ram problem

[Patrick_S]

I have a compaq presario 4551. Standard processor and memory consist of:
AMD-K6II 475mhz
64mb sdram pc100 compaq brand (8mb intergrated video)

I bought an addition 128mb ram for this computer and installed it into the 2nd dimm slot. Windows reconized the ram and under the system it read that there was 184mb ram. The problem is that the computer did NOT run any faster or show any difference at all.

Just today, I decided to remove the standard compaq ram and install only my aftermarket ram into the 1st dimm. I turned the computer back on and I noticed a BIG speed difference from before. My computer runs much faster than it did with 184mb ram, and now it only has 120mb. What's the deal with this? Shouldn't it run faster with 184mb than with 120mb?

[jak]

im no master and this is just a guess but maybe all ur software didnt need that extra ram and so the comp just ran off of the first slot and only used the second when needed so...
again this is only a guess

[Patrick_S]

but when I put the 128mb chip in the 1st slot and the 64mb in the 2nd...it runs the same as it did with the 64 in the 1st and the 128 in the 2nd. I don't think the slots have anything to do with it. I think there might be some incompatability (is that a word??)between the 2. The computer can detect that there is 184mb of ram, but cannot use them both at the same time because they are incompatible with each other.

That's my only explanation....anyone else?

[Warthog]

HA!!!!!!

I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I spent 3 months on the phone with like 30 different Dell tech support guys. FINALLY, I sent letter to their very top engineers. Sent the computer away for a month and they figured out the problem: the two RAM chips were different brands. My computer will go down in Dell tech support history as the only computer that ever had this problem. They gave me the same brand of RAM chips and I was all set.

I never thought I would ever *meet* a person who ever had the same issue that I had! http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Warthog

[slowlearner]

If you would have put a 64 meg in yours,you wouldnt of had that problem,compaqs like to have the same size sticks in there other slots.I have ran across this before.

[socalgal]

Moved to Tech Support.