"Missing" RAM...

[Gum]

Hi guys,

Got some problem with my Kingmax 256Mb DDR-333 RAM. Some info on my setup:

MB=Soyo SY-K7V Dragon Plus
BIOS=K7VXA_2BA7
CPU=AMD Athlon XP 1600+ (Palo, not o/c)

Detail=My 256Mb DDR-333 RAM (single stick used, double-sided ram chips) is sometimes detected as 256Mb and sometimes 128Mb during system POST. Have tried in different RAM slots and also different AMD motherboard to test RAM but similar problem. When its being detected as 128Mb only, I used CPU-Z to check the RAM parameters and it is reported as 128Mb in the <MEMORY> tab, but 256Mb in the <SPD> tab.

I have been using this stick of RAM for over a year withour problem but recently Windows become very sluggish at times and I suspected something wrong. Did not add/remove any hardware or flash to new BIOS since at least a year ago.

Is my RAM going dead? Would appreciate if anyone could assist me on this. Thanx!

 

[Steve]

www.memtest.org

 

[dguy6789]

you want to get that ram out asap. Ive had this problem with crummy ram, and out of nowhere my winxp install was trashed and would not boot. Back up your data now and take it out of there, or you may lose all the data on your hds.

 

[BrentUnitedMem]

It is possible that the memory you have is a 128MB module, sold as 256MB. Approximately 10% of all memory modules sold are counterfeit. In some areas, counterfeit modules occupy 70% of the market.

Counterfeit meaning that the modules are being sold as something they are not. Memory modules have a chip on them (the 'SPD", serial presence detect) which reads the data of the module. Your motherboard will typically read from the SPD when displaying the memory size, however this does not reflect the true spec of the module.

Counterfeit modules suffer in performance because the culprits tend to use lower quality parts at a cheaper cost, and sell them to you at a higher price.

If you can verify these are 128MB modules, and have a purchase record showing these were sold as 256MB modules, you have a definite case on your hand.

Please bring such culprits to justice as they are damaging the DRAM market!

 

[imported_Reck]

you want to get that ram out asap. Ive had this problem with crummy ram, and out of nowhere my winxp install was trashed and would not boot. Back up your data now and take it out of there, or you may lose all the data on your hds.


Ditto same thing happened to me. It's not much fun. Test the ram one stick at a time. If one stick does not show up, then that's the bad one. Or do you only have one stick? If so ditch it asap.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Ok, after the conspiracy theory is over......

The real issue is that you have either a bum stick of memory, or a bum slot on the board, or just that your machine doesnt "officially" support the size/type of memory that you are trying to use

 

[crispy2010]

I am with RadiclDreamer board prob doesnt like double sidded ram!

try another slot on mobo!

 

[Gum]

Thanx guys for your help.

I've downloaded Memtest+ to see if my only piece of RAM is goin bonkers. Bad news. Even Memtest reports that it is testing a 128Mb RAM instead of a 256Mb!!

However, Memtest completes its tests but no error detected. Don't think its a case of "fake" 256Mb RAM as brought up by BrentUnitedMem (hmm... btw are you a mem distributor?) as I had been using it at 256Mb for over a year before this problem arises...

Someone in another forum has also suggested that this could be prolonged use of a double-sided RAM in a singel-channel mobo. Are we talking about RAM being "adapted" to running in 'single-sided' (256Mb divide by 2 = 128Mb??) mode that's what caused this? This cant be happenin...

Now whenever I boot my PC, I will always pause my POST screen to see if it detects a 256Mb or 128Mb. Funny thing is its detected 256Mb at times and 128Mb most of other times! Seems like my RAM is going R.I.P.

 

[Gum]

I've also contacted their tech support. Hope they could help me out...