MB not posting after RAM install

M

mistavipa

New Member
I have been running the system that I built for a while now, with no problems. One day the computer just wouldn't boot up. I turn it on and the power light and the HDD lights turn on but the MB doesn't post. I did some diagnostics and determined that it was a RAM chip. I have been using a Kingston 512mb ram stick and a 1024mb memory power pc3200 stick.
I removed the 1gb stick and the system boots up normally. I installed just the 1gb stick and nothing. I ended up buying a 2gb(1gbx2) PC3200 DDR 400 kits off ebay. Received those and nothing. Neither worked. I then realized that i had purchased high density ram and that my MB wouldn't support it. I returned those. I found some memory master 1gb sticks on bestbuy.com for $55.99 for the pair. Exactly the same chip. They said low density so i bought them. They don't work either.

So i guess my question is what went wrong. I've got 3 1gb sticks here (1 of which used to work perfectly) that don't work. I need to get this fixed because 512mb ram is just not doing it for me. Thank you in advance for your help.
 
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The memory specs for that board only supports memory modules up to ddr 333 with a max memory of 2gb, 1gb in each slot. It's possible if you have mixed memory speeds the board won't boot.

Try resetting the cmos by unplugging the power supply from the system, remove the cmos battery, press the power button on the front of the tower a few times and then wait a few minutes and then reinsert battery, reconnect power and try booting up.
 
johnb35 said:
The memory specs for that board only supports memory modules up to ddr 333 with a max memory of 2gb, 1gb in each slot. It's possible if you have mixed memory speeds the board won't boot.

Try resetting the cmos by unplugging the power supply from the system, remove the cmos battery, press the power button on the front of the tower a few times and then wait a few minutes and then reinsert battery, reconnect power and try booting up.
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I tried resetting the CMOS like you said and it still didn't work. I did some research on my board and saw that it says ddr 333. Why does the board say DDR 400, right next to the DIMM slots?? And if I bought PC3200 (400mhz) why would it work for a while, then stop? Should I try PC2700 (333mhz)?
 
The 1gb stick that did work, what speed does it say it is? Its also possible that the new memory is bad. Memory master brand is generic memory. You might want to try some brand name memory like kingston, crucial.
 
johnb35 said:
The 1gb stick that did work, what speed does it say it is? Its also possible that the new memory is bad. Memory master brand is generic memory. You might want to try some brand name memory like kingston, crucial.
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The stick doesn't say a speed on it. It says, exactly, 1GBPC3200. But why would it work for like a year, then just stop?
 
When you are talking about the various memories not working, it's not clear what configuration you are using. Mixing RAM is a gamble. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. Sometimes the RAM has to be an exact match; maker, model, spec.

When you've tried the new RAM, were they the only RAM in the MB or did you still have the 512KB in place? If so, try the new RAM without the 512; only one brand at a time, one type, no mixing.
 
Nanobyte said:
When you are talking about the various memories not working, it's not clear what configuration you are using. Mixing RAM is a gamble. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. Sometimes the RAM has to be an exact match; maker, model, spec.

When you've tried the new RAM, were they the only RAM in the MB or did you still have the 512KB in place? If so, try the new RAM without the 512; only one brand at a time, one type, no mixing.
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Well, my original setup was the Kingston 512mb and the 1GB memory power. It worked for quite a while. The setup I just tried were 2 1GB sticks. They were the same exact chip. They came as a pair from bestbuy.com.
 
Well you got a 333mhz FSB processor. Dont think those old SIS chipsets could run the FSB with the memory at a higher speed. Could be trying to boot at 400 with the memory since your using DDR 400. Put the 512 stick in and go into the bios and manually set the memory to 166 or 333, which ever way the bios words it. Shut down, put the 1gb. sticks of DDR 400 in and see if it boots. It should just back clock to 333.
 
