Expert advise on RAM problem needed

[Mattrixx]

Hi

I have an old Soltek SL-75KAV (KT-133 chipset) motherboard that I had been
running W98 with (2) Crucial 256 MB PC133 CL2 SDRAM sticks, with NO problem.

I have since "upgraded" this system to WinXP, but had encountered on again
off again BLUESCREENS at various stages of operation including bootup.

I pulled my first 256 stick out of the first DIMM slot and placed the second
stick from the second slot into the now empty first slot. *No* more
BLUESCREENS !!
So, with just the one 256 in the first slot everything runs beautifully but
only with 256 total RAM!!

To make a long story short, I replaced the pulled 256 stick that I thought
to be "bad"
and inserted the new (exactly the same) Crucial 256 stick into the empty
second slot and you guessed it.... BLUESCREEN!!

It seems that for whatever reason, I now can only run with ONE 256 DIMM in
only ONE SLOT !!

I have shuffled sticks in various combinations between my *THREE* DIMM
slots, and here is what I come up with:

single 256 in slot 1 OK
single 256 in slot 2 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot)
single 256 in slot 3 OK

256 in slot 1 AND 256 in slot 2 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot)
256 in slot 1 AND 256 in slot 3 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot)
256 in slot 2 AND 256 in slot 3 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot)

The Bluescreen error messages vary, but all go away with just the one stick
in either slot one or slot three.

Is this a case of a bad slot /motherboard or am I missing something here by
upgrading to WinXP?

Thanks in advance
Matt

 

[CBFalconer]

.... snip ...

single 256 in slot 1 OK
single 256 in slot 2 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot)
single 256 in slot 3 OK

256 in slot 1 AND 256 in slot 2 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot)
256 in slot 1 AND 256 in slot 3 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot)
256 in slot 2 AND 256 in slot 3 NO GOOD (Bluescreen on boot)

The Bluescreen error messages vary, but all go away with just the
one stick in either slot one or slot three.

Is this a case of a bad slot /motherboard or am I missing
something here by upgrading to WinXP?

You are always missing something with WinXP - your privacy for
one. However, the common thing seems to be that you can't have
more than one module, which may mean the added capacitance (in
picofarads, not memory) overloads one or more lines. If so there
are two cure possibilities.

The cheap one is to adjust your bios memory parameters (or clock
rate) to allow more time to operate. If this works you have
established the cause, and can now consider:

The expensive one, which is buying faster memory.

It certainly shows that your memory system is on the hairy edge.
If your system is capable you should strongly consider installing
ECC memory.

 

[Mattrixx]

You are always missing something with WinXP - your privacy for
one. However, the common thing seems to be that you can't have
more than one module, which may mean the added capacitance (in
picofarads, not memory) overloads one or more lines. If so there
are two cure possibilities.

The cheap one is to adjust your bios memory parameters (or clock
rate) to allow more time to operate. If this works you have
established the cause, and can now consider:

The expensive one, which is buying faster memory.

It certainly shows that your memory system is on the hairy edge.
If your system is capable you should strongly consider installing
ECC memory.

--
"If you want to post a followup via groups.google.com, don't use
the broken "Reply" link at the bottom of the article. Click on
"show options" at the top of the article, then click on the
"Reply" at the bottom of the article headers." - Keith Thompson

Thanks for your reply

At the top of my original POST you will see I am using PC133 CL2 RAM
Modules
which as far as I know are the fastest type of PC133 DIMM.
Unfortunately my MB accepts only unbuffered non-ECC type modules.

Here is an interesting fact I have learned since my original POST .
It would seem I *CAN* use one Crucial 256 MB DIMM (CL-2) and one Viking 256
MB DIMM (CL-3) together successfully!
And... I *CAN* use *TWO* Viking 256 MB (CL-3) together successfully!
I *CANNOT* use my two 256 MB Crucial Part No. CT32M64S8D7E together in any
slot combination successfully!!!!

I discovered this after a friend volunteered his own 2 Viking PC133 256 MB
(CL-3)modules to help troubleshoot my own problem.

Remember now, each of my Crucial 256 DIMMS work fine in either slot1 or
slot3, but *NOT TOGETHER* in any combination of my 3 slots!!!

If it werent for my buddy as a witness I wouldn`t believe it either.

Matt

 

[Joe]

Odd problem and I don't have the answer but since Your memory should be a
bit better than you friends due to lower latency if it will run happily in
his machine and his will run happily in yours why don't you ask him if he
will trade with you.
Joe

 

[kony]

At the top of my original POST you will see I am using PC133 CL2 RAM
Modules
which as far as I know are the fastest type of PC133 DIMM.
Unfortunately my MB accepts only unbuffered non-ECC type modules.

Here is an interesting fact I have learned since my original POST .
It would seem I *CAN* use one Crucial 256 MB DIMM (CL-2) and one Viking 256
MB DIMM (CL-3) together successfully!
And... I *CAN* use *TWO* Viking 256 MB (CL-3) together successfully!
I *CANNOT* use my two 256 MB Crucial Part No. CT32M64S8D7E together in any
slot combination successfully!!!!

I discovered this after a friend volunteered his own 2 Viking PC133 256 MB
(CL-3)modules to help troubleshoot my own problem.

