My computer will not take 64MB dimm. Why?

[KellyPower]

I have a Samtack computer it is a 120Mhz Pentium with 16MB RAM (simm). I recently tried to install 64MB dimm memory but my computer did not recognize it. It will however work with 32MB Ram dimm memory. The motherboard manual says it should be able to take up to 128MB Ram dimm memory. If I upgraded the BIOS will it then be able handle more RAM in Dimm. If not then how do i get it to accept more Ram in Dimm format.

I do have a "VX" chip, decided to go with 64 MB of Simm Ram instead. Thanks for your help.

[This message has been edited by KellyPower (edited 09-10-99).]

[jokostel]

have you removed the simm first?
sdram is 3.3volts and all simms are 5volts.

fpm and edo dimm are 5volts as well...

[nilknarf]

jokostel's reply is valid, although I don't think this is the problem. If you're using ram chips that operate on different voltages you can burn out the ram if the mainboard doesn't support it. I would pull the SIMM anyway, as they operate at much slower speeds than DIMMs (SIMM 50-80ns, DIMM 5-20ns)

It sounds more like the board doesn't support that size chip, even though it'll support that amount of memory.

Upgrading the bios won't normally impact the memory handling capacity, as this is usually a function of the board itself.

I would also check the speed of the ram. The last time I put a 100MHz chip on a 66MHz board, it didn't work. Your board is probably set to 60MHz with a 2x ratio. More than likely you have PC100 ram.

Check for the maximum size chip the board supports, as well as the speed of the ram. I'd be willing to bet the problem lies in one of these two areas.

Hope this Helps!

Good Luck!

[This message has been edited by nilknarf (edited 09-08-99).]

[GEC]

If your chipset is a "VX" it wont work with a 64 meg dimm. It will work OK with two 32 meg dimms. I think the "TX" chipset was the first to reconize a 64 meg dim.
GEC