Install 2x64MB SDRAM, MB Only sees 32MB Total - Help Please

[justjoehere]

I have a MS-5120 MB. It has 4 72-SIMMs and 2 168-DIMM. I have removed the previous EDO RAM sticks, and was putting in 2 64MB sticks. However, it only sees 16MB from each stick. I can't figure out what is going on. I've verified the jumpers are set at 3.3V, and that the memory is good. I also tried 2 32MB sticks and the MB only saw 8MB each from them. I don't know why it is only seeing 1/4th of the memory installed. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Ultima]

Well,

That is a pretty old mobo ya got there if it has 4 simms and 2 dimms.

It could be that the bios doesn't recognize over 16Mb which was about the highest you could get at the time those boards were current.

Try to find a bios update for yer board, it may solve yer problems.
If not, suggest that either you get bigger simms, or get another mobo which will support the 64 megs.

But be sure to look in yer manual, cause sometimes it is stated that for example simm slot 1 and 2 can't be used at the same time as dimm slot 2.

Be sure to look it up.

Pim

[skywalker[TSG]]

what chipset is on the board `??

[justjoehere]

VXPRO+

[Symes]

Have you tried the latest BIOS? it's on the Matsonic web site here;

matsonic.com/update.htm (http://matsonic.com/update.htm)

I run 2 x 64Mb on my M537DMA (VX-Pro+ chipset).

Symes

[justjoehere]

I did update my bios from that exact html page, however, it still didn't resolve my problem.

On a side note, I read on another Forum (Tech Support) a mention for VxPro+ chipsets recognizing memory different, such as 4x16 vs 2x32 for a 64MB DIMM. However, I don't know how to tell if this is the problem or not.

[Peter M]

justjoehere,

if it's really a VXpro+ board (PC-Chips M537DMA33), then you have a chipset (VIA VPX/97 in disguise) that does handle 64-MByte DIMMs correctly, but only as long as they are 8-chip modules. Newer 4-chip types won't work. Some rare types of 8-chip modules maybe won't work either, yet I never found one that didn't work. (You need the 1998/04/30 BIOS.)

Older revisions carry the same number, yet have the VXpro chipset (aka VIA Apollo VP-1) that can't do that.

Regards, PEter