RAM Screwing up my Sound Card!?!?

Narragan · 01-21-2008, 10:31 PM

Hey Everybody! First off I have to thank everyone who make this site work and what it is, you guys are great! Thank you very much!

My Problem is I just bought 2 x 2GB sticks of RAM RAM Specs: 2GB PC5400 DDR2 667MHz

The Packaging label for the RAM says this " 2GB MEMORY MODULE STD 240P DDR2 DIMM(256M x64) (128M x 8/DDR2 667/5-5-5)"

I ran the Crucial Memory test and before I had put the RAM in my system here is a screen shot: http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/3001/ramspecslt0.png
This is after one stick is in: http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/9...mspecs2cm8.png

I am running Windows XP SP2 on a custom built system . I have a 6.1 Sound Card(SoundBlaster) as well as an Nvidia 256mb Video card installed. There is not really a manufacturer, it was a local computer shop that did it and I can't find a tester to tell me what RAM exactly to get.

The problem I am running into is when I put both 2GB sticks in the systems seems to run slower, with just one 2GB and my 1GB stick the system is sharp and very quick, but after about 15 mins my sound blows out and all I hear is like a cross between a beep and buzz noise which continues until I close the program (be it the web or Windows Media player or iTunes).

Any Ideas? I am assuming it is the RAM because this was not an issue before the new RAM.

Just like some advise before returning this stuff, maybe what am I doing wrong? Or what kind of RAM is compatible with that system I am running?

Here is a photo of the 1GB stick of RAM that always worked: http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/273/ramjpegsx4.jpg

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks guys! :)

**bigfellla** · 01-24-2008, 08:34 AM

Assuming that you Windows XP is a 32bit system? A 32bit system can only address a maximum of 3.2gb of memory including the non-system memory such as graphics cards. To effectively use more than this you need a 64bit version of windows, however it has its own disadvantages such as driver support limitation.

The best course of action is to use 2 x 1gb sticks in dual channel or 2 x 1gb + 2 x 512mb sticks and keeping it in dual channel.

Your issue is a result of your windows version not being able to properly address the memory.

01-21-2008, 10:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
Narragan Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1 OS: Window XP Home SP2	RAM Screwing up my Sound Card!?!? Hey Everybody! First off I have to thank everyone who make this site work and what it is, you guys are great! Thank you very much! My Problem is I just bought 2 x 2GB sticks of RAM RAM Specs: 2GB PC5400 DDR2 667MHz The Packaging label for the RAM says this " 2GB MEMORY MODULE STD 240P DDR2 DIMM(256M x64) (128M x 8/DDR2 667/5-5-5)" I ran the Crucial Memory test and before I had put the RAM in my system here is a screen shot: http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/3001/ramspecslt0.png This is after one stick is in: http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/9...mspecs2cm8.png I am running Windows XP SP2 on a custom built system . I have a 6.1 Sound Card(SoundBlaster) as well as an Nvidia 256mb Video card installed. There is not really a manufacturer, it was a local computer shop that did it and I can't find a tester to tell me what RAM exactly to get. The problem I am running into is when I put both 2GB sticks in the systems seems to run slower, with just one 2GB and my 1GB stick the system is sharp and very quick, but after about 15 mins my sound blows out and all I hear is like a cross between a beep and buzz noise which continues until I close the program (be it the web or Windows Media player or iTunes). Any Ideas? I am assuming it is the RAM because this was not an issue before the new RAM. Just like some advise before returning this stuff, maybe what am I doing wrong? Or what kind of RAM is compatible with that system I am running? Here is a photo of the 1GB stick of RAM that always worked: http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/273/ramjpegsx4.jpg Any and all help is greatly appreciated! Thanks guys! :)

01-24-2008, 08:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
bigfellla Mentor Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 2,681 OS: Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows XP Professional SP2, Mac OSX Leopard My System	Re: RAM Screwing up my Sound Card!?!? Assuming that you Windows XP is a 32bit system? A 32bit system can only address a maximum of 3.2gb of memory including the non-system memory such as graphics cards. To effectively use more than this you need a 64bit version of windows, however it has its own disadvantages such as driver support limitation. The best course of action is to use 2 x 1gb sticks in dual channel or 2 x 1gb + 2 x 512mb sticks and keeping it in dual channel. Your issue is a result of your windows version not being able to properly address the memory. __________________ PC Wizard-VGA 2008 Charts-Power Supply Info-Multi/Single Rail PSU?-Speedfan-Laptop nVidia Drivers