StrangleHold said:
Well you got a 333mhz FSB processor. Dont think those old SIS chipsets could run the FSB with the memory at a higher speed. Could be trying to boot at 400 with the memory since your using DDR 400. Put the 512 stick in and go into the bios and manually set the memory to 166 or 333, which ever way the bios words it. Shut down, put the 1gb. sticks of DDR 400 in and see if it boots. It should just back clock to 333.
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Did. This and nothing. The BIOS had 166 but no 333. Is it possible that even though ddr 400 is marked on the board, the board only supports ddr 333 because of the fsb? Also, the Kingston 512mb chip is a kvr400. I looked that up and it says that it is backward compatible to 333. Could the chips I'm buying not be bc?
 
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mistavipa said:
The setup I just tried were 2 1GB sticks.....
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...and presumably no 512MB in there.

While the 512MB memory working OK does suggest it's a RAM issue, are you sure?

FYI you can test your memory without normal boot by downloading memtest86, creating the disk and booting off it. Perhaps that or similar is what you have been using.
 
Nanobyte said:
...and presumably no 512MB in there.

While the 512MB memory working OK does suggest it's a RAM issue, are you sure?

FYI you can test your memory without normal boot by downloading memtest86, creating the disk and booting off it. Perhaps that or similar is what you have been using.
Click to expand...

I've got the grub 2 bootloader with memtest86. With the 2 1GB sticks in (or even just one of them) the board never posts. I never get to see the bootloader. Therefore I can't run a mem check on the new sticks.
 
mistavipa said:
Did. This and nothing. The BIOS had 166 but no 333. Is it possible that even though ddr 400 is marked on the board, the board only supports ddr 333 because of the fsb? Also, the Kingston 512mb chip is a kvr400. I looked that up and it says that it is backward compatible to 333. Could the chips I'm buying not be bc?
Click to expand...

Most any DDR 400 I've used would back clock to 333. Seems like it has come kinda issue all of a sudden booting with 1gb stick/s.
 
StrangleHold said:
Most any DDR 400 I've used would back clock to 333. Seems like it has come kinda issue all of a sudden booting with 1gb stick/s.
Click to expand...

Now I'm running memtest86 on the 512mb stick and memtest is saying theram is 163 music (ddr 327) / cas: 3-3-3-7 / ddr1 (64 bits). What's this mean? Also says memory is 511m
 
I've been using an old version 3.5 which gives none of the details you mentioned. All I get are test results and I've never had any errors. I can't interpret the figures you quoted. The memory of 511(MB?) and the other figures may be similar to a HDD; you never get exactly the size advertised.

I've not used grub 2 to start the memtest. I just select the Boot Menu on PC start and choose the drive memtest is in. Does grub 2 have anything to do with your issue?
 
Nanobyte said:
I've been using an old version 3.5 which gives none of the details you mentioned. All I get are test results and I've never had any errors. I can't interpret the figures you quoted. The memory of 511(MB?) and the other figures may be similar to a HDD; you never get exactly the size advertised.

I've not used grub 2 to start the memtest. I just select the Boot Menu on PC start and choose the drive memtest is in. Does grub 2 have anything to do with your issue?
Click to expand...

I can't see the bootloader being the problem. The board won't even post. (which it does before the bootloader pops up). Plus, I've been using the grub2 bootloader for quite some time now without any problems.
 
I don't believe this was mentioned, but it's possible there are bad memory slots on the board itself. Have you attempted to move the 512 in different locations on the motherboard?

Also is this your motherboard? Just wondering.
 
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Demilich said:
I don't believe this was mentioned, but it's possible there are bad memory slots on the board itself. Have you attempted to move the 512 in different locations on the motherboard?

Also is this your motherboard? Just wondering.
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Yes that is my board. I also have put the chip that works in both RAM slots and it works fine. I'm wondering why the board says ddr 400 on it but all these sites say max is ddr 333? Should I try some pc2700 ddr 333 RAM instead and see what happens?
 
Ok. I went to micro center and bought 2 1GB ddr 400 sticks that they told me would down clock to 333 and they still didn't work. This is stupid. I don't understand what the problem is but I wish someone could help. Thanks for the assistance so far but nothing I try works.
 
I would say its just the motherboard starting to die as its old. I would start saving up your money for a new system.


Without doing some extensive diagnosing, it would be hard to tell whats wrong exactly.
 
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