PROBLEM! registered versus unbuffered ECC sdram pc133

[smayhew]

In the past I have built my own systems, this one I got cheap when the
company I worked for went belly up. It's an HP and I am trying to
upgrade the RAM. I haven't had such problems before, but this looks
like a very informed newsgroup so hopefully someone here can help me.

I have an HP x1000 workstation (p4 1.7; i845 chipset) with 512mb RAM
already installed (2x128mb,1x256mb; all Micron branded HP, unbuffered
ECC PC133 CAS 3 single rank). I do 3D graphics and need more RAM.
The manual says it maxes out at 768mb but HP tech support says it has
been more recently tested at up to 1 gig per slot (max 3gig). So, I
bought three modules of 512 Micron Pc133 ECC Registered CAS 3 single
rank but yet my system won't boot up with it...just turns on and goes
to fan. The beeps indicate a problem with memory: either
incompatible, DOA, or ??? I also asked whether one can mix registered
and unbuffered, tech support says yes but can cause problems. Not
wanting problems, I bought all registered, figuring I'd just switch
out all modules. Tech support ends there. Can't help me. So I ask
here a few questions:

1) Are mainboards, HP x1000 workstations in particular, sensitive to
registered versus unbuffered RAM (and if so, why?)-- and, if so, is
there anything I can do or will my hp x1000 mainboard and this micron
ECC registered RAM always be incompatible? What if I turn off ECC in
the bios? (not too many other options in the AMI bios).

2) Is there a way to test the memory to make sure it's not DOA? I
read somewhere about a program called AMIDIAG and booting from dos to
test, but would this work with memory the system can't even boot from?
I think I just answered my own question--probably not--but then how
else could I test it?

3)Is there anything I can do?

Any and all answers would be great. I'm very confused about this.

--Scott

 

[steven67@]

I have an HP x1000 workstation (p4 1.7; i845 chipset) with 512mb RAM
already installed (2x128mb,1x256mb; all Micron branded HP, unbuffered
ECC PC133 CAS 3 single rank). I do 3D graphics and need more RAM.
The manual says it maxes out at 768mb but HP tech support says it has
been more recently tested at up to 1 gig per slot (max 3gig). So, I
bought three modules of 512 Micron Pc133 ECC Registered CAS 3 single
rank but yet my system won't boot up with it...just turns on and goes
to fan. The beeps indicate a problem with memory: either
incompatible, DOA, or ??? I also asked whether one can mix registered
and unbuffered, tech support says yes but can cause problems. Not
wanting problems, I bought all registered, figuring I'd just switch
out all modules. Tech support ends there. Can't help me. So I ask
here a few questions:

..


The 845 chipset does not support registered DIMMs. You need unbuffered,
ECC or non-ECC DIMMs.

 

[smayhew]

.


The 845 chipset does not support registered DIMMs. You need unbuffered,
ECC or non-ECC DIMMs.

Thanks Steven,

So, by not support, they won't even work then? Not just that their
buffered will be ignored but that the motherboard will completely fail
to recognize them? That sucks...since practically everything out
there (for 512 and above) is registered. Thanks for the help.

--Scott