrote:
.... snip ... single 256 in slot 1 OK single 256 in slot 2 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) single 256 in slot 3 OK 256 in slot 1 AND 256 in slot 2 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) 256 in slot 1 AND 256 in slot 3 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) 256 in slot 2 AND 256 in slot 3 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) The Bluescreen error messages vary, but all go away with just the one stick in either slot one or slot three. Is this a case of a bad slot /motherboard or am I missing something here by upgrading to WinXP? You are always missing something with WinXP - your privacy for one. However, the common thing seems to be that you can't have more than one module, which may mean the added capacitance (in picofarads, not memory) overloads one or more lines. If so there are two cure possibilities. The cheap one is to adjust your bios memory parameters (or clock rate) to allow more time to operate. If this works you have established the cause, and can now consider: The expensive one, which is buying faster memory. It certainly shows that your memory system is on the hairy edge. If your system is capable you should strongly consider installing ECC memory. -- "If you want to post a followup via groups.google.com, don't use the broken "Reply" link at the bottom of the article. Click on "show options" at the top of the article, then click on the "Reply" at the bottom of the article headers." - Keith Thompson |
#3
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"CBFalconer" wrote in message ... Mattrixx wrote: ... snip ... single 256 in slot 1 OK single 256 in slot 2 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) single 256 in slot 3 OK 256 in slot 1 AND 256 in slot 2 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) 256 in slot 1 AND 256 in slot 3 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) 256 in slot 2 AND 256 in slot 3 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) The Bluescreen error messages vary, but all go away with just the one stick in either slot one or slot three. Is this a case of a bad slot /motherboard or am I missing something here by upgrading to WinXP? You are always missing something with WinXP - your privacy for one. However, the common thing seems to be that you can't have more than one module, which may mean the added capacitance (in picofarads, not memory) overloads one or more lines. If so there are two cure possibilities. The cheap one is to adjust your bios memory parameters (or clock rate) to allow more time to operate. If this works you have established the cause, and can now consider: The expensive one, which is buying faster memory. It certainly shows that your memory system is on the hairy edge. If your system is capable you should strongly consider installing ECC memory. -- "If you want to post a followup via groups.google.com, don't use the broken "Reply" link at the bottom of the article. Click on "show options" at the top of the article, then click on the "Reply" at the bottom of the article headers." - Keith Thompson Thanks for your reply At the top of my original POST you will see I am using PC133 CL2 RAM Modules which as far as I know are the fastest type of PC133 DIMM. Unfortunately my MB accepts only unbuffered non-ECC type modules. Here is an interesting fact I have learned since my original POST . It would seem I *CAN* use one Crucial 256 MB DIMM (CL-2) and one Viking 256 MB DIMM (CL-3) together successfully! And... I *CAN* use *TWO* Viking 256 MB (CL-3) together successfully! I *CANNOT* use my two 256 MB Crucial Part No. CT32M64S8D7E together in any slot combination successfully!!!! I discovered this after a friend volunteered his own 2 Viking PC133 256 MB (CL-3)modules to help troubleshoot my own problem. Remember now, each of my Crucial 256 DIMMS work fine in either slot1 or slot3, but *NOT TOGETHER* in any combination of my 3 slots!!! If it werent for my buddy as a witness I wouldn`t believe it either. Matt |
#4
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Odd problem and I don't have the answer but since Your memory should be a
