Invisible RAM drives Computer and Owner Crazy

jsmog · 05-16-2007, 01:59 AM

Greetings,
I have an old Gigabyte 7VTXE motherboard with 256 Mb of RAM, and recently tried to install a new high density 1 Gb stick. I tried several placements:
1) with the new stick in slot 1 and the old stick in slot 2, or with just the new stick in slot 1, the screen never comes on and the computer doesn't boot.
2) with the old stick in slot 1 and the new stick in slot 2, the computer halts in the booting process, or gets starts loading Windows but just cycles, continuously rebooting. The DIMM is seen but the memory is not recognized.
3) with the old stick in slot 1 and the new stick in slot 3, it almost works, but can't load windows, or sometimes crashes while booting. The DIMM is again seen but the memory not recognized.

I've tried changing some settings in the BIOS to no effect. Is this motherboard just too old? It says it can handle up to 3 Gb of RAM. Any suggestions? Thanks.

JR

**MaverickUK** · 05-16-2007, 02:47 AM

Hey,

It sounds like you are using RAM from different manufacturers and/or types of RAM. Can you tell us exactly what RAM module(s) you had installed before adding the new ones and also tell us what new one you added.

Nick.

jsmog · 05-16-2007, 11:19 AM

Original (working) RAM:
Nanya-K RTL 256 Mb DDRAM PC2100 32x64

New (non-working) RAM:
Generic (NCP on chips) 1 Gb High Density DDRAM PC2100 128x64

Motherboard:
Gigabyte GA-7VTXE, Via KT266A chipset

**TheMatt** · 05-16-2007, 03:01 PM

Hi,

Can you boot with only the new stick in?

jsmog · 05-16-2007, 03:20 PM

No...I can't boot with just the new stick. The monitor, keyboard and mouse never come on.

dai · 05-16-2007, 03:32 PM

check that it is seated properly,don't rely on the clips clicking over they do not mean it is seated ok

**speedster123** · 05-18-2007, 02:54 AM

http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartsp...E813CAA5CA7304

Does your board have a plus sign at the end of the model number?
Take the bios setting off of optimal settings. [slow the timings down]
Try clearing you cmos beforehand.
Run the crucial report for your board to tell you what ram is accepted.
http://www.crucial.com/store/listpar...el=GA-7VTXE%2b
But, there is a strong possibility that you need a bios update.

jsmog · 05-18-2007, 08:07 PM

Greetings,
The problem may have been simpler than I thought. PS Thanks for that suggestion, Dai, it's true that seating RAM sticks is an art, but I have the grooves in my thumbs to prove I can do it! Yeah, after you *think* you have it in, push the clips in and you'll find another mm of give there.

Anyway, I took an outside suggestion and tried to boot up with only the new stick in slot 3...still nothing. I downloaded memtest86+ and ran on my original 256 Mb stick...fine. Since I couldn't boot with the new stick, I then tried with both sticks, and booted to the memtest floppy...whoa! Solid red screen, I passed it twice and it found over 350,000 errors just in the first test. I can't really interpret memtest results...could be the RAM, could be the bus, could be a lot of things...but I do know that this stick and my computer are NOT gonna be friends.

And unless one of you knows something else, that's that. Oh well!

**TheMatt** · 05-18-2007, 10:34 PM

It sounds like you got a faulty stick considering it won't boot with only the new stick. It is not a compatibility issue with the other stick. I would RMA it.

