Old memory part 2

[T_Yamamoto]

I have 2x1gb ddr2 ram. When I have them in, no video. Leave the sticks I had in before, posts and gets video. Change back, computer turns on but no video.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

2 sticks of 512 and 1 stick of 256 in any slot works. But when I stick 1 of 1024, no post.

Checked owners manual and says memory failure. But I'm pretty sure my ram is not DOA.

 

[hhhd1]

this is probably an old mother board, so the ram slots might have gotten a little dusty and make.

Try to re-seat them in place again.

 

[teh_pwnerer]

have you ever tried cleaning your computer?

Amateur.



Re: Amateur

You are welcome to join the conversation and contribute whatever information or knowledge or experience that you have. But please do so without the attitude. If you cannot do that, we would rather that you do not participate at all.

Moderator jvroig

 

[tynopik]

what motherboard and what specific ram?

 

[bryanl]

Go into the BIOS setup, turn off auto memory configuration (also called SPD), and choose the slowest memory timings - command rate, T-RAS, T-CAS, etc., including memory bus frequency. The 1024 should then work if it's not defective.

Almost all memory sticks are warranted for life, even those not made from the highest quality chips, that is, the vast majority of them.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

what motherboard and what specific ram?

Most important question.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

what motherboard and what specific ram?

An old dell motherboard

Its a dell dimension e520 and the stock ram is hynix 533mhz 512mb
The new sticks are Komputer bay 533mhz 1gb sticks.

 

[mikeymikec]

Dells are quite fussy a lot of the time, my guess is incompatibility.

Crucial or Kingston RAM tends to work with them every time in my experience.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Dells are quite fussy a lot of the time, my guess is incompatibility.

Crucial or Kingston RAM tends to work with them every time in my experience.

Its ridiculous though. Ram is all the same (the specs at least) yet not compatible -_- I'll play around with it when I get home.

I think my power supply is about to go. Since I'll press the power button and everything powers on, then off, then turns on five seconds later.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I think my power supply is about to go. Since I'll press the power button and everything powers on, then off, then turns on five seconds later.

You could order a cheap refurbed Sparkle PSU off of Newegg for $13. See this thread for details:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2278806

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Its ridiculous though. Ram is all the same (the specs at least) yet not compatible -_- I'll play around with it when I get home.

RAM is not all the same. Even if it's all PC5300 or whatever.

Older S775 Intel chipsets in particular had limits on the memory density of the individual memory packages. So, say (hypothetically), a 1 GB DIMM with 8x 128MB packages will work, but a 1GB DIMM with 4x 256MB packages won't, even though they have the same spec.

Even more annoying, the motherboard manufacturers tend to "inform" the customer of this limit in a roundabout fashion. Instead of saying "This board supports low density RAM with a maximum of 128MB per package." They'll say "This board supports a maximum of 8GB memory in a 4x2GB configuration." Which doesn't help if you go out and buy a 2GB DIMM w/ 256MB packages (or even a 1GB DIMM with 256GB packages) and wonder why in blazes it doesn't work.

So use Crucial's memory compatibility tool.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

You could order a cheap refurbed Sparkle PSU off of Newegg for $13. See this thread for details:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2278806

Its okay. Once my computer
dies, maybe my dad will let me build a new one

RAM is not all the same. Even if it's all PC5300 or whatever.

Older S775 Intel chipsets in particular had limits on the memory density of the individual memory packages. So, say (hypothetically), a 1 GB DIMM with 8x 128MB packages will work, but a 1GB DIMM with 4x 256MB packages won't, even though they have the same spec.

Even more annoying, the motherboard manufacturers tend to "inform" the customer of this limit in a roundabout fashion. Instead of saying "This board supports low density RAM with a maximum of 128MB per package." They'll say "This board supports a maximum of 8GB memory in a 4x2GB configuration." Which doesn't help if you go out and buy a 2GB DIMM w/ 256MB packages (or even a 1GB DIMM with 256GB packages) and wonder why in blazes it doesn't work.

So use Crucial's memory compatibility tool.

Once I go home I'll see.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Looks like its just not compatible even with the same packages thing.

I'll try cleaning out the ram slots.

Looks like I'm back down to 1.256 of ram