bit better than you friends due to lower latency if it will run happily in his machine and his will run happily in yours why don't you ask him if he will trade with you. Joe "Mattrixx" wrote in message . .. "CBFalconer" wrote in message ... Mattrixx wrote: ... snip ... single 256 in slot 1 OK single 256 in slot 2 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) single 256 in slot 3 OK 256 in slot 1 AND 256 in slot 2 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) 256 in slot 1 AND 256 in slot 3 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) 256 in slot 2 AND 256 in slot 3 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot) The Bluescreen error messages vary, but all go away with just the one stick in either slot one or slot three. Is this a case of a bad slot /motherboard or am I missing something here by upgrading to WinXP? You are always missing something with WinXP - your privacy for one. However, the common thing seems to be that you can't have more than one module, which may mean the added capacitance (in picofarads, not memory) overloads one or more lines. If so there are two cure possibilities. The cheap one is to adjust your bios memory parameters (or clock rate) to allow more time to operate. If this works you have established the cause, and can now consider: The expensive one, which is buying faster memory. It certainly shows that your memory system is on the hairy edge. If your system is capable you should strongly consider installing ECC memory. -- "If you want to post a followup via groups.google.com, don't use the broken "Reply" link at the bottom of the article. Click on "show options" at the top of the article, then click on the "Reply" at the bottom of the article headers." - Keith Thompson Thanks for your reply At the top of my original POST you will see I am using PC133 CL2 RAM Modules which as far as I know are the fastest type of PC133 DIMM. Unfortunately my MB accepts only unbuffered non-ECC type modules. Here is an interesting fact I have learned since my original POST . It would seem I *CAN* use one Crucial 256 MB DIMM (CL-2) and one Viking 256 MB DIMM (CL-3) together successfully! And... I *CAN* use *TWO* Viking 256 MB (CL-3) together successfully! I *CANNOT* use my two 256 MB Crucial Part No. CT32M64S8D7E together in any slot combination successfully!!!! I discovered this after a friend volunteered his own 2 Viking PC133 256 MB (CL-3)modules to help troubleshoot my own problem. Remember now, each of my Crucial 256 DIMMS work fine in either slot1 or slot3, but *NOT TOGETHER* in any combination of my 3 slots!!! If it werent for my buddy as a witness I wouldn`t believe it either. Matt |
#5
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On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 23:10:15 GMT, "Mattrixx"
wrote: At the top of my original POST you will see I am using PC133 CL2 RAM Modules which as far as I know are the fastest type of PC133 DIMM. Unfortunately my MB accepts only unbuffered non-ECC type modules. Here is an interesting fact I have learned since my original POST . It would seem I *CAN* use one Crucial 256 MB DIMM (CL-2) and one Viking 256 MB DIMM (CL-3) together successfully! And... I *CAN* use *TWO* Viking 256 MB (CL-3) together successfully! I *CANNOT* use my two 256 MB Crucial Part No. CT32M64S8D7E together in any slot combination successfully!!!! I discovered this after a friend volunteered his own 2 Viking PC133 256 MB (CL-3)modules to help troubleshoot my own problem. Remember now, each of my Crucial 256 DIMMS work fine in either slot1 or slot3, but *NOT TOGETHER* in any combination of my 3 slots!!! If it werent for my buddy as a witness I wouldn`t believe it either. Simply buying/using multiple CAS2 modules does NOT mean you can expect the board to run them stability at CAS2. In a perfect world it would, but back to reality... Generally it is going to be more stable without memory in the middle slot. Generally it will be more stable using higher numbers, slower memory timings, even if it is CAS2 memory installed. So for max stability you could use the CAS2 memory IF you adjusted bios to higher CAS speed, but whether that is enough stability gained to use all 3 slots or no is something you'll have to test. Though newer boards may have more tweaked memory busses, everyone faces a similar situation, that the more memory there is added, the more likely the timings will have to be raised to maintain stability... whether it be a manual adjustment by user or rather it's done automatically by the motherboard bios. Sometimes a newer bios will address such issues too, consult the motherboard bios notes if manufacturer has released them. |
#6
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"kony" wrote in message ... On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 23:10:15 GMT, "Mattrixx" wrote: At the top of my original POST you will see I am using PC133 CL2 RAM Modules which as far as I know are the fastest type of PC133 DIMM. Unfortunately my MB accepts only unbuffered non-ECC type modules. Here is an interesting fact I have learned since my original POST . It would seem I *CAN* use one Crucial 256 MB DIMM (CL-2) and one Viking 256 MB DIMM (CL-3) together successfully! And... I *CAN* use *TWO* Viking 256 MB (CL-3) together successfully! I *CANNOT* use my two 256 MB Crucial Part No. CT32M64S8D7E together in any slot combination successfully!!!! I discovered this after a friend volunteered his own 2 Viking PC133 256 MB (CL-3)modules to help troubleshoot my own problem. Remember