New RAM causing WinXP Home to CRASH

[Guest]

AMD 1.1
Winblows XP Home
Shuttle KT266A MB
512 RAM

Trying to bump up my RAM to 1G by installing a 512MB chip. Have 4 slots, 2
have the original 256s in them,.

When I put in the new 512 RAM, the sytem will boot up, then start giving me
messages about how different programs are encountering problems, the system
crashes out, and reboots, to repeat this again, and again, and again.

I have tried putting the new 512 RAM in the 3rd and 4th empty RAM slots,
both with the same results, crash.

When I take out the new 512 RAM chip, no problems. I did the debug report
thing, but how does that help me? Exactly, it doesn't.

There is no error message given, only that program x,y,z can't run, sorry
but it's about to cut off, bla bla. To give you an idea, it crashed after
Explorer encountered a problem, Mozilla, etc.

So, my question is, anyone have any ideers about what's making this thing
freak out and crash?

Any suggestions, or even better solutions are much appreciated, and your
Kung Fu is strong.

Thanks in advance...

Pulling my hair out in NC

 

[Shenan Stanley]

AMD 1.1
Winblows XP Home
Shuttle KT266A MB
512 RAM

Trying to bump up my RAM to 1G by installing a 512MB chip. Have 4
slots, 2 have the original 256s in them,.

When I put in the new 512 RAM, the sytem will boot up, then start
giving me messages about how different programs are encountering
problems, the system crashes out, and reboots, to repeat this again,
and again, and again.

I have tried putting the new 512 RAM in the 3rd and 4th empty RAM
slots, both with the same results, crash.

When I take out the new 512 RAM chip, no problems. I did the debug
report thing, but how does that help me? Exactly, it doesn't.

There is no error message given, only that program x,y,z can't run,
sorry but it's about to cut off, bla bla. To give you an idea, it
crashed after Explorer encountered a problem, Mozilla, etc.

So, my question is, anyone have any ideers about what's making this
thing freak out and crash?

Any suggestions, or even better solutions are much appreciated, and
your Kung Fu is strong.

Thanks in advance...

Pulling my hair out in NC

 

[Shenan Stanley]

AMD 1.1
Winblows XP Home
Shuttle KT266A MB
512 RAM

Trying to bump up my RAM to 1G by installing a 512MB chip. Have 4
slots, 2 have the original 256s in them,.

When I put in the new 512 RAM, the sytem will boot up, then start
giving me messages about how different programs are encountering
problems, the system crashes out, and reboots, to repeat this again,
and again, and again.

I have tried putting the new 512 RAM in the 3rd and 4th empty RAM
slots, both with the same results, crash.

When I take out the new 512 RAM chip, no problems. I did the debug
report thing, but how does that help me? Exactly, it doesn't.

There is no error message given, only that program x,y,z can't run,
sorry but it's about to cut off, bla bla. To give you an idea, it
crashed after Explorer encountered a problem, Mozilla, etc.

So, my question is, anyone have any ideers about what's making this
thing freak out and crash?

Any suggestions, or even better solutions are much appreciated, and
your Kung Fu is strong.

Did you match the memory speeds?

It looks like that board (Which is officially the Shuttle AK35GT/GTR) has 4
banks of 1 of RAM.. Meaning you do not have to put it in pairs. It can take
PC3200, PC2700 or PC2100 memory.. UNBUFFERED . NON-ECC.

More Detail:
- 184-pin DIMM Banking 4 (4 banks of 1)
- Chipset VIA Apollo KT266A
- Error Detection Support Non-ECC only
- Graphics Support AGP 4X
- Max Unbuffered DDR SDRAM 4096MB
- Module Types Supported Unbuffered only
- Supported DRAM Types DDR SDRAM only
- USB Support 1.x Compliant

So - if you had PC2100 in there - it is suggested you maintain that trend.

What happens if the 512 is the ONLY stick of RAM?

 

[Richard Urban]

You buy something new, put it in your computer and it causes problems. You
take it back out and the problems go away.

What do YOU think the problem is?