05-16-2007, 01:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
jsmog Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista	Invisible RAM drives Computer and Owner Crazy Greetings, I have an old Gigabyte 7VTXE motherboard with 256 Mb of RAM, and recently tried to install a new high density 1 Gb stick. I tried several placements: 1) with the new stick in slot 1 and the old stick in slot 2, or with just the new stick in slot 1, the screen never comes on and the computer doesn't boot. 2) with the old stick in slot 1 and the new stick in slot 2, the computer halts in the booting process, or gets starts loading Windows but just cycles, continuously rebooting. The DIMM is seen but the memory is not recognized. 3) with the old stick in slot 1 and the new stick in slot 3, it almost works, but can't load windows, or sometimes crashes while booting. The DIMM is again seen but the memory not recognized. I've tried changing some settings in the BIOS to no effect. Is this motherboard just too old? It says it can handle up to 3 Gb of RAM. Any suggestions? Thanks. JR

05-16-2007, 02:47 AM	#2 (permalink)
MaverickUK TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Cheshire, England. Posts: 710 OS: XP Home My System	Re: Invisible RAM drives Computer and Owner Crazy Hey, It sounds like you are using RAM from different manufacturers and/or types of RAM. Can you tell us exactly what RAM module(s) you had installed before adding the new ones and also tell us what new one you added. Nick. __________________ Currently studying: CompTIA A+ CompTIA N+ Cisco Certified Network Associate

05-16-2007, 11:19 AM	#3 (permalink)
jsmog Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista	Re: Invisible RAM drives Computer and Owner Crazy Original (working) RAM: Nanya-K RTL 256 Mb DDRAM PC2100 32x64 New (non-working) RAM: Generic (NCP on chips) 1 Gb High Density DDRAM PC2100 128x64 Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-7VTXE, Via KT266A chipset

05-16-2007, 03:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
TheMatt Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,693 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Invisible RAM drives Computer and Owner Crazy Hi, Can you boot with only the new stick in? __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

05-16-2007, 03:20 PM	#5 (permalink)
jsmog Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista	Re: Invisible RAM drives Computer and Owner Crazy No...I can't boot with just the new stick. The monitor, keyboard and mouse never come on. __________________ Joel Rane Los Angeles Public Library _______________________________ "Aloha, suckers." -- Steve McGarrett

05-16-2007, 03:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 39,900 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	Re: Invisible RAM drives Computer and Owner Crazy check that it is seated properly,don't rely on the clips clicking over they do not mean it is seated ok __________________

05-18-2007, 02:54 AM	#7 (permalink)
speedster123 Mentor Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: United States-New York Posts: 3,844 OS: xp pro My System	Re: Invisible RAM drives Computer and Owner Crazy http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartsp...E813CAA5CA7304 Does your board have a plus sign at the end of the model number? Take the bios setting off of optimal settings. [slow the timings down] Try clearing you cmos beforehand. Run the crucial report for your board to tell you what ram is accepted. http://www.crucial.com/store/listpar...el=GA-7VTXE%2b But, there is a strong possibility that you need a bios update. __________________ Infection Detection and Removal Thermal Grease Instructions Bench Test Last edited by speedster123 : 05-18-2007 at 03:23 AM.

05-18-2007, 08:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
jsmog Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista	Re: Invisible RAM drives Computer and Owner Crazy Greetings, The problem may have been simpler than I thought. PS Thanks for that suggestion, Dai, it's true that seating RAM sticks is an art, but I have the grooves in my thumbs to prove I can do it! Yeah, after you think you have it in, push the clips in and you'll find another mm of give there. Anyway, I took an outside suggestion and tried to boot up with only the new stick in slot 3...still nothing. I downloaded memtest86+ and ran on my original 256 Mb stick...fine. Since I couldn't boot with the new stick, I then tried with both sticks, and booted to the memtest floppy...whoa! Solid red screen, I passed it twice and it found over 350,000 errors just in the first test. I can't really interpret memtest results...could be the RAM, could be the bus, could be a lot of things...but I do know that this stick and my computer are NOT gonna be friends. And unless one of you knows something else, that's that. Oh well! __________________ Joel Rane Los Angeles Public Library _______________________________ "Aloha, suckers." -- Steve McGarrett

05-18-2007, 10:34 PM	#9 (permalink)
TheMatt Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,693 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Invisible RAM drives Computer and Owner Crazy It sounds like you got a faulty stick considering it won't boot with only the new stick. It is not a compatibility issue with the other stick. I would RMA it. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides