Problem with Memory Upgrade

[Patricka02]

You can probably ask yourself why I'm still going along on an old desktop--I guess it's because I'm using it to better learn how PCs work, and I would be afraid to get too hands-on with a newer PC.  Anyway, I've installed a new GPU, WiFi card, an SSD, and upgraded to Windows 10. Everything was running nicely.  I was then trying to install more RAM to help improve the performance of this old beast.  The system still has the original three 2GB  DDR3 DIMMs for a total of 6 GB.  I bought a 4 GB DIMM (A-Tech RAM 4GB DDR3 1333 MHz PC3-10600) in the hope that I could put it in the open slot.  As soon as I rebooted, I got a nasty Windows 10 error ("Choose your Keyboard Layout") that kept the computer from rebooting.  I got the computer back by taking out the new DIMM, using a Windows 10 bootable USB, and falling back to a restore point.  

What did I do wrong?  I've read in multiple places that you can mix and match different sized (2GB and 4GB) DIMMs, but maybe that's not true.  Thanks for any insights.  Patrick

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Patrick:

Assuming the memory you bought is compatible with your PC (I did a cursory check of it and it seems OK), on many older PC's like yours, the memory cannot run in flex mode.

Flex mode is where you can mix memory of different capacities. 

Not the ideal configuration but the PC adjusts to it.

I am looking at a picture of your PC's motherboard and it has two blue and two black memory slots correct?

You are supposed to install matching memory in the blue slots and matching memory in the black slots so it all adds to the same amount of memory in the combined slots (for example 4 GB in the blue slots and 4 GB in the black slots).

You threw the PC a curve and have 4 GB in two slots and 6 GB in the other two slots.

As I posted above, some PC's will allow that to work.

Yours probably doesn't.

So, what you need to try is to balance out the memory so it adds up to the same capacity in each of the colored slots.

You will need to remove the 2 GB memory chip in the slot color where you installed the 4 GB chip, and hopefully, the PC will work with 8 GB running in dual channel mode.

[Prométhée]

hi @Patricka02 

sorry for that, @Paul_Tikkanen 
just a little thing, as i was actually able to do this with an hp computer, and whatever way it worked
On the other hand, it may not be a simple problem of size of the module, but of reference, too different
therefore incompatibility with other modules
a simple test, also, try the new module on your own
if it works, it is compatible with the motherboard
but if that does not work with other modules, no matter where it is, there is nothing you can do about it, the modules are incompatible with each other!

• Amount: 6 GB
• Speed: PC3-10600 MB/sec

Memory upgrade information:

• Four DDR3 DIMM (240-pin) sockets
• Supports 1 GB, 2 GB, and 4 GB DDR3 DIMMs per socket
• Supports Dual channel memory architecture
• Supported speeds
  • PC3-10600 @ 1333 MHz*
  • PC3-8500 @ 1066 MHz
    *DDR3-1333 modules run at 1066 MHz if three or more modules are installed.
• Non-ECC memory only, unbuffered
• Supports up to 16 GB on 64-bit PCs (DIMMs run at DDR3-1066)
• Supports up to 4 GB* on 32-bit PCs
  * Actual available memory may be less.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c02153183

[Patricka02]

Paul_Tikkanen and Prométhée,

I'm not sure if you're interested in the outcome of the testing, but here goes:
I removed the original 2GB DIMM that was in the same bank (blue sockets) as the newly installed 4GB DIMM. This left 1 4GB DIMM in one bank (blue sockets) and two x 2GB DIMM in the other bank (black sockets).

The system would not boot and came up with missing driver :\windows\system32\drivers\elxfcoe.sys error code 0xc0000221.

I then removed all the original 2 GB DIMMs, so the system was now with one 4 GB DIMM and rebooted.  The system came up fine with no issues.  (There was no need to use the Bootable USB to recover from the previous test.)

Do you have any other comments for me?  I'm really interested in both of your opinions, since as I said, I'm curious to understand the system better.

thank you, Patrick

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

It sounds to me like Prométhée was right.

The 4 GB of memory is not compatible with the other 3 x 2 GB memory chips.

What I recommend you do is to buy another 4 GB memory chip like the one that is installed and working now and see if the PC works fine with 2 x 4 GB of memory.

[Prométhée]

I leave it to @Paul_Tikkanen  to continue here

but of course that interests us @Patricka02 
Not wanted, but maybe not directly related to the error code
we know that your module is working, but as mentioned, it may not all work together properly

now I erase myself

[edit] sorry @Paul_Tikkanen  I wrote at the same time as you practically

[Patricka02]

Thank you again for your help.

[Prométhée]

😉

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.