Help with RAM installation!!!

[BC]

Can someone help me? It's not exactly a XP question, but I don't know where
else to turn...

I have a Sony VAIO PCG-GRT25. My system has two RAM slots, with one
removable RAM (256mb) preinstalled. It supports up to 1gig of RAM. Anyways
I ordered two 512mb RAM (what do you call them anyways? "RAM"? RAM chips?
what?), which arrived today.

The chips I just recieved have "512mb 200p PC2100 16c 32x" written on them.

Okay, I removed my removable RAM, and inserted the two 512mb chips, then I
tried booting up my system. It accessed the DVD-drive, then the HD... and
then, nothing. The HD light remains on, but nothing appears on the
screen... nothing, zitch, nadda. So I thought, hey, maybe I stuffed up, so
I removed both of the new chips, and reinserted my old RAM... and hey, it's
back to normal!

SO, I thought hey, maybe I f**ked up and ordered the wrong chips or
something. Anyways I thought maybe it's the 1 gig limit thing - you know
512mb+512mb = 1024mb... silly, but hey, I was desperate. So I tried
starting up with just one chip - still nothing. I was panicing at that
point. Anyways next I tried putting my old 256mb plus one of the new 512mb
chip, and hey, that worked for some reason! I now have 768mb of RAM...
with a spare 512mb chip damnit?!

WHY can't I get both chips to work? eekkk!!! Is there something I need to
do softwarewise first? Does the original RAM have some kinda firmware
preinstalled on it or something?

HELP!!!

<=[BC]=>

 

[Paul]

YOu need to check if your new RAM is compatible with your VAIO
motherboard. Typically the motherboard manufacturer will tell you
what kind of RAM is compatibile with their motherboard - go to their
website to find out. Your motherboard manufacturer may also recommned
a specific RAM manufacturer vs. the one you bought.

 

[Unknown]

From your description one of the new memory cards is bad. When you have 768
working pull out the new card and plug in the other new card.

YOu need to check if your new RAM is compatible with your VAIO
motherboard. Typically the motherboard manufacturer will tell you
what kind of RAM is compatibile with their motherboard - go to their
website to find out. Your motherboard manufacturer may also recommned
a specific RAM manufacturer vs. the one you bought.


"BC" <[email protected]> wrote in message

Can someone help me? It's not exactly a XP question, but I don't know where
else to turn...

I have a Sony VAIO PCG-GRT25. My system has two RAM slots, with one
removable RAM (256mb) preinstalled. It supports up to 1gig of RAM. Anyways
I ordered two 512mb RAM (what do you call them anyways? "RAM"? RAM chips?
what?), which arrived today.

The chips I just recieved have "512mb 200p PC2100 16c 32x" written on them.

Okay, I removed my removable RAM, and inserted the two 512mb chips, then I
tried booting up my system. It accessed the DVD-drive, then the HD... and
then, nothing. The HD light remains on, but nothing appears on the
screen... nothing, zitch, nadda. So I thought, hey, maybe I stuffed up, so
I removed both of the new chips, and reinserted my old RAM... and hey, it's
back to normal!

SO, I thought hey, maybe I f**ked up and ordered the wrong chips or
something. Anyways I thought maybe it's the 1 gig limit thing - you know
512mb+512mb = 1024mb... silly, but hey, I was desperate. So I tried
starting up with just one chip - still nothing. I was panicing at that
point. Anyways next I tried putting my old 256mb plus one of the new 512mb
chip, and hey, that worked for some reason! I now have 768mb of RAM...
with a spare 512mb chip damnit?!

WHY can't I get both chips to work? eekkk!!! Is there something I need to
do softwarewise first? Does the original RAM have some kinda firmware
preinstalled on it or something?

HELP!!!

<=[BC]=>

 

[Guest]

Is there any memory on the motherboard (that you cannot remove)?
Some laptops have some built-in memory, and the slots let you add more.
Does the machine boot or show any memory if you don't plug in any removable
memory at all?
What happens if you try putting in only one of the 512MB DIMMs at a time? Try
them both, maybe you'll find that one is bad.

Some DIMMs are single-sided, and some are double-sided (I'm not actually sure
if this is true of DDR memory, or if it was only SDRAM). There may be a
problem with mixing single and double sided ones or putting in two double
sided ones? This is more of a guess than anything else.


