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Need help with RAM



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 9th 04, 04:38 PM
Andy in NJ
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Need help with RAM

Ok, here's my situation. I have an M7VIG Pro motherboard. The book
specifically states "Supports 2 DDR 200/266 MHz (without ECC) devices,
maximum memory size up to 2GB. Both slots can obviously support 1GB modules
each.

I purchased (2) 1GB memory modules. They are labeled as "1GB DDR333 Module
16C". When I insert one of them, and turn on the computer, I get a long beep
(a few seconds), silence, then beep-silence, over and over again until I
turn off the computer. If I put the other one in, the computer seems to boot
up ok, but it's unstable. I can be using the computer when all of a sudden
it just reboots on it's own. If I put both modules in, I get a ton of
registry errors as it boots and the system loads, leading me to having to
shut it down. I've contacted the place I bought them from and they have
offered to replace the modules, but they insist that all memory is tested
prior to shipping so it is unlikely that they are defective.

The only possible cause to this whole thing is my system bus speed. It is
supposed to be capable of running at 133MHz, but when I remove the jumper
that the motherboard says I need to remove, the system won't even boot. With
the jumper on the pins, the system boots, but the bus speed is 100MHz.

Is it possible the bus speed is causing the problem with the DDR memory and
does anyone know what I can do to fix this?

--
73! de Andy KC2SSB
http://shorecogs.tripod.com
AIM: shorecogs


  #2  
Old August 9th 04, 05:17 PM
Bob Day
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Andy in NJ" SHORECOGS at COMCAST DOT NET wrote in message
...
Ok, here's my situation. I have an M7VIG Pro motherboard. The book
specifically states "Supports 2 DDR 200/266 MHz (without ECC) devices,
maximum memory size up to 2GB. Both slots can obviously support 1GB modules
each.

I purchased (2) 1GB memory modules. They are labeled as "1GB DDR333 Module
16C". When I insert one of them, and turn on the computer, I get a long beep
(a few seconds), silence, then beep-silence, over and over again until I
turn off the computer. If I put the other one in, the computer seems to boot
up ok, but it's unstable. I can be using the computer when all of a sudden
it just reboots on it's own. If I put both modules in, I get a ton of
registry errors as it boots and the system loads, leading me to having to
shut it down. I've contacted the place I bought them from and they have
offered to replace the modules, but they insist that all memory is tested
prior to shipping so it is unlikely that they are defective.

The only possible cause to this whole thing is my system bus speed. It is
supposed to be capable of running at 133MHz, but when I remove the jumper
that the motherboard says I need to remove, the system won't even boot. With
the jumper on the pins, the system boots, but the bus speed is 100MHz.

Is it possible the bus speed is causing the problem with the DDR memory and
does anyone know what I can do to fix this?


Test the modules yourself. Download Memtest86+ from
http://www.memtest.org and run it. My guess it you'll start
getting memory errors right away. If that turns out to be the
case, buy name brand memory such as Crucial, Kingston, or
Corsair. You might use Crucial's memory configurer at
http://www.crucial.com to see exactly what modules your
computer needs.

-- Bob Day
http://bobday.vze.com


  #3  
Old August 10th 04, 04:43 AM
Andy in NJ
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Bob Day wrote:
Test the modules yourself. Download Memtest86+ from
http://www.memtest.org and run it. My guess it you'll start
getting memory errors right away. If that turns out to be the
case, buy name brand memory such as Crucial, Kingston, or
Corsair. You might use Crucial's memory configurer at
http://www.crucial.com to see exactly what modules your
computer needs.

-- Bob Day
http://bobday.vze.com


How can I test the apparently bad module if I can't get the computer to
start with that module in the slot?!

As far as seeing "exactly what modules" my computer needs, re-read my
original post. It clearly states what modules my motherboard supports.


  #4  
Old August 10th 04, 04:55 AM
Bob Day
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Andy in NJ" SHORECOGS at COMCAST DOT NET wrote in message
...
Bob Day wrote:
Test the modules yourself. Download Memtest86+ from
http://www.memtest.org and run it. My guess it you'll start
getting memory errors right away. If that turns out to be the
case, buy name brand memory such as Crucial, Kingston, or
Corsair. You might use Crucial's memory configurer at
http://www.crucial.com to see exactly what modules your
computer needs.

