I'm trying to upgrade from 64MB to 256 MB of SDRAM, on a PC running an AMD K6 400. The existing module is PC100, so are the two new ones.

The PC boots as far as loading the Windows drivers, then the screen display goes mad, and I get fatal errors. It boots OK in safe mode.

When I plug the old module back in it boots normally.

The two new 128 modules are identical.

The motherboard looks to be correctly set for this configuration.

Anyone got any ideas?

Many thanks

Les Hughes

Hello,

First thing to do is check the motherboard manual to determine what size of memory modules the DIMM slots on the motherboard will support. Another thing to check is whether you need unbuffered, buffered, error correcting or not and the voltage requirements of the memory.

How many DIMM slots do you have? How old is the computer? Do you know the make and model no. of your motherboard?

Is your computer by any chance an HP, Gateway or Compaq? If it is, you may need proprietary memory that will work in that computer.

Where did you buy the memory?

If you find that the motherboard will support the 128mb sticks and it's not a proprietary computer, you should reinsert the two 128mb sticks and boot up. But before you try booting into Windows, enter the BIOS setup, usually by hitting the Del key while booting up, or on Compaqs it's F10. Go into BIOS setup, but don't actually make any changes. Save and Exit. This will hopefully update the CMOS to the correct amount of memory and then maybe Windoz won't choke on it.

Good luck and post back with your progress. But even before you try anything, post back with some more detail about your system if you can.

Big Blue 66




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Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.
- Pamela Vault Starr

Try one of the new memory sticks by itself. If it works, then your system does not like 256MB of RAM. This happens with AMD K6-2 CPU's.
If that does not work, then it's possible that your MB may not like the memory's configuration if they're both 128MB 16Mx64 DIMM's. Check your computer's or MB's documentation for the memory specs.
I also use an AMD K6-2 400 and my MB does not like the above DIMM's. It works well, however, with 128MB 8Mx64 DIMM's.

Thanks for help so far! Unfortunately it hasn't changed things.

My PC is an old one, (not one of the three brands mentioned) upgraded two years ago with a new motherboard etc. It's a Gigabyte GA-5AA. It has three memory slots, and the 64MB DIMM was installed and runs ok in the middle one. It's an 8X64, whereas the new ones are both 16X64. I'm beginning to think this might be the problem.

I've been into SETUP and the CMOS shows the correct amount of memory present. Although I've got the motherboard manual it isn't clear which types of memory it will support. I intend to try the Gigabyte website to see if I can get any help there.

I've tried both DIMMS separately alone in the same slot that I know works, and both give the same result. I can boot in safe mode but no further.

The bummer is I bought the memory at a computer market, and all I've got is their phone number. I don't expect much help from that direction.

Nothing in the manual gives me aclue if I need buffered, unbuffered or error correcting memeory. Is there any way to find out?

Thanks again. Help me if you can.

Googled your mobo + memory found this

128MB 16x64 non-ecc 168Pin 3.3v Unbuffered with SPD 4 clock SDRAM PC100 DIMMs.

8ns chips with CAS Latency 2; clock upto 125MHz

I got this info here:

here (http://www.satech.com/12168pinpcca.html)

Hey,

Go to the site below and see if you can find a solution. Also, I just typed into a search engine, the name and model no. of your Gigabyte motherboard and got a lot of hits, some of which were user reviews. There were a lot of negative comments about the board. Good luck.

http://www.giga-byte.com/faq/faq.htm


Big Blue 66

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Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.
- Pamela Vault Starr

My problem seems to have moved on. I thought it had something to do with the display because the PC booted in Safe Mode etc, so I tried to re-install the drivers.

Now I can't get the PC to increase screen resolution above the minimum default, but it works with the extra memory onboard. (This is true even without the extra memory).

So I don't know if I've still got a monitor/driver problem, or if my memory problem is worse than I thought, and the machine's acting like it's got too little memory to run properly. Everything else still seems to work.