SR5510F can only use 1 ram stick w/out freezes BSOD or restarts [ Edited ]

[godhand666]

Recently my SR5510F computer started to have a lot of Blue Screen of Death, freezes, and sometime just right out restarts. It normally happens after I come back from sleep mode, but not always. It has happened randomly when surfing the web. Once or twice it even froze on the main start screen where it says "Compaq", [F10} for setup, and blah stuff.

After some time of looking for solutions I saw someone mention could be a bad stick of ram so I pulled one of the stick out, this MB only has 2 slots so was shoot or miss. With only one stick in The computer operates perfect with no problems other then running slower then I desire due to only using half my ram. I went off and got a new stick from the same make(PNY) and when I installed it the same problem started again. After messing around I find that it doesn't matter which of the 3 sticks of ram I put in the system will run without problems only if using a single stick in either of the slots.

Another suggestion I was given was that my power source might be starting to go and not powering everything enough anymore, so I just put in an unused 500w I had already and the problem still remains.

I upgraded from windows vista 32bit to windows7 64bit last year and had no problems at all until now. I upgraded my ram a long time ago from two 1G DDR2 to two 2G DDR2 and have been running it for over a year without problems. I also upgraded my video card to the nvidia geforce 8500GT a year or so before that with no problems.

I try to keep all my updates regularly including drivers and such. Except for the BIOS as I have not found an update for this computer when using win7 and not sure what using the one listed under vista would do.

Any help or suggestions would really be appreciated. I have already started to back up all my important files just in case I have to do something like a reformat or even worse. Sorry for the long post, but I'm trying to be as accurate as possible even though I probably forgot some stuff.

*accidentally posted in wrong forum.

[godhand666]

Recently my SR5510F computer started to have a lot of Blue Screen of Death, freezes, and sometime just right out restarts. It normally happens after I come back from sleep mode, but not always. It has happened randomly when surfing the web. Once or twice it even froze on the main start screen where it says "Compaq", [F10} for setup, and blah stuff.

After some time of looking for solutions I saw someone mention could be a bad stick of ram so I pulled one of the stick out, this MB only has 2 slots so was shoot or miss. With only one stick in The computer operates perfect with no problems other then running slower then I desire due to only using half my ram. I went off and got a new stick from the same make(PNY) and when I installed it the same problem started again. After messing around I find that it doesn't matter which of the 3 sticks of ram I put in the system will run without problems only if using a single stick in either of the slots.

Another suggestion I was given was that my power source might be starting to go and not powering everything enough anymore, so I just put in an unused 500w I had already and the problem still remains.

I upgraded from windows vista 32bit to windows7 64bit last year and had no problems at all until now. I upgraded my ram a long time ago from two 1G DDR2 to two 2G DDR2 and have been running it for over a year without problems. I also upgraded my video card to the nvidia geforce 8500GT a year or so before that with no problems.

I try to keep all my updates regularly including drivers and such. Except for the BIOS as I have not found an update for this computer when using win7 and not sure what using the one listed under vista would do.

Any help or suggestions would really be appreciated. I have already started to back up all my important files just in case I have to do something like a reformat or even worse. Sorry for the long post, but I'm trying to be as accurate as possible even though I probably forgot some stuff.

*accidentally posted in wrong forum.

[Big_Dave]

That bios update does address sleep mode issues.  The installer is VISTA based so it probably will not install.  The safest way to install the bios update is to have VISTA running.  There are other ways to do the update but can be riskier.

Flashing Award BIOS.

Bios boot CD.

BIOS Boot Bart’s Way.

[godhand666]

It isn't really a sleep mode issue. It is an issue of if I have ram in both slots. As long as both are used the PC will mess up. It is very likely to go down just turning it on within a few minutes, but if it does make it without going down and I happen to put it to sleep at some point then it will go down when I awaken it with higher odds than if I had just turned it on.

I would rather just give up on it and build anew then to go through the hassle of installing vista to update the BIOS just to have to redo win7 yet again. As it is the MB is probably the problem as it is a cheap pos.

[robertfla]

I have the identical problem, except that I have never upgraded anything on the 32 bit system. Please let me know if you have found a solution. Thanks.

[Lucent]

Interesting - I also have the EXACT same problem.  Just started over the last couple of weeks.  BSOD if I have both memory sticks installed.  Take one or the other out, move them into either slot, and with one stick the system runs fine.

Add back in a second stick and BSOD. 

All the memory checks out fine.

Replaced it with new memory.  Same BSOD with two sticks.

No updates to my system either other than software and security updates.

When did your problems start? 

L

[robertfla]

Problem began about 3 months ago. Have had computer for about two years. No modifications made to original system.Compaq Presario sr5510f with vista. One day it just started acting up.

[Lucent]

Hmmm....  I cleaned the slots, reseated them several times, tried different memory, etc.  Consistent BSOD if I put in a 2nd stick. 

My BSOD has been reporting different causes.  The most recent last night said that I had a hardware errors and the Video card was the problem, so that may be related in some way.  All the previous BSOD referred to the OS, and not specifically any hardware.

Tonight I am going to remove the NVidea card and see what happens. 

What video are you using?   I believe mine is an NVidea 6600.

L

[robertfla]

nVidia GeForce 6150 SE...original equipment.

[Lucent]

Well I updated the NVidea Drivers, Updated the BIOS.   Still get the BSOD

Removed the NVidea (It is a (9600 GT)  and went back to the embedded video (Still BSOD) 

So I am out of ideas.  Seems that the MB has given up after two years.  Nice.

(The old Dell behind me on my other desk is over 8 years old and still chugging along)

I am back to full graphics with 1 gig of memory on a single stick.  (Currently at 85% memory utilization)

Guess it is time for a new system.

L

[DonSpencerATS]

I'm experiencing the EXACT same issue, with one memory chip installed, it works fine, with both in, almost an instant BSOD. Why no fix for this? This computer is less than three years old??

I've read several threads with this same issue, not one has figured out the cause?