Questionable RAM upgrade?

[jezeric]

I just recently got ahold of a 256MB RAM stick to upgrade my machine. It's a Gateway Essential 550, PIII and 128MB onboard right now. I've already done a successful 64MB upgrade before that got it to where it is now. When I install this new stick in my last available slot the system accepts that it is there, but won't use it and Windows 98 won't boot properly due to a system.ini problem. I didn't have any sort of difficulty like this with the last upgrade. The new stick is PC133 and I think the board's only running at 100, but that didn't cause problems last time either. Any ideas or ways to test the new memory other than plugging it into the machine? I've tried it alone, in different slots, and in pretty much any configuration I can think of and still no luck. Also, I don't know the brand of the piece, I got it second-hand. If anyone can identify it, the chips and the board ID sticker are printed with YC inside a circle. Thanks for any help.

[Apemantus]

What exactly is the error message displayed?

Regards,

Ape.

[HRM]

Try taking out all other ram and just use the new piece. Try different slots. I would put the biggest ram in the slot closest to the CPU. Putting different Ram in a machine often has odd results. It is better to keep one brand, although often mixing causes no problems, sometimes it does.

If the 256 works alone, try adding the others one at a time. Make sure your board can handle all that ram. Way back when 256 was the max on some systems. 256 should be enough for anything, so you cna always take the old little ones out and sell them on ebay or something.

[jezeric]

I just tried reinstalling the stick so that I could record all of the error messages. With the new one in place the system booted through the RAM count and the keyboard/mouse check, then there were two slow beeps and it showed ERROR 0232: Extended RAM failed at offset: 1B. When I chose resume the system rebooted, the RAM count stopped at 128 instead of the 384 it counted before and it went to boot Windows. At this point it halted start-up and showed C:\WINDOWS\system\vmm32.vxd: missing unable to load. It then shut down again. When I pulled the chip the system rebooted with no problems other than to show an error log that stated the available memory had decreased. I've tried the stick on its own and still can't get it to boot up, and I've tried it in other sockets with no luck. Interestingly, if I have a 64 in slot 0, the 256 in slot 1, and the second 64 in slot 2, the system only read 64 MB. I'm afraid this might mean a burnt stick. Any guesses?

[HRM]

I think the stick is bad. It happens. I had one work perfectly for two months and then do a slow death spiral. I would RMA it and that should do it....that's my guess.

[Commandos]

I think HRM is right. The stick might be bad but since it's an aftermarket stuff, you have to try another stick Jezeric.

[Apemantus]

Make sure if it's CAS3 memory, your not running it at CAS2... how many threads have i posted this in now?

Because overspeeding low quality generic memory is like holding a gun to your own head.

I would suspect if one of the chips on the stick was bad, it would consistently fail at the same point, however i could be wrong.

But to make absolutely sure, just recheck your bios settings against the specified speed of your memory to make sure you aren't using settings that could be adversely affecting this one stick.

Regards,

[mcjamesk]

geez!!! I thought u could only use Gateway memory in Gateway systems and then they will sell u what works in your com.

[jezeric]

It's beginning to look like there is a motherboard restriction on how large the memory module can be. The Gateway support site literature tells me that the system can be upgraded in 64MB increments. How I'm supposed to reach the board's maximum of 384MB with only 3 slots escapes me, but if the limit is really 128MB modules then it makes sense. I've installed another brand 64MB module in the past and not had any problem with it, so if someone tells you it's Gateway modules only, it's nonsense. I guess I'll just have to find another 64 MB module and come up with some other use for the 256MB piece. Thanks for all the help everyone.

[Commandos]

Install Sisof Sandra standard and run it. It will tell you how much RAM your board support ,for maximum and by module.

[MstrOfTheUniv]

I had the same thing happen to me a while back and the RAM is Bad, no doubt.

[Bone Collector]

didn't you get some cind of manual with your motherboard or you can go to website of Gateway for info about max. memory size