Booting Issues

[erorr404]

I just got another 512 MB stick of Kingston PC2700 ValueRAM yesterday, to make for 1 GB of RAM total. When I put it into the third slot on my motherboard (the old 512 MB stick was in the first slot), the system wouldn't boot - it would turn on but the monitor is blank. I tried putting the new stick into slot two on my motherboard and got the same result - it didn't boot. So I thought that maybe the new stick was defective, but that wasn't the case. I tried taking out my old stick altogether and plugging the new stick into slot one, and the system worked just fine. I also tried putting one of the sticks into slot two of the motherboard, and it worked as well.
So in short, the system doesn't boot with more than one stick of RAM in the motherboard, regardless of which slot the RAM's are in. Also, all three slots on the motherboard are functional, as the system boots with any one of the three having either stick of RAM inside.
The motherboard is obviously the culprit here, as both sticks of RAM work and are fully compatible.
So, before calling tech support to get the motherboard replaced, I would like to know if there are any possible fixes to this. Can it be something setup incorrectly in the BIOS? Do I need to flash the BIOS to the newest version? Or is there something physically wrong with the motherboard?
Thanks in advance.

(system specs in sig)

EDIT: i ordered this mobo from googlegear (now zip zoom fly) in december of 2002 - is it best to contact MSI or ZZF to get an RMA? the warranty on MSI motherboards is 3 years, so that should be covered. but what about ZZF? i would prefer to contact ZZF instead because i heard that it is usually quicker than dealing with the manufacturer.

 

[ShadowBlade]

the one it wont boot with is bad

 

[erorr404]

please re-read the post.
it boots with both, just not at the same time. they are both good.

 

[pcgeek11]

Originally posted by: erorr404
please re-read the post.
it boots with both, just not at the same time. they are both good.

It probably is not the MB but the different RAMs are not compatible with each other.

The MB boots with either stick in any slot by itself but will not boot with both sticks in any of the slot combinations. I think I got this correct?

Are both RAM sticks " Kingston PC2700 ValueRAM ".?
I would get another RAM that matches the original RAM if it doesn't match. If it is the same try both sticks in another PC if you have one available.... Some RAM brands type don't play well with others.

pcgeek11

 

[erorr404]

both RAM's are Kingston ValueRAM PC2700, with the same timings.
i think this is the old one, but im not 100% sure: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80065-K
this is the new one i just bought: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp...4&type=product&cmp=++&id=1051826244183

i think i have found the problem though. someone from another forum told me that because i have two double-sided 512 MB memory sticks, im using 4 banks of memory. my motherboard only supports 3 banks. this is probably whats causing trouble.
from MSI website:

Main Memory
? Supports three memory banks using three 184-pin unbuffered DDR DIMM on three memory DIMM slots
? Supports up to 3GB memory size without EEC
? Supports DDR200/266/333MHz and up

 

[erorr404]

there is another issue that arose now, after experimenting with all these different RAM configurations.
the BIOS is full of gibberish - there are strange characters instead of words in the main menu, and in the sub-menus there are mostly words, but some strange characters as well.
the computer occasionally doesn't boot into windows. this has only happened once so far - it hanged on the windows loading screen and i had to manually restart.
this is all with the old configuration of the old RAM being in slot 1, and the new RAM out of the system.