Windows XP and memory...

[rounder]

I installed two more memory mods, bringing the total to 4 gig. My PC wouldn't boot, until I removed the two I had just installed. It also did not recognize and video input.

I understand that others have installed 4 gig of ram, but their PC only recognized 3+ gig. Why would my OS not want to boot at all? Maybe a bad mem mod?

Thanks in advance,
rounder

[Lgbpop]

Depends on the mobo and BIOS. Many older mobos max out at 2GB, or 3GB for Socket A mobos. Some info on your system is in order before we go further.

[rounder]

Specs:

Intel D975Xbx2 mobo
Intel E6600 Core Two DUO
2 Gig Corsair XMS2 PC6400
Windows XP Home
Etc.

[Midknyte]

what make/model are the new dimms?

did you try testing one dimm at a time?

[rounder]

Corsair XMS2 PC6400

No, I did not switch individual new sticks with an existing mod to check for faulty mods. My next step, I suppose.

[herosrest]

What type of video card is fitted to the mobo?

[rounder]

PNY GeForce 8600 GTS

[Lgbpop]

I'd test the RAM. Also go into the BIOS and look for a setting that automatically disables unused RAM slots; if you see that, make sure the option is set to keep the slots active. Don't trust the AUTO setting, force them to stay enabled.

[Midknyte]

I'd suspect the ram first. You can try manually setting the command rate to 2T in the bios, but the bios would probably be set to auto anyway.

[rounder]

I bought the ram 2 OR 3 months back from Newegg and just now got around to installing it. If the memory is faulty, I'm not sure about an RMA with that much time having passed.

[Lgbpop]

I bought the ram 2 OR 3 months back from Newegg and just now got around to installing it. If the memory is faulty, I'm not sure about an RMA with that much time having passed.All it takes is a phone call to them, or check your purchase records online. (I can check my records going back three years.)

[rounder]

The new mem mods checked out OK. Both worked when paired with one existing mod. I will say, I did not run them, just allowed it to boot the OS fully with no problems.

After I reinseted the original I got a persistent error report and had a time getting it to go away. It made a referrence to recent RAM changes as a cause.

If no other cause, such as an XP conflict with 4 gig of RAM, can be determined, I might reinsert the sticks one at a time and run them a bit, before switching out.

I looked for a bios setting option on the RAM, found nothing similiar to "command rate". I do have my "Host Clock Frequency" up a bit...from 266 to 275 with no voltage changes. It appears that has changed my "System Bus" to 1100 from 1066. Would any of this affect the additional memory performance?

[Midknyte]

Set your ram back to stock speeds. it's harder on the memory controller to run 4 dimms than just 2. That's why i said to increase command rate to 2. Since it's an Intel board, your memory config options will be limited.

[rounder]

Midknyte, ram speeds have never been changed, but I will try setting the "Host Clock Frequency" back to 266 and then install the two addtional sticks and see how the system responds.

The bios my board uses hasn't revealed anything resembling a command rate setting option.

[Midknyte]

Like I said, it's an Intel board, so the bios settings are very restricted. The command rate setting would be pretty obvious and you would select 1T or 2T.

what do you mean ram speeds never changed? how did it get to 275? 275 isn't a standard setting.

do you have the latest bios version?

[rounder]

The "Host Clock Freqency" was changed from 266 to 275. I understood that to be relevent to the CPU, not ram.

I did research Intel website and there have been quite a number of BIOS version updates since my build in July 2007, but nothing referrenced any RAM issues. If you see anything that might be relevent, please NOTE it.

http://downloadmirror.intel.com/15349/ENG/BX2_2813_ReleaseNotes.pdf

Thanks,

roundr

[Midknyte]

Host clock frequency is basically FSB. That affects both cpu and ram, unless there is a bios setting to lock the ram speed.

didn't see any memory specific changes, but i don't think it would hurt to update the bios.

[rounder]

Midknyte,

I agree that a BIOS upgrade, with that many version updates since my last, would be a good move. I should do more troubleshooting on the memory mods before I bother you guys anymore, but personally, I do have a hunch that this is more a memory addressing issue.

Maybe, my video card mem addressing conflicts with the additional ram for memory address space???...??? The first sign of a problem was a lack of video recognition and no boot.

I'll give the memory mods a few more switch outs and post back.

Thanks again,
rounder

[Midknyte]

As I understand it, the memory addressing problem would be for the OS, not the hardware. Your system should still POST.

[mobo57]

When I had my badaxe, it's long gone now, I had to bump mch and vdimm to get my 4 gigs of OCZ 6400 to work. SPD was 1.8, actual was running a little under that with 2 gigs, and drooped well below 1.7 with 4 gigs and would throw all sorts of errors or crash. I had to set vdimm at 2.0 and up mch by .1 to get it stable with the 4 dimms.

[rounder]

mobo57,

Your reply sounds like a very likely answer to my problem and I will give that a try this week. I am keeping late hours, as of late, and may not attempt it until this weekend, but will post back the results when I do.

I want to thank you, Midknyte and all for your responses.

rounder

[rounder]

mobo57,

vdimm from default 1.84 to 2.0
mch from default 1.525 to 1.625
OS admits to 3.25 gig RAM. I haven't checked the bios.

Both as you recommended. Booted first attempt after bios changes. Thanks, for your experience sharing! I assume you tested and tweaked, until you determined these to be the lowest, yet most stable settings. It does make absolute sense that more voltage would be required to support additional mem mods. A lesson I'll never forget. Would you tell us more about the mch setting?

Another issue, I have reset my "Host Clock Frequency" back to stock 266 Mhz. I was stable at 275 before, but not at 280. According to others, I should be able to go MUCH higher. I hesitated making voltage compensations for the cpu, but would assume that to be the next logical step to contimue uping the HCF.

Any advice.......anyone?

Again, thanks mobo57.

rounder

[mobo57]

If we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.
http://www.sysopt.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=194693

[rounder]

:D ... oh, what we do to keep from getting bored!... ;)