PC133

[tallyman]

Anyone have any experiences of pgrading to PC133 memory? I have a 3 month old Matsonic MS82117C socket A m/board based on VIA Apollo KT133 (BIOS date 05/2000). It has run perfectly well on 128Mb of PC100 DRAM. Tried installing 128Mb of PC133 and windows either crashes on startup or produces protection faults galore. The board is totally jumperless and should be totally PnP. I am still waiting for a response from manufacturer and supplier has no idea except to say that he also has had problems with PC133 and now sticks to PC100.

Anyone have any experience / ideas?

Hopeful regards


John Reynolds
Leicester UK

[ReddDogg]

does your motherboard support pc133 ram? And, are you taking out old stick and putting in new, or are you adding the ram to the existing? It sounds like it could be a bad stick of ram, as long as there is nothing conflicting in the bios settings that won't let it run 133 ram... but as for figuring out if it is in bios, best ask someone else on here about that... I can say I have had a heckuva time adding extra ram to my NT server at home... but it is the old ram, and I am using used ram (72-pin crap) and I am guessing some of my sticks are just bad.

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Joe Redd
MCP

[Paleo Pete]

Sounds like to me your supplier has basically answered it. From the info posted I'd say (from the model number KT133) the board should support PC133, especially being only a couple months old, most new boards do support 133MHz memory speed. If the board doesn't support this speed, PC 133 still runs at 100MHz. 133 is the maximum, not the only speed it will run at. It will run at 66MHz too. But I suppose they still haven't worked out all the kinks.

Also make sure the voltage is right, seems I remember something about different voltages, also an ECC setting in BIOS that makes a difference.

Try the PC133 by itself. Does it work? Or is that what you're doing already? You didn't say whether you added or replaced it...Otherwise all I can say is stick to PC 100 until they get the bugs out...

Also you might do some digging on the net, try a search for memory on any search engine, and see if you can find some technical articles that come close to your problem. I think the Kingston site has a very good general memory rundown. www.kingston.com (http://www.kingston.com) I think, but a search will turn it up quick.

Sorry I don't have better info...

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[tallyman]

Thanks for responses. Seems whole problem was down to an 'intermittent' fault with the RAM stick. Dealer had never come across one b4, they usually either work or don't. Anyway, problem solved and system back to original form.

Thanks again

John R

[Paleo Pete]

That's often caused by static electricity. Especially with memory, it can cause intermittent problems that are a major headache to pinpoint, since it only happens now and then, and is near impossible to reproduce intentionally.

Be careful when installing any components, it takes 2000 volts for you to feel static electricity, and as little as 30 volts to damage computer components.

Always ground yourself on the chassis of the machine before touching anything inside, or removing any component from a static free bag.

That might not be the cause, it may have just been bad to begin with, no way of telling. Static electricity will often just fry a part period, but sometimes with memory the problem will show up only intermittently.

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If you had everything...Where would you put it?

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

[fraelorn]

Personally, if I were you, I'd stick to PC100. I've heard quite a few bad things about the PC133, compatibilty issues, errors, and whatnot...

I tech problems over the phone, so, my opinions are based on a vast array of info. A few of my friend's have also had some bad run-ins with PC133.

Just some added info! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif