NVRAM?? Can't install SD-RAM, help please!

[Gutter Ball]

Okay, I'm trying to upgrade my gf's computer with more ram! It's a P3550, slocket 370PGA on an unknown mobo, I can't see the mobo name(it's got onboard everything though, there's a big gold thing with Xcel2000 on it). Here's the problem. When I boot up, it tests 64m of NVRAM. Later down the boot screen, it says "64m SD-RAM in #1". I tried to install 128mb of Kingston ram and it's not showing up. I remove the 64m that's in there, put in the 128 and the computer doesn't even boot up! :/ I go into the bios, and can't really see anything about ram. The speed is 10n, I tried all the other settings too and it still doesn't register. I know the ram is good, what could it be? Thanks in advance...

[NDD]

OK, is this new stick PC133 or PC100 ? Althought P3 platform is not that old, your mobo may not support PC133 memory. Try other stick, or get any additional info about the mobo.

P.S. I saw somewhere XCEL marks, but can't remember on which mobo exactly ... if I recall something, will get back to you.

Best Regards ...

[Gutter Ball]

Bummer, it is PC133 :/ I'll keep searching...thanks for the input!

[Nighthawk]

P3 most likely means at least a BX or comparable chipset, which would support an 8-chip 128mb DIMM (But would report 64mb on a 4-chip DIMM).

Sounds like the 128 could be bad. I haven't yet heard of problems running PC133 at 100, but I guess your motherboard could be really strange.

I'd suggest trying a different 128 first, then looking for the manufacturer.

[Beemer]

NVRAM = Non-Volatile RAM
NVRAM is memory that retains it's data when the power is turned off by being connected to an uninterrupted power supply (such as a battery... I'm not talking about a UPS, I'm talking about a battery like the one used to keep CMOS settings). There is a combination of EEPROM and SRAM chips on the stick.

I would load the NVRAM into slot one since it holds your configuration, and environment data.

I don't know if a reset of the NVRAM would help or hinder.

Is this a OEM tower you are working on?

I can't help to much as I need some info on the board. What numbers flash up on the initialization screen? Usually on the bottom left of the screen.

Cheers!

[Gutter Ball]

Okay, I went out and bought a 128 stick of Kingston PC100 ram (wow, it's soooooooo cheap!!!) Still no go :/ If I remove the 64 stick from Dimm slot #1 and replace it with either of the 128 sticks, the system doesn't even boot up. On the 64 stick, there's a sticker that says "Kingston Valueram PC100/64" If I leave the 64 in there and add the two 128's, they are picked up. Bummer :/ As fast as I am, I rebooted about 5 times and I'm just not fast enough to write down all those numbers at boot up http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif Maybe the ram sockets are fried???

[Gutter Ball]

FOUND IT!! I took a flash light and took a look at the other two DIMM sockets. Everything looked okay until I saw the possible problem!! Two of the tiny pins inside the ram socket were BENT. Took a tiny screw driver, bent the pins back up, reinstalled both sets of ram...POOF!! 320+ megs of ram! I still can't figure out why it won't work if I use one of the 128's in the first slot though. But all is well for now. Thanks for the help!!!

[Beemer]

My thread up above explains why in a basic way.

Since I just did this research when I bumped into this thread, this is my grip on NVRAM:

NVRAM shares the responsibilty of environment info which is initialied within the first 64K of memory. <<- (hazarding a guess here) The first slot, (slot #1) is reserved, and looked for by your BIOS. It requires the information on this stick of NVRAM to complete the "CMOS setup". (or CMOS chksum? Not sure on the correct term here.)

NVRAM came and went with the dinosaurs. Too proprietory I guess.

(What a way to spend a morning!) <IMG SRC="http://cablelan.net/beemer/smileys/happyscrew.gif" border=0>

Cheers!

[This message has been edited by Beemer (edited 07-25-2001).]