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Memory Slot Producing Errors (Dell Inspiron 600m)

M

mingsoup

Golden Member
Recently I've been plagued with blue screens (in windows 7 install), unable to install windows 7, random immediate shutdown, bios turning off certain ram due to read/write errors on POST, and freezing anywhere inbetween power on and desktop work enviro for random amounts of time.

However, with this laptop, there are two dimm slots for DDR 266. Dimm Slot 2 seems to be the culprit. When the bios detects read/write errors on POST it always shuts off the stick that is residing in Dimm slot 2 for (-256mb or -128 mb, whichever stick resides there.)

If I put just one stick in slot 1, I don't seem to have any problems. What's strange though, is that If I can get to a memory diagnostic app, it will never produce errors.

Currently I'm going to try run memtest for a good 12 hours on one stick of 256 mb in the iffy slot.

(EDIT) MEMTEST with only one stick in the iffy slot lasted only 10 minutes before the computer shut off and rebooted, freezing then on POST. What does this mean?

I was thinking about trying to clean the area around dimm slot 2 with isopropyl alchohol and some compressed air. I thought maybe a sliver of something conductive might be residing near the slot, causing problems.

Where do I go from here? Thanks.





 
That's not really that uncommon. I've had several dell laptops i've worked on over the years that have a single 'bad slot'. Nothing you can do to fix it, just put in the biggest stick you have in the remaining good slot and call it a day. 🙂
 
It seems that sticking my 256mb module in dimm slot 2, get me alot farther. I can usually boot to windows and work for alot longer before freezing or abrubtly shutting down. If I stick the 128 mg stick there, I usually don't get very far, if to windows at all.

I tried cleaning around the slot with alcohol and q-tip and removed all visible debris. Didn't fix the problem. From what I can tell, none of the connectors or traces are broken or currently bridged.

Does anyone else have recommendations? One web site I saw said the problem could be the socket, the controller, or even the processor. Any way I could narrow it down.
Any other forums I could post too. I'm rather proficient with a soldering iron, if need be, I've repaired many a trace.

I'd rather have my second socket, even though I've got a large stick coming for the good socket.

Thanks.
 
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