old memory slots

[yawningdog]

Okay, here's one. I have an old socket 7 MB with 4 simm slots and 1 dimm slot. I think I can make it a much more useful machine if I can get the 168 pin slot to work properly. No matter how much or what type (PC133,PC100,PC66) memory I install, POST only counts up to 16MB. Close inspection reveals nothing untoward in the pins, and a thorough cleaning avails nothing. A tech at a local shop says that sometimes the older boards simply didn't work and there's nothing I can do. Can anyone around here successfully waste his time? MB model is a Biostar GMBA5AX (if memory serves(no pun intended))

[tjaymadison]

You can look for specs on a specific board by model model here (http://www.motherboards.org/).
They might have a manual to download there too. Good luck. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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"I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."
-- Charles Babbage, mathematician, computer pioneer, analytical engine designer (1791-1871)
-- (Question: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?')

[mjc]

That board is from an era when memory was much more expensive than it is now, it could be that 16MB is all that it will recognize from that slot....

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)

Vive diu prosperaque!

[BigBlue66]

Hey Yawndog,

I had a similar problem with my 'puter at home. Apparently it had something to do with my i430 series chipset. The chipset was only designed to recognize 2-clock SDRAM. However, today you will have a hard time finding the 2-clock, most if not all is now 4-clock. If you install a 64mb DIMM of 4-clock SDRAM, it will only read as 16mb. Sound familiar? Make sense?

There is nothing you can do about it. You might consider just using the SIMMS slots and going with EDO RAM. The i430 series chipset, if that's what you have, will only cache 64mb of RAM. There is no use trying to install more than that, or your system will crawl at a snail's pace. I speak from personal experience. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Cheers,

Big Blue 66


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The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability that you'll get it wrong.

[BigBlue66]

Whoops, I spoke in haste. There is something you can do about it, if you can find 2-clock SDRAM. Good luck.

BB 66


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The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability that you'll get it wrong.

[yawningdog]

Thanks bigblue66, and yes,it makes gobs of sense.I'm on it.