computer does not see all the memory

[Dan Seur]

You don't say whether this machine has ever seen all installed RAM.

(1) Make sure both RAM sticks have the specifications required by the
mainboard. The manual explains this requirement.

(2) Make sure the RAM sticks are in the correct slots if the manual says
this matters.

(3) Make sure each RAM stick is FULLY inserted and locked in its slot.
It's easy to make a mistake with this.

(4) Now, check BIOS.

(5) If BIOS DOES SEE all 128MB, boot W2k. If W2k sees all 128MB, you've
fixed the problem. If BIOS DOES NOT SEE all 128MB, proceed to #6 below.
If BIOS sees but W2k DOES NOT SEE all 128MB proceed to #7 below. In both
latter cases DOUBLECHECK steps 1-3 just to be sure

(6) If BIOS sees only 64MB, try each RAM stick alone. You'll isolate the
bad stick. If BIOS sees each 64MB stick when it's the only one, try
different slot combinations. If no combination works (or if only one
slot works), you either have badly mismatched RAM sticks or you have a
mainboard problem. If BIOS only sees some fraction of total RAM other
than one complete stick, the problem is probably the same. Go to a
computer repair place.

(7) If BIOS now sees 128MB RAM but W2k does not, keep in mind that W2k
is extremely demanding of hardware. RAM that BIOS says is OK may NOT be
OK as far as W2k is concerned. For W2k to operate properly, RAM sticks
must have IDENTICAL timing and other characteristics. When BIOS sees
more RAM than W2k, this is almost always a problem of MISMATCHED RAM
sticks. You need a pair with truly identical real behavior. One way to
fix this problem is to have a computer shop test the sticks and return a
matched pair to you (you pay for testing, and probably something for a
new stick even if you trade the old one). Another is to buy a 3rd stick
that matches the manual's specs, and see is both BIOS and W2k will now
recognize 128MB with the new one and either of the old ones installed
(you pay only for one stick.)

 

[Dan Seur]

Good luck...don't know what I can add...if BIOS/W2k both used to see
128MB, then suddenly don't...and nobody fooled around inside the box or
dropped it out a window...it's probably an electronics failure. Things
do wear out, power transients/spikes can blast them (including BIOS),
etc etc...

 

[aa]

My w2k sometimes fails to boot. Just does not produce that bip at tyhe
beginning of booting process.
When it boots after several attempts, it diasplays the BIOS setting screen
on ADVANCEd tab hightlighting the line
CPU Level 1 Cache - Enabled and on Exit it asks to save changes.
When I confirm changes (no idea what they are) it works OK. However it is
slow and My Computer shows only 48M of RAM (I have two chips total 128K).
For some reason BIOS shows 64M

Then the computer stopped booting at all.
After I took the memory chips out and put them back, it starded booting, but
again, recognising only 48M of memory.

Questions:
1. If one of two memory chips is not working or there is a poor contact -
how the cpmputer react to this?
Shoul it boot and them o to see the faulty chip? Or it will not boot at all?
2. Is there a possibility that the memory is OK, but OS does not see the
chip?

I guess this might be the wrong place to ask such questions - will someone
direct me to the correct one?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Thanks, Dan

1. Manual - I don't remember when last time I bough a computer with a decent
manual. This one came with 90 page A5 size booklet, halph of ich about win
XP the other half is very brief overview of CD, , USB, Graphic card etc.
Nothing about memory or matherboard

2. Yes, this computer used to see 128Mb and until recently was OK. Then I
started getting these boot problems which first happen only occationally but
now all the time. Therefore step 7 might not be applicable in my case

3. The chips are sitting tight in the clots and the and the fastenetrs ae in
place. The warrying thing is that the fasteners on one side of each slot ate
loose (usually one need some force to fasten them, but these are loose and,
I guess, might fall off the chip.
The chip is still sitting quite tight

4. I will try step 6

At the same time you should check your PC time and/or time
zone. You're several hours ahead of everyone else!

 

[aa]

Thanks, Dan

1. Manual - I don't remember when last time I bough a computer with a decent
manual. This one came with 90 page A5 size booklet, halph of ich about win
XP the other half is very brief overview of CD, , USB, Graphic card etc.
Nothing about memory or matherboard

2. Yes, this computer used to see 128Mb and until recently was OK. Then I
started getting these boot problems which first happen only occationally but
now all the time. Therefore step 7 might not be applicable in my case

3. The chips are sitting tight in the clots and the and the fastenetrs ae in
place. The warrying thing is that the fasteners on one side of each slot ate
loose (usually one need some force to fasten them, but these are loose and,
I guess, might fall off the chip.
The chip is still sitting quite tight

4. I will try step 6

 

[aa]

I did experiment with these two chips and two slots as you suggested.

It only works if
Slot1 - Chip1 and Slot2- Chip2
All other combinations
Slot1 - Chip2 and Slot2- Chip1
Slot1 - Chip1 and Slot2- empty
Slot1 - empty and Slot2- Chip2
Slot1 - Chip2 and Slot2- empty
Slot1 - empty and Slot2- Chip1

either make the computer to beep endlessly or no beep at all.

 

[Dan Seur]

Without the PC/motherboard manual (which if you don't have, you might
find on the web) I doubt that you can easily diagnose this further
yourself. The beep codes might give you a clue. There apparently has
been a hardware failure somewhere. You might try those 2 chips in a
similar machine and thereby determine whether the failure is in the RAM
chips.