Upgrading Memory

[RasterBlaster]

TheTechdr,

When you say identical... it really needs to be "identical" .. including (especially) CAS latency value. They should all be from the same manufacturer, size, speed, etc... If you bought them all from the same place, see if they can take them back and send you one lot of 4 x 1GB sticks that meet your speed reqs. IF that doesn't work, then I suspect it is a CAS compatibility (timing) problem and you should try to find 4 sticks at a lower cas.

Suj,

You product specs...

http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01616199

Memory Installed	2 GB
Maximum allowed	4 GB* (2 x 2 GB) *Actual available memory may be less
Speed supported	PC2-6400 MB/sec
Type	240 pin, DDR2 SDRAM

 Your Motherboard spec...

 http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01357110

Memory

single channel memory architecture Two 240-pin DDR2 DIMM sockets Supported DIMM types: PC2-4200 (533 MHz) PC2-5300 (667 MHz) PC2-6400 (800 MHz) Non-ECC memory only, unbuffered Supports 2GB DDR2 DIMMs Supports up to 4 GB* on 32 bit PCs (using two 2 GB DIMMs)   NOTE: *Actual available memory may be less

 If you install 4 GB..32-bit OS will only be able to use about 3.5.

[thetechdr]

RasterBlaster...They are identical.  Interestingly, when I test the 1 GB modules individually in slots 1 and 2, the computer boots up just fine.  When I test any of them individually in slots 3 or 4, I get the beep pattern.  Thoughts?

[RasterBlaster]

thetechdr,

ok. I had to go back and reread all your previous posts and my replies.

Your PC model =  a6037c and your product specifications state

4 GB* (4 x 1 GB) PC2-4200 MB/sec 240 pin, DDR2 SDRAM

Your motherboard spec gives a little more info...

Dual channel memory architecture

Four 240-pin DDR2 DIMM sockets

Supports PC2 3200 (400 MHz), PC 4200 (533 MHz) and PC2 5300 (667 MHz) DDR2 DIMMs

non-ECC memory only, unbuffered

Maximum HP/Compaq approved memory is 4 GB

I was able to verify that your board probably does not accept a x3 configuration - at least not for Dual Channel.

Basically the install architecture goes like this...

Installing only one DIMM into slots 1-4 result in Single Channel use. Any slot should have any ONE of your DIMMs and operate in Single channel mode.

Slots xmm1 & xmm3 (blue) should accept an identical pair and operate in dual channel.

Slots xmm2 & xmm4 (black) should accept an identical pair and operate in dual channel.

If all 4 are filled with identical DIMMs, it should operate in dual Channel.

Based on your symptom of "Pixelated screen" you are definitely encountering compatibilty issues.

To me, it looks like one of Crucial's recommendations are in-line with what HP is recommending: http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Pavilion%20a6037c - the 5300. I wouldn't go with the 6400 just so that it matchs your product spec (to match your FSB speed).

Based on what you mentioned in your first post, I assume that you bought two CT686282 kits? This would give them all the same part number and  5300 speed. To me this should work.

So, to go back and clarify things a little starting from your very first sentence:

1) You had 2 x512 MBs installed, everything was working fine... until one day your PC started beeping at you.

2) You removed what you thought was bad memory from it's slot and bought more memory to fix the problem and upgrade at the same time.

3) Now, you can't put anything into slots 3 -4 without getting a beep.

To make sure, having only 1 stick of memory in 3 or 4 should work fine IF there is no memory stick in slots 1 or 2. All other slots have to be empty for slots 3 and 4 to work.

If you have slots 1 + 3 and/or slots 2 + 4 (both black and/or both blue) and it beeps at you, then either...

1) the motherboard has been damaged (partially) ... and the hardware on the motherboard responsible for handling dual-channel has been damaged (such as ESD or heat related failure).

2) There is still some sort of compatibility issue to work out. I'm not totally clear how you determined that the original 512 stick was bad. If you simply determined it was bad by removal from slot 3, then it may actually be good. If so, swap into Slot 1 to see. If it is good, then you know slots 3 and 4 on the motherboard went bad. If not, the slots still might be bad, but there is also the possibility that it is still some sort of compatibility problem - possibly due to increased CAS values being released in the market after this board was designed.

If slots 3 and 4 are bad, then you are limited to a max of 2 GB in Single Channel mode by installing1 GB dimms into slots 1 and 2.

[vizwhiz]

Hello all,

Have an old Pavilion 760n that had the original 2x256 Mb DDR sticks in it.

I recently upgraded power supply and video card and memory...well, not quite.

I got the power supply in with no problems...works great.

I got the video card in with no problems...works great.

