crappy HP pavilion 6745C only recognizes 64mb from my 128mb stick

[jjyiz28]

my friend has this pavilion, i had an extra 128mb pc100 single sided stick
that i added to the extra dimm slot and it only saw it as 64mb. total he has
128mb which includes the 64mb stick it orignally came with, instead of 192. what gives?? the HP site says it supports 256mb
for each dimm slot for a maximum of 512mb. i know for sure my stick is 128mb, i've been using it
for years now and right before i game it to him. also shared memory is 11mb for onboard video, so thats irrelevant.

http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/document.jhtml?lc=en&docName=bph05963

 

[Schadenfroh]

i had the same problem with a chaintec ViA mobo

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: jjyiz28
my friend has this pavilion, i had an extra 128mb pc100 single sided stick
that i added to the extra dimm slot and it only saw it as 64mb. total he has
128mb which includes the 64mb stick it orignally came with, instead of 192. what gives?? the HP site says it supports 256mb
for each dimm slot for a maximum of 512mb. i know for sure my stick is 128mb, i've been using it
for years now and right before i game it to him. also shared memory is 11mb for onboard video, so thats irrelevant.

http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/document.jhtml?lc=en&docName=bph05963

The answer is simple: he requires PC66 ram. The newer high density stuff (PC133) will not work correctly.

 

[jjyiz28]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode


The answer is simple: he requires PC66 ram. The newer high density stuff (PC133) will not work correctly.

Type supported
SDRAM, 100 MHz,
Intel PC SDRAM unbuffered DIMM specification,
revision 1.0 compliant


pc 100 is supported. and how does pc133 make it higher density than pc66?? 133 and 66 are just the speeds. plus the 128mb i gave him is singled sided. since HP states it can support 256mb per dimm slot, it can at the very least support 128mb on each side.

edit: Originally posted by: jjyiz28
my friend has this pavilion, i had an extra 128mb pc100 single sided stick

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: jjyiz28

Originally posted by: Iron Woode


The answer is simple: he requires PC66 ram. The newer high density stuff (PC133) will not work correctly.

Type supported
SDRAM, 100 MHz,
Intel PC SDRAM unbuffered DIMM specification,
revision 1.0 compliant


pc 100 is supported. and how does pc133 make it higher density than pc66?? 133 and 66 are just the speeds. plus the 128mb i gave him is singled sided. since HP states it can support 256mb per dimm slot, it can at the very least support 128mb on each side.

edit: Originally posted by: jjyiz28
my friend has this pavilion, i had an extra 128mb pc100 single sided stick

Hello?

I looked up the system: 700 mghz celeron.

His FSB is 66. This means he cannot use high density ram unless his board is specifically designed for it. PC133 is not just memory bus speed. Most PC133 ram is high density. He needs PC66 spec ram. Go to a local computer store and ask for either PC66 ram modules or ask for BX chipset approved PC100 ram modules. That is what this issue is. I have had to deal with it before.

Here is what HP says:

About system memory

The motherboard has two dual in-line memory module (DIMM) sockets. Minimum memory size is 16 MB; maximum memory size is 512 MB. The BIOS automatically detects memory type, size, and speed.
The motherboard supports the following memory features:

* 168-pin DIMMs with gold-plated contacts
* 66 MHz SDRAM or 100 MHz SDRAM depending on system
* Non-ECC (64-bit) and ECC (72-bit) memory
* 3.3 V memory only
* Single- or double-sided DIMMs

SDRAM

Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) improves memory performance through memory access that is synchronous with the memory clock. This simplifies the timing design and increases memory speed because all timing is dependent on the number of memory clock cycles.
NOTE: To function properly, SDRAM DIMMs must meet the Intel 4-clock, 66 MHz, unbuffered SDRAM specification for either 64-bit or 72-bit SDRAM.
System memory (DIMM)

This motherboard uses only DIMMs. Sockets are available for 3.3 Volt (power level) unbuffered Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) of 16, 32, 64, 128 MB, or 256 MB.

This chipset does not support ECC. However, ECC memory modules may still be used, but the ECC function will not be available.

The DIMMs must be 3.3V unbuffered for this motherboard. To determine the DIMM type, check the notches on the DIMMs.
NOTE: No hardware or BIOS setup is required after adding or removing memory.

See the bold writing I highlighted?

