Bad mobo or bad RAM?

[Priit]

I tried to put my new rig together but it didn't want to boot. I unplugged everything I could (left only video card etc) but it still either peeps like there would be no memory, hangs after memory test (most often) or didn't live at all (also, speaker made clicking during memory test like with old 386 and 486's). I tried to put memory stick into another slot and fasten it better many times but it still didn't work. I have no friends with DDR RAM so I can't test the module somewhere else. It's 256Mb NEC PC-2100 CAS-2.5 piece, mobo was Abit KG7. Bad motherboard or bad memory stick, what do you think? It's my first system with DDR RAM so I'm not very sure about it. Thanks!.

 

[corkyg]

That looks like a bad memory stick. Too bad you only have one. Can you try dropping the FSB to it's slowest speed? Here's the only restriction I know of:

the motherboard accepts either up to 2 DIMMs of unbuffered DDR SDRAM (2GB max) or up to 4 DIMMs of registered DDR SDRAM (4GB max). You cannot mix unbuffered and registered SDRAM, nor can you have more than two sticks of unbuffered SDRAM.

In any case, you will probably need another stick of 256, the same general type, anyway. If that doesn't work, it points to the mobo.

 

[gtd2000]

Have you unplugged the power cord and repeatedly cleared the CMOS yet?

 

[Priit]

I cleared the CMOS, no difference. I haven't got to the BIOS, it always hangs before keyboard lights should flash. Corky-g, are you saying that I have to install DDRRAM in pairs? I know it officially only supports up to 2 sticks of non-registered RAM.

 

[corkyg]

No, it doesn't have to be in pairs as far as I know. The passage I extracted was from a KG7 tech description. To me "up to two" means one is OK. But you need another stick anyway these days . . . 512 is sort of free breathing minimum for XP. If the RAM is bad, you won't get into CMOS/BIOS anyway because it won't pass the POST count.