New RAM = No Boot

[ikaika1]

I have an old Dell T700r (PIII 700) with 256MB of RAM. The max for the 3 slots on the MoBo is listed as 768. I bought 2 generic PC133 256 DIMMS and stuck them in with the 256 already there. The machine posts with the 1 old and 2 new sticks, but only lists 256MB of RAM during the memory check. The bios lists all 3 slots as populated with 256MB sticks.

I figure, ok lets see what happens. w2k starts loading but the computer restarts as it passes the spash screen. Ive tried each stick individually. The two 256 will not even post by themselves. The computer sits powered up but nothing happens. The HD doesnt run and I dont even get a beep code.

So maybe I have defective RAM. I go and stick both RAM modules in a first generation Duron machine. Voila. Works perfectly. I take the 128 stick I replaced in the Duron machine and drop it in the old Dell and what do you know, 384MB listed during the memory check. Im befuddled. Why the hell would regular old RAM not work in one old machine, but take just fine in a machine from the same computing era?

Both new and old RAM are NonECC 256MB sticks. Is it possible that the motherboard needs to be able to accept 512MB modules in order to take the new RAM? I know that 256 /= 512, but I read on one sellers website that their 256 modules wouldnt work on machines that didnt support 512MB sticks. Of course, I dont know why that would be, but maybe you do?

 

[ikaika1]

bump?

 

[Bozo Galora]

yep, this has been discussed here many times.
newly manufatured RAM only has about a 50% chance of working in an old mobo
the old bios doesnt recognize the ID chip with ram config
best bet is to go on ebay and buy the oldest PC100 sticks you can find
look for ones with 1/4" dust and pizza sauce on them

An acquaintence of mine was running XP SP2 an old Dell that had 128MB ram installed.
I told him 512 is min for good operation so he went to fry's and they installed 2 256MB modules that he "ran" for about a year. They charged him $125 for the ram.
As it turns out the ram was recognized but not available in windows, as seen in SiSoftSandra
This then sent me on a long journey to find ram that would work - something I will never do again.

 

[DaveSimmons]

FS/FT forum often has PC100 cheap, though 128MB sticks are more common than 256. You might try the Advanced Search feature (not plain search).

Crucial.com sells RAM that is guaranteed to work, but PC100-compatible costs twice as much as the high density sticks that won't work.

 

[CrucialLabs]

Like Dave said, the 256MB modules you are trying to use are probably high density and will not work in that system unless you do a BIOS update and even then they might not work. You need low density memory which has black components on both sides to get the 256MB modules to work. They are priced a bit higher but they will work fine.

 

[xgsound]

Originally posted by: CrucialLabs
Like Dave said, the 256MB modules you are trying to use are probably high density and will not work in that system unless you do a BIOS update and even then they might not work. You need low density memory which has black components on both sides to get the 256MB modules to work. They are priced a bit higher but they will work fine.

I was about to suggest crucial to check on thier price. Use the "memory configurator" and they say they'll accept return if it doesn't work. I used it recently (May) on a Plll 600 and it worked.


Jim