RAM upgrade and regular crashes

Message

Fausto · #1 Post by **Fausto** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:12 pm

Me again....

OK. I have 2 x 256 sticks on my board with AMD 1800 and XP and all is fine except I feel more RAM would be a good idea and I buy a 1GB stick.

I took out the 2 x 256 and installed the 1 GB and now I have regular crashes of both the O/S (blue screen muttering something about memory dumps) and Browser (both Firefox and Opera).

I have downloaded Microsofts memory test s/w and it shows no problems with any of the sticks.

As far as I know I bought compatible memory - PC3200 DDR 400Mhz (this frequency is higher than earlier sticks but not a problem if I understand these things correctly)

Anybody suggest anything.

Aladinsaneuk · #2 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:27 pm

yep - bios update may be necessary

what mobo do you have? will it support 1x1gb stick or does it need a matched pair?

the ram may well not be compatible with your mobo btw.....

(use the ram checker at crucial or kingston's website)

Fausto · #3 Post by **Fausto** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 5:22 pm

Ah yes - should have stated that I did indeed use the RAM checker at Crucial and went for one of their recommendations (albeit from Play.com).

MoBo (as you so quaintly put it) documentation says it's good for up to 1GB in each of 3 sockets.

Just noticed mention of 2.5Volt in book and I have 2.6Volt stick. Could this matter? Crucial recommended both 2.5 AND 2.6.

Aladinsaneuk · #4 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 6:50 pm

crucial would have checked on most recent bios, and that is why i would check that next....

so, mobo manufacturers website, then look at the bios update notes - one of them is likely to give the 2.6 v support....

Fausto · #5 Post by **Fausto** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 5:07 pm

Um, If I 'upgrade' the BIOS to give 2.6v support won't that affect the other components that are accustomed to 2.5v or will it differentiate ?

wavey · #6 Post by **wavey** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 1:13 pm

It could also be a faulty stick of RAM, you would be surprised how much crap memory is out there.
Here is a link to download Memtest86 http://www.memtest86.com/
Get the ISO and make a bootable disk
Dave

Aladinsaneuk · #7 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 1:33 pm

changing the bios to support the ram should not effect the rest of the system