4 Gb RAM with Win XP

[Faustino]

I know that 32-bit XP has a max of about 3.2 Gb RAM. I built a system in Aug
07 with an Asus M2N-E motherboard and 2 x 1 Gb Kingston DDR2-800 RAM. Seven
months later, the RAM had dropped in price by 65%; I couldn't find 2 x 512
Mb, so bought another 2 Gb of Kingston. Windows read 3.25 Gb, but I started
to get a lot of crashes (I had had Win problems before but bought the new RAM
just after having my PC sorted out). One message on error reporting referred
to RAM as a possible cause, but crashed while I was reading it.

Although Asus suggest filling 1,2 or 4 slots, I've just booted with 3 Gb.
OK until I start a low-demand game (Lionheart, Silent Storm 2), when it
quickly crashes. Since I built the PC Win has tended to attribute errors to
a device driver problem, but checks always show all drivers up-to-date and
problem-free. Any advice?

 

[M.I.5¾]

I know that 32-bit XP has a max of about 3.2 Gb RAM. I built a system in
Aug
07 with an Asus M2N-E motherboard and 2 x 1 Gb Kingston DDR2-800 RAM.
Seven
months later, the RAM had dropped in price by 65%; I couldn't find 2 x 512
Mb, so bought another 2 Gb of Kingston. Windows read 3.25 Gb, but I
started
to get a lot of crashes (I had had Win problems before but bought the new
RAM
just after having my PC sorted out). One message on error reporting
referred
to RAM as a possible cause, but crashed while I was reading it.

Although Asus suggest filling 1,2 or 4 slots, I've just booted with 3 Gb.
OK until I start a low-demand game (Lionheart, Silent Storm 2), when it
quickly crashes. Since I built the PC Win has tended to attribute errors
to
a device driver problem, but checks always show all drivers up-to-date and
problem-free. Any advice?

The one thing you could try is to go into your BIOS and drop the access
speed of the RAM to the next lower value. Often motherboards are
manufactured before the top speeds of RAM become available and so they are
not fully tested.

 

[BeterHans PAN]

different memory will make the system unstable

 

[Faustino]

Thanks for replies.

1. BHP, all the RAM is Kingston DDR2-800.
2. BS, RAM density? What is that, how do I tell? There's nothing on the
pack label. Kingston is pretty mainstream, I assume the density is whatever
is normal.

 

[Daniel J.]

I know that 32-bit XP has a max of about 3.2 Gb RAM. I built a
system in Aug 07 with an Asus M2N-E motherboard and 2 x 1 Gb Kingston
DDR2-800 RAM. Seven months later, the RAM had dropped in price by
65%; I couldn't find 2 x 512 Mb, so bought another 2 Gb of Kingston.
Windows read 3.25 Gb, but I started to get a lot of crashes (I had
had Win problems before but bought the new RAM just after having my
PC sorted out). One message on error reporting referred to RAM as a
possible cause, but crashed while I was reading it.(...)

Your new RAM is bad.

You can check it with a software like Memtest86+
(http://www.memtest86.com/) or Windows Memory Dignostic
(http://oca.microsoft.com/en/mtinst.exe)

 

[Unknown]

Please explain that ridiculous comment.

Low density ram works in 100% of systems while high density ram only works
in 10% of systems. Hi density is x128 while low is x64.

 

[Faustino]

It was a recently-released high-end board, I think it handles 1066 MHz. I'd
had no trouble with 2Gb of 800 MHz RAM

 

[Faustino]

Daniel, I downloaded Windiag, but none of the programs suggested to open it
with seem appropriate. wd's propertires say file type "file". Suggestion
please? For Memtest86, I'll have to get a disk mailed from the US to
Australia.

Windows System found 3.25 Gb, suggesting to me (with limited tech
knowledge)that it worked.

 

[Faustino]

PS: I realised that I could download Memtest 86, but I have a problem with
running it - this has occurred with some other downloads, e.g. latest ATI
drivers, in the last 24 hours: I hit "Run" in the dialog box and the process
terminates (sigh).

 

[mike]

PS: I realised that I could download Memtest 86, but I have a problem with
running it - this has occurred with some other downloads, e.g. latest ATI
drivers, in the last 24 hours: I hit "Run" in the dialog box and the process
terminates (sigh).

I had the same problem with the latest release of memtest86 (3.4, I think).
Turned out was caused by bad ram.
Much earlier version of memtest86, (1.65, I think) did run.
I assume you've tried the obvious of running/testing it with only the
two 512's

 

[Unknown]

Your statement is totally inaccurate. High definition modules require more
pins. (More address bits).
A high definition module will only work on a board with the correct pin
assignment.
Space is the deciding factor. Space is limited on a laptop and therefore
uses the highest density
available.
Low density modules are NOT 100% compatible with all systems on the market.
Processor or clock speed
is the biggest determining factor.

 

[Faustino]

Thanks, Mike. I have 4 x 1 Gb, I've been varying the number/mix of the four
sticks in between other things in life, I'll try all permutations. Re
memtest, I don't think it's linked to the RAM, the Install file won't run and
I have been unable to run other download the last few days, sounds as if
something in Norton IS or Windows security may be blocking the running of
downloads, I can't identify any cause.

Faustino

 

[Daniel J.]

(...)
Re memtest, I don't think it's linked to the RAM, the Install file
won't run and I have been unable to run other download the last few
days, sounds as if something in Norton IS or Windows security may be
blocking the running of downloads, I can't identify any cause.

Probably when you've downloaded memtest86, you've got a ISO file.

So you have to burn a CD with that ISO and boot your system with this
CD.

Do you know what I mean?