Unstable with 2 Dimms

[Fitz]

System:
Soyo Dragon + motherboard w/AMD 1800+ (onboard LAN and Sound)
Cosair PC 2100 RAM (3X256 MB, only using one now)
GeForce 4 Ti4600
Enermax 465VE power supply
IMB 40 GB HD
TDK 32X Velociy CD/RW (flashed to LiteOn 40X)
Pioneer 106S DVD
Generic Floppy
Soyo USB 2 PCI card
Unibrain Firewire Card

Problem:
Cannot run more than one DIMM slot of memory, regardless of brand or size-
computer becomes unstable, multiple errors or reboots. The errors are not
BSOD, but the "(application) has experienced an error and will shutdown.
Sorry for the inconvienience."

This problem started with "frying" a motherboard....I then rebuilt it using
a spare (exact same) motherboard that I pulled out of a working machine
(father in law's that he wanted upgraded). I have also tried using the
processor out of that machine. I have changed graphics cards. I have changed
DIMM slot's and swapped the sticks of memory around. Ran memtest86
(resulting in my throwing out a stick of 512MB Crucial that was apparently
damaged when the first motherboard fried).
I have tried removing everything but the graphics card (including disabling
onboard sound) and running in safe mode. The only thing I haven't done is
replace the power supply- but the MBM5 program shows the voltages to be
within 5% of nominal and steady. Heat is not a factor (sytem below 30C, CPU
below 50 regardless of load). I purchased a new copy of WinXP w/sp1a (ouch)
and installed all patches and updates. Even got the memory patch for SP1a. I
have set the BIOs to a number of configurations, including "load failsafe
defaults" with no luck.

So, any ideas out there? I've exhausted all the options I can think of. I do
have a stick of Crucial 512 MB PC2100 on order. If it will only run one
stick, at least I'll have a decent amount in it to run. Hand it down to my
daughter and start from scratch.

Thanks,

Fitz

 

[Mr. Slow]

System:
Soyo Dragon + motherboard w/AMD 1800+ (onboard LAN and Sound)
Cosair PC 2100 RAM (3X256 MB, only using one now)
GeForce 4 Ti4600
Enermax 465VE power supply
IMB 40 GB HD
TDK 32X Velociy CD/RW (flashed to LiteOn 40X)
Pioneer 106S DVD
Generic Floppy
Soyo USB 2 PCI card
Unibrain Firewire Card

Problem:
Cannot run more than one DIMM slot of memory, regardless of brand or size-
computer becomes unstable, multiple errors or reboots. The errors are not
BSOD, but the "(application) has experienced an error and will shutdown.
Sorry for the inconvienience."

This problem started with "frying" a motherboard....I then rebuilt it using
a spare (exact same) motherboard that I pulled out of a working machine
(father in law's that he wanted upgraded). I have also tried using the
processor out of that machine. I have changed graphics cards. I have changed
DIMM slot's and swapped the sticks of memory around. Ran memtest86
(resulting in my throwing out a stick of 512MB Crucial that was apparently
damaged when the first motherboard fried).
I have tried removing everything but the graphics card (including disabling
onboard sound) and running in safe mode. The only thing I haven't done is
replace the power supply- but the MBM5 program shows the voltages to be
within 5% of nominal and steady. Heat is not a factor (sytem below 30C, CPU
below 50 regardless of load). I purchased a new copy of WinXP w/sp1a (ouch)
and installed all patches and updates. Even got the memory patch for SP1a. I
have set the BIOs to a number of configurations, including "load failsafe
defaults" with no luck.

So, any ideas out there? I've exhausted all the options I can think of. I do
have a stick of Crucial 512 MB PC2100 on order. If it will only run one
stick, at least I'll have a decent amount in it to run. Hand it down to my
daughter and start from scratch.

Thanks,

Fitz

This type of problem is quite common, it may be a problem with a DIMM or
even a memory socket especially if you have removed and replaced DIMMs many
times. You have to try the DIMM in another PC to see where the fault lies.