-- Bob Day
http://bobday.vze.com


How can I test the apparently bad module if I can't get the computer to
start with that module in the slot?!


By putting Memtest86+ on a bootable CDROM or floppy as explained
at http://www.memtest.org

As far as seeing "exactly what modules" my computer needs, re-read my
original post. It clearly states what modules my motherboard supports.


Your post didn't specify chip density, single or double sided, tRAS,
tRP, tRCD, or CL, all of which can make a difference.

-- Bob Day
http://bobday.vze.com


  #5  
Old August 10th 04, 05:08 AM
Andy in NJ
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Bob Day wrote:
How can I test the apparently bad module if I can't get the computer
to start with that module in the slot?!


By putting Memtest86+ on a bootable CDROM or floppy as explained
at http://www.memtest.org


How is the CDROM or Floppy going to run if the system doesn't BOOT?

Your post didn't specify chip density, single or double sided, tRAS,
tRP, tRCD, or CL, all of which can make a difference.


It supports up to (2) DDR 1GB 2100 memory modules. How many variations are
there?!



  #6  
Old August 10th 04, 05:27 AM
Chris Stolworthy
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Andy in NJ" SHORECOGS at COMCAST DOT NET wrote in message
...
Bob Day wrote:
How can I test the apparently bad module if I can't get the computer
to start with that module in the slot?!


By putting Memtest86+ on a bootable CDROM or floppy as explained
at http://www.memtest.org


How is the CDROM or Floppy going to run if the system doesn't BOOT?

Your post didn't specify chip density, single or double sided, tRAS,
tRP, tRCD, or CL, all of which can make a difference.


It supports up to (2) DDR 1GB 2100 memory modules. How many variations are
there?!


Ummm thousands, you can have different chip densities. (i.E. how many chips
per stick) Cas latency ratings which can be aywhere from 2, 2.5, to 3. Just
with those two variables in place I would say there are atleast 1000
different variations to a stick of RAM. Not to mention when you factor in
tRP,tRCD values. Also this may seem simple, but problems usually are the
simple stuff did you get ECC ram by accident when your Mobo doesn't support
it?

-Chris


  #7  
Old August 10th 04, 09:06 AM
Paul Murphy
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Andy in NJ" SHORECOGS at COMCAST DOT NET wrote in message
...
Ok, here's my situation. I have an M7VIG Pro motherboard. The book
specifically states "Supports 2 DDR 200/266 MHz (without ECC) devices,
maximum memory size up to 2GB. Both slots can obviously support 1GB

modules
each.

I purchased (2) 1GB memory modules. They are labeled as "1GB DDR333 Module
16C". When I insert one of them, and turn on the computer, I get a long

beep
(a few seconds), silence, then beep-silence, over and over again until I
turn off the computer. If I put the other one in, the computer seems to

boot
up ok, but it's unstable. I can be using the computer when all of a sudden
it just reboots on it's own. If I put both modules in, I get a ton of
registry errors as it boots and the system loads, leading me to having to
shut it down. I've contacted the place I bought them from and they have
offered to replace the modules, but they insist that all memory is tested
prior to shipping so it is unlikely that they are defective.

The only possible cause to this whole thing is my system bus speed. It is
supposed to be capable of running at 133MHz, but when I remove the jumper
that the motherboard says I need to remove, the system won't even boot.

With
the jumper on the pins, the system boots, but the bus speed is 100MHz.

Is it possible the bus speed is causing the problem with the DDR memory

and
does anyone know what I can do to fix this?

--
73! de Andy KC2SSB
http://shorecogs.tripod.com
AIM: shorecogs

Possibly the DDR 333 memory may be having troubles with the 100 MHz system
bus (memory isn't always completely backwards compatible, especially when at
more than one "step" back). As you quite rightly point out to the other
poster trying to assist, you won't be able to run any memory diagnostics on
this machine until you can at least get it to POST and boot first. Some CPUs
don't like a 133 MHz bus speed - is the CPU designed to run at this bus
speed - if not, thats why it wont boot at this speed. The 16C on the label
would indicate the memory is indeed non-ECC (ecc memory has a couple of
extra bits for parity), so the other thing which may have something to do
with it is whether the memory is registered - perhaps the mobo doesn't like
whatever type you have in that regard. For example the Tyan Motherboard I
use on one of my machines will only accept registered memory, in terms of
whether its ECC or non-ECC, that doesn't matter as it will accept both types
in this regard. Does the memory supplier have any DDR 266 (PC2100) non
registered, non-ECC modules you could use instead - I doubt the supplied
modules are defective (although it does happen), more likely just
incompatible with this setup.

