System Crash after Memory Upgrade

[Elliott]

Hello,
I recently purchased additional memory, 2 sticks of 256mb
PC133, for my HP computer. I currently have 2x128mb and
this has worked since I bought my computer about 3 years
ago. My problem is that when I install both the new
sticks, 512 total, the system refuses to boot into
Windows and gives a FATAL SYSTEM ERROR. I don't get this
error with the 128mb memory, or even when mixing for a
total of 384. The memory is from Crucial.com and I have
run diagnostics on all sticks with no problems. I have
all the lastest Windows, BIOS, and hardware updates
available, and still it crashes. Crucial said it was an
HP problem, and HP told me it was a Windows XP problem.
I consider myself pretty technically advanced, but I'm
running out of ideas here. Somebody Please Help!

 

[Jim Macklin]

I have an older HP 6465 that uses a ASUS MEVMB mobo and the
n440 BX chipset. ASUS manual says that 512 MB is supported,
but HP has a custom BIOS that stops at 256 MB. My guess is
that HP crippled your computer BIOS.


| Hello,
| I recently purchased additional memory, 2 sticks of 256mb
| PC133, for my HP computer. I currently have 2x128mb and
| this has worked since I bought my computer about 3 years
| ago. My problem is that when I install both the new
| sticks, 512 total, the system refuses to boot into
| Windows and gives a FATAL SYSTEM ERROR. I don't get this
| error with the 128mb memory, or even when mixing for a
| total of 384. The memory is from Crucial.com and I have
| run diagnostics on all sticks with no problems. I have
| all the lastest Windows, BIOS, and hardware updates
| available, and still it crashes. Crucial said it was an
| HP problem, and HP told me it was a Windows XP problem.
| I consider myself pretty technically advanced, but I'm
| running out of ideas here. Somebody Please Help!

 

[Bob Day]

Hello,
I recently purchased additional memory, 2 sticks of 256mb
PC133, for my HP computer. I currently have 2x128mb and
this has worked since I bought my computer about 3 years
ago. My problem is that when I install both the new
sticks, 512 total, the system refuses to boot into
Windows and gives a FATAL SYSTEM ERROR. I don't get this
error with the 128mb memory, or even when mixing for a
total of 384. The memory is from Crucial.com and I have
run diagnostics on all sticks with no problems. I have
all the lastest Windows, BIOS, and hardware updates
available, and still it crashes. Crucial said it was an
HP problem, and HP told me it was a Windows XP problem.
I consider myself pretty technically advanced, but I'm
running out of ideas here. Somebody Please Help!

Pretty baffling -- especially that it works when you mix
the modules. Did you buy the modules recommended
by Crucial's memory configurer on their website?

Only a few memory diagnostic programs are worth
anything. If you didn't use memtest86 or Memtest86+,
you might try one of those. You can download
Memtest86+ from http://www.memtest.org. Let it
run for a few cycles. You should get zero errors.

What model of HP computer do you have? A very old
model might not be able to take 512MB of ram. Check
your manual.

-- Bob Day
http://bobday.vze.com

 

[Guest]

It's a Pavilion 7950 that I bought in Aug. 2001. I did
use Memtest86+ to check the ram and all 4 sticks came out
with no errors. HP said there's nothing in the BIOS to
prevent 512mb- the mobo actually has a max of 1 gig
memory. Yeah, it is weird that the errors only come with
512 installed. That's what I don't understand.

 

[Guest]

It's a Pavilion 7950 that I bought in Aug. 2001. HP said
there's nothing in the BIOS to limit ram--the system
actually has a listed max of 1 gig. That's why I don't
understand the crashes.

 

[Bob Day]

It's a Pavilion 7950 that I bought in Aug. 2001. I did
use Memtest86+ to check the ram and all 4 sticks came out
with no errors. HP said there's nothing in the BIOS to
prevent 512mb- the mobo actually has a max of 1 gig
memory. Yeah, it is weird that the errors only come with
512 installed. That's what I don't understand.

The only other thing that occurred to me is that it might
be a chip density or single sided/double sided issue.
But if the modules you bought are Crucial part
number CT262113, there's no doubt about it; they
definitely should work. Try laying the problem on the
HP people again.

-- Bob Day

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

It is absolutely essential that any new RAM module(s) be fully
compatible with both the motherboard and/or any other RAM module(s)
already in the system. Additionally, there are sometimes jumper
switches on older motherboards that need to be reset for new RAM
configurations. Consult your motherboard's manual or the
manufacturer's web site for specific instructions and compatibility
requirements.

If you cannot lay your hands upon the computer's manual and the
manufacturer doesn't provide a support web site, you can use these
utilities to help determine the correct type of RAM needed:

SiSoft's Sandra
http://www.sisoftware.co.uk/index.php?dir=&location=sware_dl&lang=en

Belarc Advisor
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Unlimited Possibilities' AIDA32
http://forum.aumha.org/overflow/aida32.zip

Also, Crucial Memory's web site (www.crucial.com) has a database
to help to find the right RAM for your specific make and model
computer and/or motherboard.


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH

 

[Guest]

the problem is ram voltage causing instability.

try putting just the 2 256 dimms in and leave out the 128's

just because the mobo manufacturer put in 4 ram slots doesn't mean you're
gonna be able to use all 4 slots.

the problem is that ram becomes more unstable the more sticks you use, this
is due to a voltage drop accross the memory bus when you start to add more
ram. some motherboards are able to deal better with this due to better
circuitry to regulate ram voltage. however as it's an oem board it can go
either way as far as quality of the voltage regulation circuitry. some oem
boards are great and some are cheap and barely work with 2 sticks. your
chipet plays an important role as well. some chipsets are better able to deal
with voltage irregularities than others.

for example the nvidia nforce 2 is really bad at it no matter what the mobo
manufacturer did, hence only 3 ram slots on those boards even though they
support dual channel memory configs.

intel 865 and 875 are better able to deal with voltage drops in ram and can
accept 4 dimms.

older chipsets like 810 and 815 usually get completely flaky at 3 dimms.
while the 440 bx can go 4 or 3 depending on the mobo manufacturer.

via chipsets are typically also 3 or 4 depending on mobo voltage circuits.
however some of the earliest via chipsets for p3 and amd k7 are quite flaky
even at 2 dimms