Windows won't boot after installing new RAM

[Guido]

Hello!
I did a pretty thorough search on google, and wasn't able to find
anything that solved my problem, so I turn here!
I decided this week to upgrade my computer's memory from 1 GB to 3 GB
and found that Windows didn't like that! Where the black Windows XP
Professional splash screen is supposed to come up, I get a little orange
box in the top left corner. I left this for a while to see if it was
just checking the memory, but nope, it doesn't work at all. I've now
tried it with just the new 2 gb of ram in there and Windows doesn't mind
that at all. So, that leaves me with the problem of getting 3 gb to
work. Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Gord

PS - I'm about 95% sure that this is a windows problem and not just a
hardware problem because I was able to boot into PCLinux without any
issues at all.

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Gord

Is the new memory compatible with your motherboard? How
did you check what type of memory you needed before you
bought the memory. I assume you have put the old memory
back into the computer and it does boot?

Please provide details of motherboard and old and new
memory?

This freeware programme is excellent for getting information
about your computer:
Everest Home Edition (freeware)
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

Tip: To copy select Report, Quick Report, Plain Text, highlight
required text, right click and select copy. However, whilst this
is fine for posting small amounts of information into newsgroup
messages longer reports will irritate other newsgroup
subscribers.

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Richard Urban]

What are your motherboard restrictions on RAM - location - type - etc.?

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Guido]

Hi Gerry,
Sorry, I meant to put all that in in the first post!

The mainboard is an MSI K8T Neo2-F. According the manual it will take up
to 1 GB of RAM in each of the four slots... and I've paired them so the
dual channel will work.

The old(er) memory is Corsair Value Select (VS1GBKIT400)PC3200 400 MHz
Dual Channel. It's two sticks of 512MB each.
The new stuff is Corsair Value Select (VS2GBKIT400C3) PC3200 400 MHz
Dual Channel. This time two sticks of 1 GB each.

They're essentially the same, aside from the size difference from what I
can tell. ( http://corsairmemory.com/corsair/valueselect.html#ddr )

When I originally built the computer I made darn sure that I got memory
that would be compatible through Corsair's website.

The manual for the mainboard says that it's able to go to 4 GB and the
BIOS is indeed recognising all 3 GB when I have them installed. In
fact, I'm typing this on the machine with the new RAM installed (Windows
doesn't seem to have a problem with this, I've been using the computer
all day). I have the old ram sitting on the desk in front of me...

What's tipped me off to this being a Windows problem is that I was able
to boot into Linux and operate there without any issues with all three
gigabytes installed in various configurations.



Gord

 

[Guido]

What are your motherboard restrictions on RAM - location - type - etc.?

4 Gig Max, 1 gig in each slot (4 slots), it throttles it down to 333MHz
if I go above 3 gig (from 400MHz). Takes dual channel if I have it in
the correct slots, must be matched pairs... which they are.

 

[Guido]

Gord

Is the new memory compatible with your motherboard? How
did you check what type of memory you needed before you
bought the memory. I assume you have put the old memory
back into the computer and it does boot?

Please provide details of motherboard and old and new
memory?

This freeware programme is excellent for getting information
about your computer:
Everest Home Edition (freeware)
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

Tip: To copy select Report, Quick Report, Plain Text, highlight
required text, right click and select copy. However, whilst this
is fine for posting small amounts of information into newsgroup
messages longer reports will irritate other newsgroup
subscribers.

Forgot to mention - thanks for the link to that program... it's giving
me some information about my computer that even my bios won't tell me!

 

[Guido]

Forgot to mention - thanks for the link to that program... it's giving
me some information about my computer that even my bios won't tell me!

If you want to see the entire report, I've hosted it here:
http://gord.is-a-geek.net/computer_report.htm

WARNING it's 2.4 MB of TEXT! View at your own risk...

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hello!
I did a pretty thorough search on google, and wasn't able to find
anything that solved my problem, so I turn here!
I decided this week to upgrade my computer's memory from 1 GB to 3 GB
and found that Windows didn't like that! Where the black Windows XP
Professional splash screen is supposed to come up, I get a little orange
box in the top left corner. I left this for a while to see if it was
just checking the memory, but nope, it doesn't work at all. I've now
tried it with just the new 2 gb of ram in there and Windows doesn't mind
that at all. So, that leaves me with the problem of getting 3 gb to
work. Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Gord

PS - I'm about 95% sure that this is a windows problem and not just a
hardware problem because I was able to boot into PCLinux without any
issues at all.

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

Lavalys' Everest Home
http://www.lavalys.com/products/overview.php?pid=1&lang=en

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

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Guido

I think I have found MSI's instructions regarding installing memory.
They are quite involved. Did you consult this document before you
started?
http://snipurl.com/le8a

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Guido]

Guido

I think I have found MSI's instructions regarding installing memory.
They are quite involved. Did you consult this document before you
started?
http://snipurl.com/le8a

Yep, that's what I've been using... even tried turning the speed back to
333 MHz in the BIOS manually, in case it wasn't doing it automatically.
I'm convinced this is not a hardware problem, though, as I am able to
boot into Linux without any problems at all. The computer only gives me
grief when I try to boot into Windows.

 

[Guest]

why do you all keep referring to his memory problems with hardware
faq's.........I've worked on systems for a dozen years and the rule of thumb
is.......if the BIOS is picking it up ok, then it HAS to be a software
problem..........hands down, unless XP is now flashing BIOS's during
install...just own up to the fact it is a Windows problem........