now, each of my Crucial 256 DIMMS work fine in either slot1 or slot3, but *NOT TOGETHER* in any combination of my 3 slots!!! If it werent for my buddy as a witness I wouldn`t believe it either. Simply buying/using multiple CAS2 modules does NOT mean you can expect the board to run them stability at CAS2. In a perfect world it would, but back to reality... Generally it is going to be more stable without memory in the middle slot. Generally it will be more stable using higher numbers, slower memory timings, even if it is CAS2 memory installed. So for max stability you could use the CAS2 memory IF you adjusted bios to higher CAS speed, but whether that is enough stability gained to use all 3 slots or no is something you'll have to test. Though newer boards may have more tweaked memory busses, everyone faces a similar situation, that the more memory there is added, the more likely the timings will have to be raised to maintain stability... whether it be a manual adjustment by user or rather it's done automatically by the motherboard bios. Sometimes a newer bios will address such issues too, consult the motherboard bios notes if manufacturer has released them. Thanks Kony, for your response to my memory dillema. As far as memory timings and such, this motherboard has very limited options. There is: "DRAM timing by SPD" *Enabled or disabled* I had my setting at *ENABLED*, then later tried disabled ...NO change as far as getting Bluescreen with the two Crucial DIMM`s installed There is: "DRAM Clock" I never touched this setting from the default 133MHz.. There is: "SDRAM Cycle Length" Originally set at *3* and later on changed by me to *2* along with the "DRAM timing by SPD" to *DISABLED* This was an attempt by me, to try to set differently (faster) to troubleshoot my problem. This had NO effect as far as I still recieve a Bluescreen with the two Crucial DIMM`s installed, regardless! There is: Bank Interleave set at default DISABLED And finally there is: DRAM Drive Strength set at default *AUTO* My point in my previous post was: I could have two DIMMs installed, but *NOT* my two identical Crucial 256MB PC133 DIMMs! Matt |
#7
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On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 20:12:38 GMT, "Mattrixx"
wrote: Thanks Kony, for your response to my memory dillema. As far as memory timings and such, this motherboard has very limited options. Is it KT133 or KT133A ? Is it a CPU using 133 or 100 (DDR200) FSB? The memory bus should be set synchronous to FSB. KT133 non-A doesn't actually support 133MHz/DDR266, hence the reason for the "A" version. There is: "DRAM timing by SPD" *Enabled or disabled* I had my setting at *ENABLED*, then later tried disabled ...NO change as far as getting Bluescreen with the two Crucial DIMM`s installed Your board might simply not be stable trying to run multiple modules @ CAS2, and moving towards stability with higher timings... only you can see how high before they get stable. If you want slower timings then disable the "by SPD" and set them higher, but that would be a waste of CAS2 memory since you seem to have other memory too. There is: "DRAM Clock" I never touched this setting from the default 133MHz.. That is where it should stay if KT133A chipset AND 133MHz FSB/DDR266 CPU. There is: "SDRAM Cycle Length" Originally set at *3* and later on changed by me to *2* along with the "DRAM timing by SPD" to *DISABLED* Chosing lower numbers is (usually) not going to help, lower numbers are tighter timings. Higher numbers would be the better attempt. This was an attempt by me, to try to set differently (faster) to troubleshoot my problem. This had NO effect as far as I still recieve a Bluescreen with the two Crucial DIMM`s installed, regardless! There is: Bank Interleave set at default DISABLED Seldom do I see this make much if any difference but it IS faster with it enabled, so I suggest enabling it... to "4 way" if that's an option. And finally there is: DRAM Drive Strength set at default *AUTO* You could try other settings but I don't know what'll help there. Changing that can cause even more instability so I'd leave it alone unless you feel like doing a LOT of testing with memtest86... it really would be better to never boot windows till the memory is sorted out, as memory errors can and do potentially corrupt anything written to HDD. My point in my previous post was: I could have two DIMMs installed, but *NOT* my two identical Crucial 256MB PC133 DIMMs! Probably those two will cause the tightest timings, where adding another will cause the board to take the slowest, loosest timings of any installed. It would be odd that using manual settings didn't resolve the problem except that if the bios doesn't provide enough flexibility to change settings then you're stuck. |
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