Get better RAM, matched RAM, compatible RAM, RAM with "identical"
specifications as what you are currently using.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Guest]

different motherboards have different memory configurations. What is max.
memory for MB. Divide it by number of slots. If 1 gig is max, can only put
256 ram per slot.
Check with computer MFG or MB mfg.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

AMD 1.1
Winblows XP Home
Shuttle KT266A MB
512 RAM

Trying to bump up my RAM to 1G by installing a 512MB chip. Have 4 slots, 2
have the original 256s in them,.

When I put in the new 512 RAM, the sytem will boot up, then start giving me
messages about how different programs are encountering problems, the system
crashes out, and reboots, to repeat this again, and again, and again.

I have tried putting the new 512 RAM in the 3rd and 4th empty RAM slots,
both with the same results, crash.

When I take out the new 512 RAM chip, no problems. I did the debug report
thing, but how does that help me? Exactly, it doesn't.

There is no error message given, only that program x,y,z can't run, sorry
but it's about to cut off, bla bla. To give you an idea, it crashed after
Explorer encountered a problem, Mozilla, etc.

So, my question is, anyone have any ideers about what's making this thing
freak out and crash?

Any suggestions, or even better solutions are much appreciated, and your
Kung Fu is strong.

Thanks in advance...

Pulling my hair out in NC

It is absolutely essential that any new RAM module(s) be fully
compatible with both the motherboard and/or any other RAM module(s)
already in the system. Additionally, there are sometimes jumper
switches on older motherboards that need to be reset for new RAM
configurations. Consult your motherboard's manual or the
manufacturer's web site for specific instructions and compatibility
requirements.

If you cannot lay your hands upon the computer's manual and the
manufacturer doesn't provide a support web site, you can use these
utilities to help determine the correct type of RAM needed:

SiSoft's Sandra
http://www.sisoftware.co.uk/index.php?dir=&location=sware_dl&lang=en

Belarc Advisor
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Unlimited Possibilities' AIDA32
http://forum.aumha.org/overflow/aida32.zip

Lavalys' Everest Home
http://www.lavalys.com/products/overview.php?pid=1&lang=en

Also, Crucial Memory's web site (www.crucial.com) has a database
to help to find the right RAM for your specific make and model
computer and/or motherboard.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Guest]

different motherboards have different memory configurations. What is max.
memory for MB. Divide it by number of slots. If 1 gig is max, can only put
256 ram per slot.
Check with computer MFG or MB mfg.

The max per slot is 1 Gig, so, no problems there, I should have mentioned
the system recognizes the RAM, so it's reading 1 Gig. Windows will boot, and
I can run things for a short while... then the above problems crop up.

 

[Guest]

Have you tried to just install the 512 by itself is the memory the same speed
is the system a duel channel memory system because some of the new mb requier
that the ram all be the same speed ie 3200, 400, duel channel/ single channel
but i would try the 512 by itself first

 

[Charlie Tame]

I think you are not going to "Escape" this problem until you try the 512 on
it's own. It is certainly not unknown for ram to be faulty, and the buffered
/ non buffered + ECC / Non ECC specs are often confusing, sometimes even
wrongly specified.

What others have suggested are all valid...

Same spec and speed is good - faster won't usually help because it'll get
clocked at the speed of the slowest anyway, but in theory faster should not
hurt you. Course theory is there to be disproven

I've seen a lot of ram combinations that shouldn't work but do, and very few
combinations that should work and don't, so the "Should work" advice you
have been given is all good but I fully understand that half the question is
based on curiosity The problem is the more recent the motherboard the
less likely it is that el cheapo deals will work because as we get faster
things become more critical.

If the 512 works fine by itself then get another the same and keep the 256s
for upgrading somebody's older machine.

If we might take a sideways look at this problem for a minute I notice you
said it's alright to begin with. Depending on the software you are running
it is possible the CPU is actually taking advantage of the extra and
therefore doing more ops than before... this could possibly result in it
needing to dissipate more heat than before and your erratic behaviour could
be due to CPU temps... make sure you fans are in good order. I think you see
the connection I am getting at. If the 512 is good on it's own it really is
possible the performance (speed) improvement is actually working against you
and highlighting a more insidious problem. May be nothing to do with that
ram stick or the combination.

Good luck

Charlie

 

[Borg hater]

Now that I've stopped laughing, did you make this up or hear it from
someone?