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"RAM issue."

Hey,

I've just been trying to install some more RAM, should be the easiest job in the world, but the motherboard isn't detecting it, even though it is fully compatible. I've tried changing it in the 2 different sockets and with and without my current RAM in. Without the currect RAM the system acts as if there is no RAM pressent (POST fails with lots of bleeping), and when the old RAM is in it refuses to see it is there. However, even weirder CPU-Z can see the RAM, which makes no sence as the motherboard can't see itself to put in the DMI.

Any ideas?

Cheers
S.A.


Current system:

CPU(s)
Number of CPUs 1
Name Intel Pentium 4
Code Name Northwood
Specification Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz
Family / Model / Stepping F 2 7
Extended Family / Model 0 0
Brand ID 9
Package mPGA-478
Core Stepping C1
Technology 0.13 µ
Supported Instructions Sets MMX, SSE, SSE2
CPU Clock Speed 2410.2 MHz
Clock multiplier x 18.0
Front Side Bus Frequency 133.9 MHz
Bus Speed 535.6 MHz
L1 Data Cache 8 KBytes, 4-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L1 Trace Cache 12 Kµops, 8-way set associative
L2 Cache 512 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L2 Speed 2410.2 MHz (Full)
L2 Location On Chip
L2 Data Prefetch Logic yes
L2 Bus Width 256 bits

Mainboard and chipset
Motherboard manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
Motherboard model GA-8SIMLH, 1.x
BIOS vendor Award Software International, Inc.
BIOS revision 6.00 PG
BIOS release date 02/25/2005
Chipset SiS ID651 rev. 2
Southbridge SiS ID8 rev. 25
Sensor chip Winbond W83697HF

Memory
# of memory modules 2
Module 0 Kingston DDR-SDRAM PC2700 - 256 MBytes
Module 1 Kingston DDR-SDRAM PC3200 - 512 MBytes

Software
Windows version Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
DirectX version 9.0c

APG Card
GigaByte Geforce 6600GT

Huzzar! Sorted. I had to manually set the frequencey and latenceys on the RAM and only use the new RAM.

Sly Fox wrote:
> This SIS chipset and hence your motherboard only supports ram up to
> PC2700.
>
> I assume the 512Mb is the new stick being PC3200. I haven’t tried
> this but turning off Serial presence detect (SPD) in the bios may get
> it to step down and be detected. Failing that send it back and swap
> for some PC2700.
> Hope this helps.

It should be able to run at 2700, it says so on its spec and in CPU-Z.

Notorious Biggles wrote:
> So with the original RAM on its own, everything is fine?

Yep

> With just the new RAM, it won't post?

Yep

> With both sticks in it boots but only sees the old RAM, although
> CPU-Z sees the new RAM as well?

Yep

> Find out what type of modules are on the RAM and see if the ICs
> themselves are listed as ok for the motherboard. Things can conflict
> for no apparent reason.

Where can I find the compatibility chart? I can find it on the memory or motherboard websites.

This SIS chipset and hence your motherboard only supports ram up to PC2700.

I assume the 512Mb is the new stick being PC3200. I haven’t tried this but turning off Serial presence detect (SPD) in the bios may get it to step down and be detected. Failing that send it back and swap for some PC2700.
Hope this helps.

Couldn’t be bothered to bring the screen shot into fireworks.

poopots wrote:
> >Memory
> ># of memory modules 2
> >Module 0 Kingston DDR-SDRAM PC2700 - 256 MBytes
> >Module 1 Kingston DDR-SDRAM PC3200 - 512 MBytes
>
> You have two different speeds of ram at the moment, you should always
> run them both at the slowest speed, you can change this in the bios.
> If dropping the FSB to 333mhz or 166DDR doesn’t work try them both
> separately, this will determine if one of them is faulty or they are
> both incompatible. If I was you I would spend about £30 to get
> another stick of 512mb pc3200 and bring your system up to a 1GB.

He's running both sticks at PC2100 speeds, so this isn't a problem.

So with the original RAM on its own, everything is fine?
With just the new RAM, it won't post?
With both sticks in it boots but only sees the old RAM, although CPU-Z sees the new RAM as well?

Find out what type of modules are on the RAM and see if the ICs themselves are listed as ok for the motherboard. Things can conflict for no apparent reason.

>Memory
># of memory modules 2
>Module 0 Kingston DDR-SDRAM PC2700 - 256 MBytes
>Module 1 Kingston DDR-SDRAM PC3200 - 512 MBytes

You have two different speeds of ram at the moment, you should always run them both at the slowest speed, you can change this in the bios. If dropping the FSB to 333mhz or 166DDR doesn’t work try them both separately, this will determine if one of them is faulty or they are both incompatible. If I was you I would spend about £30 to get another stick of 512mb pc3200 and bring your system up to a 1GB.

A screen shot:
http://stevesmiscellany.8bit.co.uk/JPG/makesnosence.jpg

Hey,

I've just been trying to install some more RAM, should be the easiest job in the world, but the motherboard isn't detecting it, even though it is fully compatible. I've tried changing it in the 2 different sockets and with and without my current RAM in. Without the currect RAM the system acts as if there is no RAM pressent (POST fails with lots of bleeping), and when the old RAM is in it refuses to see it is there. However, even weirder CPU-Z can see the RAM, which makes no sence as the motherboard can't see itself to put in the DMI.

Any ideas?

Cheers
S.A.


Current system:

CPU(s)
Number of CPUs 1
Name Intel Pentium 4
Code Name Northwood
Specification Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz
Family / Model / Stepping F 2 7
Extended Family / Model 0 0
Brand ID 9
Package mPGA-478
Core Stepping C1
Technology 0.13 µ
Supported Instructions Sets MMX, SSE, SSE2
CPU Clock Speed 2410.2 MHz
Clock multiplier x 18.0
Front Side Bus Frequency 133.9 MHz
Bus Speed 535.6 MHz
L1 Data Cache 8 KBytes, 4-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L1 Trace Cache 12 Kµops, 8-way set associative
L2 Cache 512 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L2 Speed 2410.2 MHz (Full)
L2 Location On Chip
L2 Data Prefetch Logic yes
L2 Bus Width 256 bits

Mainboard and chipset
Motherboard manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
Motherboard model GA-8SIMLH, 1.x
BIOS vendor Award Software International, Inc.
BIOS revision 6.00 PG
BIOS release date 02/25/2005
Chipset SiS ID651 rev. 2
Southbridge SiS ID8 rev. 25
Sensor chip Winbond W83697HF

Memory
# of memory modules 2
Module 0 Kingston DDR-SDRAM PC2700 - 256 MBytes
Module 1 Kingston DDR-SDRAM PC3200 - 512 MBytes

Software
Windows version Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
DirectX version 9.0c

APG Card
GigaByte Geforce 6600GT