Windows XP pro won't load with 768MB of ram.

[Torghn]

I have an A7V266 (not E) and I cannot get into windows with 3 sticks of 256 PC2100 memory. The board boots fine, goes though all the loading screens, even the Windows XP screen with the moving blue bar goes fine, but when it's supposed to load the login screen the monitor goes black and nothing happens. If I have only 2 sticks in everything works perfectly. I know it's not the ram as I've tried every possible combonation, and the bord boots fine, it's just windows that doesn't boot.

Any Ideas?

 

[AndyHui]

Are you using generic or brand name RAM?

Also keep in mind that there are a lot of DDR motherboards that don't like more than 2 DIMMs as well.

 

[Nothinman]

XP supports much more than 768M memory without a problem, I would suspect either your memory (run it through a real memtest program) or your motherboard.

 

[Link]

You cannot have all three slots occupied with 2-sided DIMM. Two 2-sided DIMM is the max.

 

[corkyg]

Check your motherboard manual and get their specs for the amount and type of memory that can be installed in their DIMM slots. I have two Asus K7Ms (their first Slot A Athlon boards) that have three DIMM slots. The mobo manual states that each slot can handle 256 MB - period. So then I tried to run a single 512 MB DIMM, it would only recognize 256 in POST and that is what XP saw. It dod not prevent it from booting.

Now I have 256 in each of the three slots for 768, in two systems and they both work perfectly with XP pro.

So, my conclusion is that your problem is motherboard specific.

 

[ChrisADuffy]

I was running 3 256mb sticks Crucial DDR and Win xp pro no problem, built another system and borrowed one stick.

 

[Torghn]

The board says it can support 3GB of DDR memory, and the board boots perfectly with the 3 256 MB dimms, it' just windows doesn't load all the way. I've run several memory testors and all 3 dimms work perfectly (so does windows with any combonation of less than 3). 2 of the sticks of ram are crucial and the other is a viking with nanya chips. It just doesn't make any sence.

 

[JMichna]

I run three sticks of Crucial (256 x 3 = 768) no problems. Since you are mixing brands, maybe try less agressive BIOS mem timings/settings to see if probs go away.
Good luck,
jmichna