Memory Dimms & compatibility
 

Always an answer here so here goes ...

Very happily running the following for the last 12-18 months;

Win2 Pro, latest patches etc

Motherboard : bought a Maplin (UK) deal GA-6VEM about 18 months ago. Totally happy with performance etc.

CPU : Celeron (don't ask which one, 1Gb)

No overclocking. Regular apps. 128Mb Mem 1 x 40Gb 7200, 1 x 8Gb 5200. 1 x Sony CD-RW.

Go to Maplin (same supplier with memory Dimm in anti-static bag) - I'd like one of these.

Get home - install said Dimm - BLUE SCREEN.

Dimm on it's own works fine in either of the 2 slots. Old Dimm likewise. Together Blue Screen.

Any ideas guys ? I am at the end of my tether here. Yes, I'd love to go out and buy a new Motherboard but I am determined to get some decent life out of this one yet !!!

Thanks in anticipation

Jon

That board autodetects memory type and there are no restrictions as to which slots they go in.

If each works individually then the problem is a memory mismatch. The first suggestion is Maplin gave you incompatible memory which is the wrong speed, parity etc. The second is that, even if the stick specs are the same, the brands aren't. It happens.

Give us the brand names and specification numbers off both chips just to see if there's anything obviously wrong. But I'd suggest that, if the specs are the same, you ask Maplin to swap the new chip for another brand.

GA-6VEM
VIA Apollo PLE133T AGPset
<snip>
DRAM
2 168-pin DIMM sockets
Supports PC-100 / PC-133 SDRAM and VCM SDRAM
Supports up to 1.0GB DRAM
Supports only 3.3V SDRAM DIMM

A sixpack says the pimply moron at Maplins just rummaged in a drawer and contemptuously gave you the first DIMM he found...

Are there any codes on the sticks? Do they match?

From crucial.com datadase

Giga-Byte GA-6VEM
Chipset: VIA Apollo PLE133T
Supported DRAM Types: SDR SDRAM only
SDR SDRAM Frequencies: PC100 and PC133
DDR SDRAM Frequencies: Not Supported
RDRAM Frequencies: Not Supported
72-pin SIMM Banking: Not Supported
168-pin DIMM Banking: 2 (2 banks of 1)
184-pin DIMM Banking: Not Supported
184-pin RIMM Banking: Not Supported
232-pin RIMM Banking: Not Supported
Module Types Supported: Unbuffered only
Max FPM: Not Supported
Max EDO: Not Supported
Max Unbuffered SDR SDRAM: 1024MB
Max Registered SDR SDRAM: Not Supported
Max Unbuffered DDR SDRAM: Not Supported
Max Registered DDR SDRAM: Not Supported
Max RDRAM: Not Supported
Error Detection Support: ECC and non-ECC
AGP Support: Not Supported
Max Component Density: 256Mb

Jon,

I agree with Mac the Knife. It sounds like they just gave you an old piece of PC-100 or 133 that they had laying around for some reason or another.

If you are going to run Win2k get youself either one 256Mb stick or a 512Mb stick of RAM. Your best bet with Win2k is one stick of 512Mb PC-133 and forget your old stick of RAM.

Here is a list of RAM by price from Dabs. Look at the Crucial RAM for £54.16:

RAM at Dabs.com

Take Care,

Richard

Many thanks for the replies and suggestions chaps.

The new stick would appear to match the old in terms of spec. Details as follows ;

New DIMM

Integral, Part No. DL1664USNST347XX-Q

Chip markings : hynix 227A HY57V28820HCT-H

PC133 16x64Mb Synch NS 3.3V 7.NS

Old DIMM

Don't know supplier/manufacturer, Part No. 1645-020213-061

Chip markings MT 48LC16M8A2 - 75B

Perhaps the 1664 and 1645 in the part numbers is a clue ? In the meantime I'll consider the one 256Mb stick.

Thanks again.

The chip markings on the old chip refer to the individual modules. They're used by Micron, Corsair, Ventura etc on a variety of 128Mb and 256Mb chips. See here for an example. I can't pin down the part number to identify the chip manufacturer.

The specification for the Hynix is:

Module Size: 128MB
* Package: 168-pin DIMM
* Feature: SDRAM, PC133/100
* Configuration: 16Meg x 64 (16x4 Config)
* DIMM Type: Unbuffered
* Error Checking: Non-parity
* Speed: 7.5ns
* Voltage: 3.3V
* SDRAM Timings: CL=3

The equivalent spec for the micron chip above is as below:

Module Size: 128MB
* Package: 168-pin DIMM
* Feature: SDRAM, PC133/100
* Configuration: 16Meg x 64 (16x4 Config)
* DIMM Type: Unbuffered
* Error Checking: Non-parity
* Speed: 4.5ns
* Voltage: 3.3V
* SDRAM Timings: CL=2

There's no obvious mismatch based on the chip markings, so I wouldn't throw blame on the assistant in the shop. You could ask them to swop it for another chip from a different manufacturer but, as suggested above, you'd be better off exchanging it for a single new 512Mb chip to replace both. That way there won't be any possibility of a mismatch. They're cheap enough.

Jon,

I am wondering if your original RAM was CAS 2.2.2. and the new DIMM is CAS 3.3.3. It could be the BIOS is defaulting to CAS 2.2.2 with both sticks in the computer, thus making the CAS 3.3.3. stick fail.

You could try to manually set the CAS to 3.3.3 and see if it would boot with both sticks after manually setting the CAS Latency.

Take Care,

Richard

P.S. I still think your best bet is taking the new stick back and getting a 512Mb stick.

From ORAC's post

Hynix <snip> Speed: 7.5ns CL=3
micron <snip> Speed: 4.5ns CL=2

I think Richard is on the right track.

See http://www.sysopt.com/articles/latency/ and work it out. I got confused so hopefully someone is better at maths than me (not difficult).

Thanks again guys.

Mac the Knife has it - different timings.

Interesting about the BIOS Richard. The options there are just for timings I think I.e. DRAM Clock, AGP Aperture size and Bank timing - I've always left these at default.

Opted for a replacement single stick of 256Mb. Yes, call me a cheapskate but I'm pretty happy with what I've got. See no reason to go 514Mb or 1Gb just yet.

Many thanks for all the advice - duly noted.

I'll come back when I feel it's time to upgrade the Motherboard. You guys seriously know your stuff and it is very much appreciated.

Lost_luggage34,

Glad to hear you are all set now.

As for the RAM, two things:

1) With WinXP it really likes 512Mb of RAM to run.

2) If you want to give the two sticks a try, go to Page 33 of your Motherboard Manual. In there it talks about setting both DIMM Slots to Normal and Settting the SDRAM CAS Latency to 3. That should let you use two sticks at the higher CAS setting.

Take Care,

Richard