PC 133MHz 256MB RAM - BIOS POST counts up to 184MB only.

[Vivek.M]

Hello, I have a Celeron 400 MHz CA810 Intel motherboard. It uses 256
MB x 2 SDRAM PC 133Mhz.

Recently i had opened up the cabinet to clean the box so i pulled out
the RAM, Hard Disks, Ethernet cards etc and then dusted out the box.
When i put back the RAM and started up the box some apps would
randomly crash, so i decided to check my RAM.

I removed both RAM sticks and then tested them by heaving them in one
at a time on both slots. One 256MB Ram stick is fine, it passed the
POST on both slots. The other counts up to 184MB and beeps (on both
slots). Though i can boot up using that flaky stick. My question is
this:

1. The RAM stick uses 8x2x16MB chips per stick. Which would mean that
the BIOS is not able to address 4.5 = 5 chips. I am wondering if this
is a gold-contact problem. The gold-contacts on my RAM have dark
patches on them. Is there a way to make the contacts shiny again my
removing the dark stain/crud. I tried washing the RAM sticks in water
and rubbing the contacts gently with a soft cloth but the patches
remain. I googled and someone said i should use a soft rubber which i
tried - that didn't help either.

2. If i buy a new SDRAM RAM stick will it work. I am worried about the
clock speed on the RAM.
My mobo supports up to PC 66 Mhz however my current RAM sticks are PC
133 Mhz and it worked fine. I dont know what clock speed SDRAM is
available right now..can i use anything or is there a limit up to
which i can push my luck? I don't think this would be a problem since
the RAM clock speed is the clock speed which must not be exceeded?

3. Can i use just the 184MB on this stick - possibly by de-soldering
or ripping out the flaky chips? Is there a way to figure out which
chips are flaky given that the bios counts up to 184MB?

 

[Mike T.]

Hello, I have a Celeron 400 MHz CA810 Intel motherboard. It uses 256
MB x 2 SDRAM PC 133Mhz.

Recently i had opened up the cabinet to clean the box so i pulled out
the RAM, Hard Disks, Ethernet cards etc and then dusted out the box.
When i put back the RAM and started up the box some apps would
randomly crash, so i decided to check my RAM.

I removed both RAM sticks and then tested them by heaving them in one
at a time on both slots. One 256MB Ram stick is fine, it passed the
POST on both slots. The other counts up to 184MB and beeps (on both
slots). Though i can boot up using that flaky stick. My question is
this:

1. The RAM stick uses 8x2x16MB chips per stick. Which would mean that
the BIOS is not able to address 4.5 = 5 chips. I am wondering if this
is a gold-contact problem. The gold-contacts on my RAM have dark
patches on them. Is there a way to make the contacts shiny again my
removing the dark stain/crud. I tried washing the RAM sticks in water
and rubbing the contacts gently with a soft cloth but the patches
remain. I googled and someone said i should use a soft rubber which i
tried - that didn't help either.

2. If i buy a new SDRAM RAM stick will it work. I am worried about the
clock speed on the RAM.
My mobo supports up to PC 66 Mhz however my current RAM sticks are PC
133 Mhz and it worked fine. I dont know what clock speed SDRAM is
available right now..can i use anything or is there a limit up to
which i can push my luck? I don't think this would be a problem since
the RAM clock speed is the clock speed which must not be exceeded?

3. Can i use just the 184MB on this stick - possibly by de-soldering
or ripping out the flaky chips? Is there a way to figure out which
chips are flaky given that the bios counts up to 184MB?

Use an ordinary pencil eraser to try to clean the contacts. But if that
doesn't work, there isn't anything else you can do. -Dave

 

[Vivek.M]

Can i use a PC 133 MHz RAM stick with a PC xxx MHz RAM stick, both
being SDRAM where xxx > 133 Mhz. I'm not keen on junking that working
RAM stick.

I tried rubbing all the contacts thoroughly with a soft rubber, no
luck. This sucks! Can dust damage the PC/Hard disk/CPU etc? I'm
thinking that if i had left that stupid thing alone i wouldn't have
had any problems.

 

[meerkat]

Hello, I have a Celeron 400 MHz CA810 Intel motherboard. It uses 256
MB x 2 SDRAM PC 133Mhz.

Recently i had opened up the cabinet to clean the box so i pulled out
the RAM, Hard Disks, Ethernet cards etc and then dusted out the box.
When i put back the RAM and started up the box some apps would
randomly crash, so i decided to check my RAM.

I removed both RAM sticks and then tested them by heaving them in one
at a time on both slots. One 256MB Ram stick is fine, it passed the
POST on both slots. The other counts up to 184MB and beeps (on both
slots). Though i can boot up using that flaky stick. My question is
this:

1. The RAM stick uses 8x2x16MB chips per stick. Which would mean that
the BIOS is not able to address 4.5 = 5 chips. I am wondering if this
is a gold-contact problem. The gold-contacts on my RAM have dark
patches on them. Is there a way to make the contacts shiny again my
removing the dark stain/crud. I tried washing the RAM sticks in water
and rubbing the contacts gently with a soft cloth but the patches
remain. I googled and someone said i should use a soft rubber which i
tried - that didn't help either.

2. If i buy a new SDRAM RAM stick will it work. I am worried about the
clock speed on the RAM.
My mobo supports up to PC 66 Mhz however my current RAM sticks are PC
133 Mhz and it worked fine. I dont know what clock speed SDRAM is
available right now..can i use anything or is there a limit up to
which i can push my luck? I don't think this would be a problem since
the RAM clock speed is the clock speed which must not be exceeded?

3. Can i use just the 184MB on this stick - possibly by de-soldering
or ripping out the flaky chips? Is there a way to figure out which
chips are flaky given that the bios counts up to 184MB?

Try www.crucial.com to find out the correct RAM, or
just match your `good` stick.
Faster RAM will only run at 66.
Try to get a good stick, if that`s labeled as 256, and only
showing as 184, it`s Not OK.
If you can`t find any RAM try E-bay.

 

[Vivek.M]

Thanks guys, for the help. I'll just get a new stick since this one
hasn't come back from the dead.