Remember now, each of my Crucial 256 DIMMS work fine in either slot1 or
slot3, but *NOT TOGETHER* in any combination of my 3 slots!!!

If it werent for my buddy as a witness I wouldn`t believe it either.

Simply buying/using multiple CAS2 modules does NOT mean you
can expect the board to run them stability at CAS2. In a
perfect world it would, but back to reality...

Generally it is going to be more stable without memory in
the middle slot. Generally it will be more stable using
higher numbers, slower memory timings, even if it is CAS2
memory installed. So for max stability you could use the
CAS2 memory IF you adjusted bios to higher CAS speed, but
whether that is enough stability gained to use all 3 slots
or no is something you'll have to test.

Though newer boards may have more tweaked memory busses,
everyone faces a similar situation, that the more memory
there is added, the more likely the timings will have to be
raised to maintain stability... whether it be a manual
adjustment by user or rather it's done automatically by the
motherboard bios. Sometimes a newer bios will address such
issues too, consult the motherboard bios notes if
manufacturer has released them.

 

[Mattrixx]

Simply buying/using multiple CAS2 modules does NOT mean you
can expect the board to run them stability at CAS2. In a
perfect world it would, but back to reality...

Generally it is going to be more stable without memory in
the middle slot. Generally it will be more stable using
higher numbers, slower memory timings, even if it is CAS2
memory installed. So for max stability you could use the
CAS2 memory IF you adjusted bios to higher CAS speed, but
whether that is enough stability gained to use all 3 slots
or no is something you'll have to test.

Though newer boards may have more tweaked memory busses,
everyone faces a similar situation, that the more memory
there is added, the more likely the timings will have to be
raised to maintain stability... whether it be a manual
adjustment by user or rather it's done automatically by the
motherboard bios. Sometimes a newer bios will address such
issues too, consult the motherboard bios notes if
manufacturer has released them.

Thanks Kony, for your response to my memory dillema.

As far as memory timings and such, this motherboard has very limited
options.

There is: "DRAM timing by SPD" *Enabled or disabled* I had my setting at
*ENABLED*, then later tried disabled ...NO change as far as getting
Bluescreen with the two Crucial DIMM`s installed

There is: "DRAM Clock" I never touched this setting from the default
133MHz..

There is: "SDRAM Cycle Length" Originally set at *3* and later on
changed
by me to *2* along with the "DRAM timing by SPD" to *DISABLED*
This was an attempt by me, to try to set differently (faster) to
troubleshoot my problem. This had NO effect as far as I still recieve a
Bluescreen with the two Crucial DIMM`s installed, regardless!

There is: Bank Interleave set at default DISABLED

And finally there is: DRAM Drive Strength set at default *AUTO*

My point in my previous post was: I could have two DIMMs installed, but
*NOT* my two identical Crucial 256MB PC133 DIMMs!

Matt

 

[kony]

Thanks Kony, for your response to my memory dillema.

As far as memory timings and such, this motherboard has very limited
options.

Is it KT133 or KT133A ?
Is it a CPU using 133 or 100 (DDR200) FSB?

The memory bus should be set synchronous to FSB. KT133
non-A doesn't actually support 133MHz/DDR266, hence the
reason for the "A" version.

There is: "DRAM timing by SPD" *Enabled or disabled* I had my setting at
*ENABLED*, then later tried disabled ...NO change as far as getting
Bluescreen with the two Crucial DIMM`s installed

Your board might simply not be stable trying to run multiple
modules @ CAS2, and moving towards stability with higher
timings... only you can see how high before they get stable.
If you want slower timings then disable the "by SPD" and set
them higher, but that would be a waste of CAS2 memory since
you seem to have other memory too.

There is: "DRAM Clock" I never touched this setting from the default
133MHz..

That is where it should stay if KT133A chipset AND 133MHz
FSB/DDR266 CPU.

There is: "SDRAM Cycle Length" Originally set at *3* and later on
changed
by me to *2* along with the "DRAM timing by SPD" to *DISABLED*

Chosing lower numbers is (usually) not going to help, lower
numbers are tighter timings. Higher numbers would be the
better attempt.

This was an attempt by me, to try to set differently (faster) to
troubleshoot my problem. This had NO effect as far as I still recieve a
Bluescreen with the two Crucial DIMM`s installed, regardless!

There is: Bank Interleave set at default DISABLED

Seldom do I see this make much if any difference but it IS
faster with it enabled, so I suggest enabling it... to "4
way" if that's an option.

And finally there is: DRAM Drive Strength set at default *AUTO*

You could try other settings but I don't know what'll help
there. Changing that can cause even more instability so I'd
leave it alone unless you feel like doing a LOT of testing
with memtest86... it really would be better to never boot
windows till the memory is sorted out, as memory errors can
and do potentially corrupt anything written to HDD.

My point in my previous post was: I could have two DIMMs installed, but
*NOT* my two identical Crucial 256MB PC133 DIMMs!

Probably those two will cause the tightest timings, where
adding another will cause the board to take the slowest,
loosest timings of any installed. It would be odd that
using manual settings didn't resolve the problem except that
if the bios doesn't provide enough flexibility to change
settings then you're stuck.