Memory error message 201?

[himaryuk]

I tried to upgrade my HP Compaq 8200 Elite SFF PC to 2 X 4Gb Rams PC10600 DDR3 1333 modules,I tested each module in slot 1 (Back slot in top) and the PC boots fine no error message,I then tried both each in the black slots, one on top one in the middle to make  total of 8Gb Rams,the PC started with error message 201 with option to reboot by pressing F1, I rebooted and the PC runs OK, then I decide to test again each ram in slot one black,now each display error message 201 when tested individually in slot black one! why is that?are the rams become having some fault or some changes in the system?

Any help is very much appreciated.

thank you

[old_geekster]

@himaryuk, welcome back to the forum.

Here is the Maintenance and Service Guide for the computer.  Beginning on Page 90 you will find the System Board Connections.  Then, beginning on Page 91-94 you will find the information on the memory.  There is a detailed explanation on how you should populate the DIMM Sockets.  Read all of this information carefully and it should help you solve your problem.

Also, here is the memory recommended by Crucial Memory.  Their Ballistix Sport memory is very fast.  If Crucial recommends the memory it will be replaced at no additional cost  to you if it doesn't work.  Their Tech Support will help assure that works properly.

Please click the Thumbs up + button if I have helped you and click Accept as Solution if your problem is solved.

[himaryuk]

Hi,thank you for the reply,I was indeed following those pages in populating the rams,they are two 4 GB rams, each works fine when I tried them individually at slot one (Black) but when I tried both one in slot 1 (Black) and one in slot 3 (Black) the error message appears 201 on booting, now I decided to test them again each in slot one (Black) both make error message 201 when installed individually in slot one (black), so I assume either has become changed when installed together or made changes in the system, both are new and under warranty.

I previuosly spoke to Crucial technical support as they are placed in town near me,I have tried one of their rams which is Crucial micron, but it also produces this error message 201 when I used the DDR3 PC12800, they do not stock the DDR3 PC1333.

I appreciate your further help.

Thank you.

[old_geekster]

You are very welcome, @himaryuk.  Thank you for the additional information.

Like you, I would have thought that you would populate both black and both white slots.  However, if you look carefully at the System Board diagram and lables, it shows Slot 1 and Slot 2 (white and black) as Channel B and Slot 3 and Slot 4 (black and white) as Channel A.  This tells me that you don't populate both black slots, but one white and one black.  I suggest that you try populating Channel A with one module each to see if that works.

[himaryuk]

Hi, Thank you for the information. I did populated both black slots with 4Gb rams each,nothing in the white slots, I presume this population is correct, but it did not, now I tried the rams individually in first black slot, they started to get error message 201, where initially they did not get this error message when I tried them individually,therefore they must have changed when I populate them together in the dual channel mode.

The map in the manual may be bit confusing,but it is simple we have 4 slots,two blacks,two whites,the black ones are one to the outside and one in the middle so is slot 3, and the white slots one between the two black slots so is slot 2 and one to the outside so is slot 4.

I have checked the BIOS and it shows rams are installed in dual channel mode as PC still can boot after this error message 201.

Now I can make the pc runs ok without error message by populating 2 Gb ram in slot 1, and 2 GB ram in slot 2 (White) and 4Gb Ram in slot 3 (Black) the 2GB rams are DDR3 1333 and the 4GB Ram is  DDR3 1600.

I appreciate your further help.

Thank you for the support.

[himaryuk]

Hi again,thank you for the reply, I did replied to you, but not fully understood your instruction,that is the population you want me to do for the two 4GB rams?I was populating them one at DIMM1 and one at DIMM3 as in the map.

I appreciate your further help and advise.

thank you very much.

[old_geekster]

You are very welcome, @himaryuk.

If you look closely at the System Board diagram on Page 90 and the description of the connections below it, you will see that #10 (white slot) and #11 (black slot) make up Channel A.  This means that you would populate them together.  While #12 (white slot) and #13 (black slot) make up Channel B.  As I read it, this means that you would populate these slots together.  Also, it is always best to use the same speed memory modules together.  Using different speeds can cause conflicts.

It appears that you have populated the Channels A & B this way, but with memory modules of different speeds.  Try the same speed modules in A to see what happens.

[himaryuk]

Hi,thank you for the further instruction.

I have used ram of same speed DDR3 1333 4Gb each, I have populated the black slots only with 4GB ram in each to make dual channel mode as in the instruction map, is that not correct?do you want me to populate the one black slot with 4GB ram and one white slot with the other 4Gb ram, leaving the other slots empty?and will system work in single channel mode?

In the manual it says error 201 message is probably due to compatibility issue,once appeared is to run setup F10,I have tried this but it was not an option,the only option is to press F1 to reboot,why is this and do I have to reboot or shut PC down?

I should be most grateful for your further instruction and help?

thank you very much.

[himaryuk]

Hi again, I omitted to ask in my reply on which manual you refer at page 90?as there are few user guides for this model HP 8200 SFF Elite, the board map and dimm sites and numbers is shown on page 176 of the main user guide,but I assume it is the same map in all manuals,they all labelled as DIMM1,DIMM2,DIMM3,DIMM4.

[old_geekster]

@himaryuk  Here is the link to the Maintenance and Service Guide:

http://h20628.www2.hp.com/km-ext/kmcsdirect/emr_na-c04224518-1.pdf

Go to Page 90  to see the information on the memory.  Look at the System Board diagram and lables to see how the slots are grouped.  They are grouped in one white and one black in Channel A and the same in Channel B.  So, you don't use both whites or both blacks, but one white and one black in each Channel.