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Can't get new memory module to work w/old

A

absinthe

Senior member
I've been running on 256 MB of memory for quite some time. I got it direct from Crucial, as I have always done in the past, but I found a great deal at Newegg on a "Patriot" 512 MB module.

My current stick is: 256 MB, DDR333 PC2700

The new one I bought is: 512 MB, PC3200, DDR400

Both are non-buffered, non-ecc, CL 2.5, 184-pin

My mobo is an Epox 8k5a2. When I install the new memory module, I get a "system halted" message. I thought the new RAM would just run at the lower speed to match the older.

Is there adjustment I can make in the BIOS to get this to work, and am I going to have to return the RAM?

thanks,

-abs
 
Ok, I seem to have gotten it to work. It's like this ...

I have 3 DIMM slots.

- If I remove my old 256 MB (PC2700) module from the first slot and replace it with the new 512 MB (PC3200) module, everything works.

- If I then add back the 256 MB module in the second slot, it does not work. I get the old "system halted" message again.

- But, if I add back the old 256 MB module in the third slot (leaving the second slot empty), it seems to work again.

Could I have a bad DIMM slot??

Anyone, the systems registers 768 MB of RAM, so I guess it's working. After I send in this $30 rebate, I'll have tripled my memory for less than $30. Not bad, considering I plan to build a whole new machine very soon and use this as a "secondary" box.

=abs

Edit: Oh, is there something I can do to test out this memory? Like run that MEMTEST86 (something like that; I've got it around here somewhere) program overnight? -abs
 
Yep, run memtest on it. Some motherboards are just setup to have you install memory like you have it now.
 
Ok, ran MEMTEST386 for 12+ hours with no errors. Everything seemed great, but ...

Now the computer is "crashing" to that "hardware failure" blue screen every so often. Something is obviously not right. I'm afraid I don't know much about BIOS settings for memory. Is there something I can change/try to stabilize this? (mobo is Epox 8k5a2 ... see first post in thread above for memory specs).

I'd like to know if this can be salvaged before I attempt to return the memory to Newegg and just order Crucial.

thx,

-abs
 
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