 

[jjyiz28]

thanks for taking your time explaining to me, but i still don't understand how using pc100 is NOT backwards compatible with a system that uses pc66. you state its because pc100 is high density. then explain high density to me. lets say i have a 2 memory module thats 256mb, one is double sided 256mb, the other is single sided 256mb. isn't the single sided 256mb higher density because its 32megabits * 8 chips = 256mb,
while double sided is 16megabits * 16 chips = 256mb.

therefore, how is the stick of pc100 i gave him high density. its single sided but only 128mb. this board supports 256mb per dimm slot so that means at the very least it can support a memory stick that has 128mb on each side to equal 256mb. maybe not 256mb single sided though.

please explain to me if this is right.

 

[tcsenter]

PC133 is not just memory bus speed.

Well, yes, primarily PC133 is just memory bus speed (and a standard defining the minimum electrical/timing criteria needed to achieve it reliably), which is also backwards compatible with PC100. This HP board is Intel 810-based which has the same memory requirements (and limitations) as the i440BX. There are plenty of 128MByte PC133 modules which will work, but they have to be 64Mbit (16 chip) or 128Mbit (8 chip) DRAM technology in a 16x8 organization.

IOW, you have 'high density' SDRAM. You need 'low density' industry standard SDRAM modules. I hate using those terms.

 

[jjyiz28]

Originally posted by: tcsenter

PC133 is not just memory bus speed.

Well, yes, primarily PC133 is just memory bus speed (and a standard defining the minimum electrical/timing criteria needed to achieve it reliably), which is also backwards compatible with PC100. This HP board is Intel 810-based which has the same memory requirements (and limitations) as the i440BX. There are plenty of 128MByte PC133 modules which will work, but they have to be 64Mbit (16 chip) or 128Mbit (8 chip) DRAM technology in a 16x8 organization.

IOW, you have 'high density' SDRAM. You need 'low density' industry standard SDRAM modules. I hate using those terms.

i already stated the 128mb stick is single sided. its has 8 memory chips equaling 128mb. how is this high density?????????? explain how my pc 100 128mb singled sided (8 chips) is high density???

 

[pspada]

Many older machine will only "see" half of the high density (chips on one side) newer PC-133 memory. If you are really unlucky, it won't recognize it at all.

 

[jjyiz28]

Originally posted by: pspada
Many older machine will only "see" half of the high density (chips on one side) newer PC-133 memory. If you are really unlucky, it won't recognize it at all.

i already stated the 128mb stick is single sided. its has 8 memory chips equaling 128mb. how is this high density?????????? explain how my pc 100 128mb singled sided (8 chips) is high density???

 

[tcsenter]

i already stated the 128mb stick is single sided. its has 8 memory chips equaling 128mb. how is this high density?????????? explain how my pc 100 128mb singled sided (8 chips) is high density???

If I explain it to you, is that going to make it work?

I can only guess you have a module whose DRAM parts have an internal cell arrangement not supported by the 810 itself, such as 32Mx4 128Mbit DRAM parts, or the more likely possibility is, that the 810 can support your module but the HP BIOS is not properly recognizing it and you need a BIOS update.

Take your pick, I can't tell you any more without the datasheet for the DRAM.

 

[DarkKnight]

u need to get new ram, i had the same problem with my Hp pavilion 7840. make sure its low density (low density usually costs more than high density).

 

[jjyiz28]

Originally posted by: DarkKnight
u need to get new ram, i had the same problem with my Hp pavilion 7840. make sure its low density (low density usually costs more than high density).

how will i know whether a ram module is low or high density?

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: jjyiz28

Originally posted by: DarkKnight
u need to get new ram, i had the same problem with my Hp pavilion 7840. make sure its low density (low density usually costs more than high density).

how will i know whether a ram module is low or high density?

Now that it has been stated about 6 times already, even HP's website states it, you need low density ram . Like I stated earlier, having been through this before, go to a local store and ask for PC66 or BX chipset approved PC100 ram.

It is almost as if you won't listen to the advice given by all of us here who are trying to help you.

Your present ram module isn't damaged, but it is the wrong spec for that board.

Oddly I have a low density 64 meg stick of PC66 ram in my old socket 7 board.

TCsenter has stated what the difference is between low and high density ram.

 

[tcsenter]

how will i know whether a ram module is low or high density?

If this 128MB PC100 16x8 SDRAM Module from PCI Micro doesn't work in your HP, then its the HP BIOS which isn't recognizing the module properly. Use Coupon Code "Pricewatch" and the shipping is free.

Or if the Mods frown upon my disclosing the Coupon Code, go to Pricewatch and plug "128MB 810" into the Search Category for System Memory and find the listing for PCI Micro (should be #1), like thusly.