|Can someone help me? It's not exactly a XP question, but I don't know where
|else to turn...
|
|I have a Sony VAIO PCG-GRT25. My system has two RAM slots, with one
|removable RAM (256mb) preinstalled. It supports up to 1gig of RAM. Anyways
|I ordered two 512mb RAM (what do you call them anyways? "RAM"? RAM chips?
|what?), which arrived today.
|
|The chips I just recieved have "512mb 200p PC2100 16c 32x" written on them.
|
|Okay, I removed my removable RAM, and inserted the two 512mb chips, then I
|tried booting up my system. It accessed the DVD-drive, then the HD... and
|then, nothing. The HD light remains on, but nothing appears on the
|screen... nothing, zitch, nadda. So I thought, hey, maybe I stuffed up, so
|I removed both of the new chips, and reinserted my old RAM... and hey, it's
|back to normal!
|
|SO, I thought hey, maybe I f**ked up and ordered the wrong chips or
|something. Anyways I thought maybe it's the 1 gig limit thing - you know
|512mb+512mb = 1024mb... silly, but hey, I was desperate. So I tried
|starting up with just one chip - still nothing. I was panicing at that
|point. Anyways next I tried putting my old 256mb plus one of the new 512mb
|chip, and hey, that worked for some reason! I now have 768mb of RAM...
|with a spare 512mb chip damnit?!
|
|WHY can't I get both chips to work? eekkk!!! Is there something I need to
|do softwarewise first? Does the original RAM have some kinda firmware
|preinstalled on it or something?
|
|HELP!!!
|
|<=[BC]=>
|
|

 

[BC]

From your description one of the new memory cards is bad. When you have 768
working pull out the new card and plug in the other new card.

I've tested them both already. Both sticks of RAM work, but the ONLY way I
can get either of the 512mb sticks to go is to install one together with my
original 256mb stick. WHY? Surely if the sticks are faulty then they
wouldn't work at all right?

And according to the company who sold me the RAM they ARE compatible with my
system. And if they are NOT compatible then how come I can get them working
when installed together with my old stick?

My problem is that I only have two slots on my VAIO PCG-GRT25, which is
supposed to be able to support up to 1gig of RAM... And getting two 512mb
sticks was the only way I can see to get my system up to that 1gig figure.
URRGGGG this is annoying.

Is there some way I can test my installed RAM in XP? So way too see whether
they're working properly?

<=[BC]=>

 

[Unknown]

You will probably have to contact the manufacturer. Sony?? Every motherboard
is different and maybe yours requires a jumper.

From your description one of the new memory cards is bad. When you have 768
working pull out the new card and plug in the other new card.

I've tested them both already. Both sticks of RAM work, but the ONLY way I
can get either of the 512mb sticks to go is to install one together with my
original 256mb stick. WHY? Surely if the sticks are faulty then they
wouldn't work at all right?

And according to the company who sold me the RAM they ARE compatible with my
system. And if they are NOT compatible then how come I can get them working
when installed together with my old stick?

My problem is that I only have two slots on my VAIO PCG-GRT25, which is
supposed to be able to support up to 1gig of RAM... And getting two 512mb
sticks was the only way I can see to get my system up to that 1gig figure.
URRGGGG this is annoying.

Is there some way I can test my installed RAM in XP? So way too see whether
they're working properly?

<=[BC]=>

 

[Unknown]

Also, maybe you can get a clue from crucial.com. Go to http://www.crucial.com
key in your computer type and model and perhaps they can shed some light on
the situation.

From your description one of the new memory cards is bad. When you have 768
working pull out the new card and plug in the other new card.

I've tested them both already. Both sticks of RAM work, but the ONLY way I
can get either of the 512mb sticks to go is to install one together with my
original 256mb stick. WHY? Surely if the sticks are faulty then they
wouldn't work at all right?

And according to the company who sold me the RAM they ARE compatible with my
system. And if they are NOT compatible then how come I can get them working
when installed together with my old stick?

My problem is that I only have two slots on my VAIO PCG-GRT25, which is
supposed to be able to support up to 1gig of RAM... And getting two 512mb
sticks was the only way I can see to get my system up to that 1gig figure.
URRGGGG this is annoying.

Is there some way I can test my installed RAM in XP? So way too see whether
they're working properly?

<=[BC]=>

 

[Wayne]

My motherboard makes a distinction between single and double sided memory
boards both will work but only in certain combinations! 2 singles and one
double or 2 doubles!

Wayne

From your description one of the new memory cards is bad. When you have 768
working pull out the new card and plug in the other new card.

I've tested them both already. Both sticks of RAM work, but the ONLY way
I
can get either of the 512mb sticks to go is to install one together with
my
original 256mb stick. WHY? Surely if the sticks are faulty then they
wouldn't work at all right?

And according to the company who sold me the RAM they ARE compatible with
my
system. And if they are NOT compatible then how come I can get them
working
when installed together with my old stick?

My problem is that I only have two slots on my VAIO PCG-GRT25, which is
supposed to be able to support up to 1gig of RAM... And getting two 512mb
sticks was the only way I can see to get my system up to that 1gig figure.
URRGGGG this is annoying.

Is there some way I can test my installed RAM in XP? So way too see
whether
they're working properly?

<=[BC]=>

 

[BC]

My motherboard makes a distinction between single and double sided memory
boards both will work but only in certain combinations! 2 singles and one
double or 2 doubles!

well, thanks guys, I have been in contact with the company who sold me the
sticks, and they said they have NO idea what the problem might be... BUT,
they said they have seen this before, and it was solved by replacing the RAM
sticks with ones of another brand...

they're gonna replace them for me... hopefully the new ones will work...

<=[BC]=>