I ran the machine for hours playing BF2 last night - no issues...just needs more memory! 😉

However, the memory I bought came in today, and when I installed it, it didn't seem to work.

I researched via HP "specifications" etc. and it shows PC1600 or PC2100 DDR 266Mhz with 2Gb max.

I bought 2x1Gb PC2100 266Mhz sticks - MDD266... I tried to make sure I bought what the specs showed so there wouldn't be any compatability issues.  Should be a matched set...

When I swapped out the two sticks and started the computer, I get the hum of the hard drive, the keyboard blinks once, no beeps, and black screen.  The HD keeps humming and buzzing like it is starting up...but nothing happens on screen.

At first I thought it might take a few minutes for the BIOS to figure out the memory change...um...no.

I tried swapping the memory sticks back to the old memory and the computer jumps to life like it always did - no issues. Runs just like it always did.

I put the new memory in, black screen, nothing.  I swapped which stick in which slot (only has two), and still the same.

Any ideas?  It has been a pretty bullet-proof machine and I'm excited to see how much better it performs with new memory.

[vizwhiz]

Just in case it helps, here's a picture of 256Mb chip I took out (on top) and 1 Gb chip I put in (on bottom).

UPDATE:  Chatted with an HP on-line chat person who told me that his information shows that this PC only supports 1 Gb memory, not the 2 Gb memory showing on the HP Support specifications page...  Isn't that just dandy?  Which one to believe??

[binojvputhur]

many thanks for your help. much appreciated.

[m8125x_user]

Hi,

Here is my setup:

HP m8125x

upgraded to a 850 watt power supply

upgraded to a Geforce 8800GTS 640mb video card

added an additional 1TB of storage in addition the the 400gb drive that came with the computer

triple boot (XP 32 bit, Vista 32 bit, and Windows 7 64 bit)

Someone please help!  I have been trying to upgrade the ram on my HP m8125x to the maximum supported 8gb.  At first I removed the ram that originally came with the PC (2x 1GB PC5300 DDR2 ram) and installed 4x 2GB PC6400 DDR2 ram.  The BIOS indicated that the RAM was indeed recognized (all 8gb of it), but the PC won't boot into the boot menu for any of my windows installations and just gets stuck at the DOS prompt with a flashing underscore. 

Then, I installed back the original 2x 1gb of PC5300 DDR2 ram and also added more sticks of PC5300 ram, but the PC won't boot into my boot selection menu, just like before. When I put back my original 2x 1gb HP ram nd just added an extra 1gb of PC5300 ram (total 3gb), the PC will boot into windows again.

It almost seems like a 32bit windows limitation with the 3gb problem, but I can't understand why it won't even boot into windows.  ( I do have windows 7 64 bit installed as one of my operating systems).

Can anyone help?

[RAD45]

VisWhiz...  One thing you didn't mention in your upgrading was upgrading your BIOS.  You might have setup a system conflict when you took out the OEM memory and slapped in as much memory as the mobo should hold.  Also, the kind of signals you're getting also indicate memory that's either not completely seated or is in "backwards".  The memory chips on the stick should face the same direction as the old ones...and all sticks face the same way.  Yeah, the notches in the memory stick mean they "should" only go in one way, but..  Its also within the realm of electronic life your mobo simply doesn't "like" the memory you bought!  Also, double check your memory latency (timing -- 5-5-5-15... whatever) is the same as the original.  If these ideas don't work, then you probably have a more esoteric problem on your hands... possibly the PSU!  Let's think positive!  BTW, the pics of the memory sticks weren't sharp enough to make out the details on the labels.

[vizwhiz]

Thanks!  You're right about not mentioning the BIOS upgrade...because I didn't.  I had done some research before starting this and found several places where people had upgraded memory without upgrading the BIOS.  Anyway, I think I may have found the issue - will be able to tell shortly.

My mobo is an ASUS (originally thought it was MSi - it isn't) model P4B266-LA with two slots.  Found that HP's own website shows the specs for the mobo also, and that it is showing a 2 Gb max (instead of the 1 Gb that the tech rep told me was all the mobo would take), so I think I'm safe believing that the mobo will take 2 Gb.

However, I also found that there are some compatability issues with high-density memory on the Intel CPU chips and ASUS mobo's...and that is what I bought (silly me!).  

So even though I checked into the basic requirements, I didn't quite get far enough to identify the compatability issue, and so I'm going to try returning these sticks and getting the low-density type.  I'll try to remember to report back once I get the other memory.  Thanks for the help!

[RasterBlaster]

Vizwhiz,

Yes... both specs list max 2GB DDR. 1 GB per slot.

http://www.crucial.com/search/searchresults.aspx?keywords=760n