Paul


  #8  
Old August 10th 04, 11:47 AM
Bob Day
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

It sounds like you'd rather fight than solve your problem.
Goodbye.

-- Bob Day
http://bobday.vze.com


"Andy in NJ" SHORECOGS at COMCAST DOT NET wrote in message
...
Bob Day wrote:
How can I test the apparently bad module if I can't get the computer
to start with that module in the slot?!


By putting Memtest86+ on a bootable CDROM or floppy as explained
at http://www.memtest.org


How is the CDROM or Floppy going to run if the system doesn't BOOT?

Your post didn't specify chip density, single or double sided, tRAS,
tRP, tRCD, or CL, all of which can make a difference.


It supports up to (2) DDR 1GB 2100 memory modules. How many variations are
there?!





  #9  
Old August 10th 04, 01:17 PM
Paul Murphy
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I wouldn't say its sounds like that at all - the original poster has a valid
point, namely that it's not possible to run such a program on a machine
unless you can get it to POST and then boot to the drive that program is on.
He also asked direct questions of how he was supposed to accomplish your
idea - your link doesn't answer that question. If your suggestion was
thinking along the lines of putting the memory modules in another machine
and run the program to test them from there well thats a different matter.
My hunch though is that this is a compatibility matter and nothing other
than replacement modules (or a slim chance of a BIOS upgrade for the
motherboard - *whilst fully compatible modules eg the old ones, are
installed*), will make a difference.

Paul

"Bob Day" wrote in message
news:mJ1Sc.4271$K82.495@trndny01...
It sounds like you'd rather fight than solve your problem.
Goodbye.

-- Bob Day
http://bobday.vze.com


"Andy in NJ" SHORECOGS at COMCAST DOT NET wrote in message
...
Bob Day wrote:
How can I test the apparently bad module if I can't get the computer
to start with that module in the slot?!


By putting Memtest86+ on a bootable CDROM or floppy as explained
at http://www.memtest.org


How is the CDROM or Floppy going to run if the system doesn't BOOT?

Your post didn't specify chip density, single or double sided, tRAS,
tRP, tRCD, or CL, all of which can make a difference.


It supports up to (2) DDR 1GB 2100 memory modules. How many variations

are
there?!







  #10  
Old August 10th 04, 01:18 PM
Andy in NJ
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Paul Murphy wrote:
Possibly the DDR 333 memory may be having troubles with the 100 MHz
system bus (memory isn't always completely backwards compatible,
especially when at more than one "step" back). As you quite rightly
point out to the other poster trying to assist, you won't be able to
run any memory diagnostics on this machine until you can at least get
it to POST and boot first. Some CPUs don't like a 133 MHz bus speed -
is the CPU designed to run at this bus speed - if not, thats why it
wont boot at this speed. The 16C on the label would indicate the
memory is indeed non-ECC (ecc memory has a couple of extra bits for
parity), so the other thing which may have something to do with it is
whether the memory is registered - perhaps the mobo doesn't like
whatever type you have in that regard. For example the Tyan
Motherboard I use on one of my machines will only accept registered
memory, in terms of whether its ECC or non-ECC, that doesn't matter
as it will accept both types in this regard. Does the memory supplier
have any DDR 266 (PC2100) non registered, non-ECC modules you could
use instead - I doubt the supplied modules are defective (although it
does happen), more likely just incompatible with this setup.

Paul


Thanks for the reply, Paul. My CPU is an AMD Duron 1.2gig. I tried to find a
tech support website for the motherboard, but couldn't find one. Do you know
how any way in which I could find out if my motherboard will only accept
registered memory (what exactly is registered/unregistered memory, anyway?)?


 




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