hackapelite

So, I have an old P3 computer with intel's i810 chipset (don't laugh. I'm serious). The problem is, whenever I try to put in any 256mb sticks (SDRAM) it refuses to boot up - it doesn't even post. I'm going to be stuck with this computer for a short while, so I'd really like to get everything I can out of it. Currently it's got 98SE installed, and I'm pretty much stuck with it unless I can get more RAM to work on it, which is no good. I've tried those sticks on another computer and it works fine, so I assume they're not faulty. I've tried both sticks at once, and only one at a time, but had no luck, AFAIK the board supports (well, it's supposed to) up to 512mb ram. Anyone know what could be wrong/how to fix this?

Ah and I'm not sure about this and can't try it right now, but I think that with only one of those 256mb sticks in it posted and booted up, but only recognised 16 (or 32, can't remember) mb ram. I think this happened only with one of the sticks, with the another one in it wouldn't even post.

__________________
BY READING THE ABOVE POST, YOU AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING:

"The above post is provided solely for entertainment purposes and is not to be taken as professional advice. Therefore, I shall not be held responsible for any damage or losses that are result from anything I have posted, to the extent applicable by law. In the unlikely event that I CAN be held responsible, I have never been here, I am not here, and I will never be here, and it will be highly questionable whether I even exist."

Cromewell

According to Intel the i810 only supports 128/64/16 Mbit modules. It's possible you have RAM made from 32mbit modules and that's why it doesn't work.

__________________

You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in command here.

www.userfriendly.org

hackapelite

Modules...? Mean those little "chips" on the stick...? They're both single-sided and have 8 of those "chips", does that mean they are 32Mbit modules (256/8=32)?

__________________
BY READING THE ABOVE POST, YOU AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING:

"The above post is provided solely for entertainment purposes and is not to be taken as professional advice. Therefore, I shall not be held responsible for any damage or losses that are result from anything I have posted, to the extent applicable by law. In the unlikely event that I CAN be held responsible, I have never been here, I am not here, and I will never be here, and it will be highly questionable whether I even exist."

Cromewell

Yes that sounds like it is high density. Most high density PC100/133 sticks have 8 chips on one side.

__________________

You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in command here.

www.userfriendly.org

Kewl Munky

Does it have four SIMM (assuming it's SIMM since they are one sided) slots? If so, it might only support up to 128mb per slot. My motherboard has four SIMM DDR2 slots, supports up to 8GB total, but a maximum of 2GB per slot. So if I tried an 8GB dual channel kit it wouldn't work.

Cromewell

They are DIMMs. SIMM doesn't refer to having chips on both sides of the RAM stick. A SIMM has the same contacts for the pins on either side of the stick where a DIMM has different ones. DIMMs also use a 64bit bus.

__________________

You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in command here.

www.userfriendly.org

hackapelite

@Kewl Munky: It's only got 2 slots (SDRAM)

So, is there any workaround for this? A BIOS update or anything like that?

__________________
BY READING THE ABOVE POST, YOU AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING:

"The above post is provided solely for entertainment purposes and is not to be taken as professional advice. Therefore, I shall not be held responsible for any damage or losses that are result from anything I have posted, to the extent applicable by law. In the unlikely event that I CAN be held responsible, I have never been here, I am not here, and I will never be here, and it will be highly questionable whether I even exist."

Cromewell

Not that I know of. High density RAM isn't compatible with very many boards.

__________________

You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in command here.

www.userfriendly.org