 

[Guest]

why do you all keep referring to his memory problems with hardware
faq's.........I've worked on systems for a dozen years and the rule of thumb
is.......if the BIOS is picking it up ok, then it HAS to be a software
problem..........hands down, unless XP is now flashing BIOS's during
install...just own up to the fact it is a Windows problem........

Thank you, ecomp, for stating so clearly what I'd been thinking all the
while I was reading this thread: "if the BIOS is picking it up ok, then it
HAS to be a software problem." And let me add, if Linux is picking it up,
then it HAS to be a Windows problem. What could be more obvious? So cut the
denial, and face the fact, Microsoft: it's a bug!

I mean installing RAM isn't exactly rocket science, is it? Click, click,
snap, snap, and it's done. Reboot, and any operating system worth the name
should find it. That must be why PCLinuxOS does!

 

[Cap 'n' Crunch]

try switching the ram around between slots, worked for me when I tried
adding ram. if different speed eg:3200 ddr and 2700 drr. my detect both but
display them both as 2700

 

[Bruce Chambers]

why do you all keep referring to his memory problems with hardware
faq's.........

Because that's where the problem clearly lies.


I've worked on systems for a dozen years


The remainder of the sentence makes the above portion impossible to
believe, you know...

and the rule of thumb
is.......if the BIOS is picking it up ok, then it HAS to be a software
problem..........

That's absolute nonsense. All the BIOS does during POST is enumerate
(counts) the RAM, it doesn't test it in any fashion.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Thank you, ecomp, for stating so clearly what I'd been thinking all the
while I was reading this thread: "if the BIOS is picking it up ok, then it
HAS to be a software problem."

Unfortunately, he's wrong.

And let me add, if Linux is picking it up,
then it HAS to be a Windows problem.

You've already been told repeatedly that the quality and compatibility
of the RAM is essential *to the OS.* What could be clearer? Linux is
like Win98 in this respect: the quality of the hardware isn't
particularly important. Any old generic trash will do.

What could be more obvious? So cut the
denial, and face the fact, Microsoft: it's a bug!

I mean installing RAM isn't exactly rocket science, is it?

No, but apparently choosing the *correct* RAM to install seems to be
somehow beyond your grasp.




--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

 

[Guest]

ubelievable....so now memory is OS dependent........LOL

ok, so the QUALITY of memory may be of issue as I have seen Windows report
different sizes and stuff, but if a simple little OS can find it ok, and the
machine's own "internal operating system" reports it ok............you just
can't handle that Windows is having a problem with it....which I have seen
before, by the way............

...........OS's read and write to memory, they don't tell the motherboard
what it has in it...............now when BIOS's are replaced by new
technology that may be different, but give me a break...........btw, call up
ASUS, BIOSTAR, and some other MB manufacturers and tell them you believe the
OS determines memory compatibility..........they would love that one..........

 

[Guest]

guido,

Thought you may be interested to know that this thread is getting alot of
interest over at the PCLOS forum. You can see the thread at:
http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php?topic=3314.0

As you can see, there is a little discussion at to whether you have PCLOS
installed on your system, or if you are using the LiveCD. Could you confirm
for me that you have a dual boot system.

Regardless, the folks over at the PCLOS forum are having a lot of fun,
especially as they have now found out that there are OS specific ram modules!

Sounds to me like you need to stick with booting into PCLOS! There is a way
to get VMWare Server (now free) and VMPlayer to access you existing Win
partition. You may want to do a search for VMWare in the PCLOS forum to see
some great help! This may be your best alternative

Serge

 

[Guest]

Dear people,

I'm experiencing similar problems with my RAM-modules. I had a PC3200 512 MB
stick running and bought a 1024 MB PC3200 stick to expand that. Let me tell
you what I did:
1. I put the 1024 stick in the first slot, and the 512 in the second. The
BIOS found my memory, but Windows (XP-prof Dutch) would not boot properly.
Safe mode was no problem however. I checked with Everest Home Edition (as
suggested by Gerry) in safe mode, and the two banks where there (although I
could not see at what speed).
2. Then I removed the 512 stick, leaving the 1024, and Windows booted as it
should. (so the new stick is not a problem).
3. Then I tried putting the 512 stick in the first slot and the 1024 in de
second, but that was no success.
4. Again with the 1024 in slot 1 and the 512 slot 2, I ran the other check:
Windows Memory Diagnostic. No problems were found.
5. In BIOS I changed the Memory clock speed to 200 MHz (meaning 100MHz DDR)
and that worked fine. Increasing it to 333MHz (167 MHz DDR) was no problem,
but the final increment to 400 MHz (200 MHz DDR) would fail to boot.

So now my system is up and running on 1536 MB of ram on 333 MHz.
Unfortunately I can not check my system with an other OS, but again, Windows
in safe mode works fine.
I vaguely remember something about CAS Latency settings, which I can later
in my BIOS (current state: auto. Other options 2.0, 3.0 and 2.5) Could that
have anything to do with my problems? What else could I try?

Thanks, Erik.


"Bruce Chambers" schreef:

 

[Guest]

Hi, me again,

It seems the manual for my main board (Asus K8N) isn't totally accurate. The
manual states that two double sided sticks can be run at 400 MHz, but I found
this link at the Asus website
http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/26094.PDF which states that two double sided sticks can be run at 333 MHz maximum.
This still is weird because Windows in safe mode was no problem. Any
thoughts on that?


"Erik" schreef: