memory error message 201

[himaryuk]

I installed 4 GB PC3-12800 DDR3-1600 RAM in slot 1 in my HP Compaq 8200 Elite SFF PC, the pc display error message 201 on booting,I enter F10 setup, the BIOS read the ram as 4 Gb with PC speed as PC3-1333, then it offer to boot with pressing F1,it booted with no problem and look working fine.

I replaced this PC3-12800 ram with 4Gb PC3-1333 DDR3-10600 the PC booted with no error message.

I installed this PC3-12800 in slot 3 (Black) to make PC run in dual channel mode with the 4Gb PC3-1333 in slot 1, the PC display error message 201 again and still booted up and look works fine.

I removed the PC3-1333 4GB ram from slot 1 and install 2 X 2 Gb PC3-1333 DDR3-10600 ram in slot 1 and 2 to make PC run in dual channel mode with the PC3-12800 installed in slot 3, the pc booted normally with no error messages.ram reading total of 8Gb and PC run fast and flawless.

what the above means in term of error if the RAM PC3-12800 is faulty or is incompatible?why it works in slot 3 but not in slot 1? why it works with the 2 x2 GB ram but not with the 4 Gb PC3-1333 ram?

Any help is very much appreciated.

thank you.

[OlegR]

According to "HP Compaq 8200 Elite Series QuickSpecs" document (p. 12), the memory DIMMs are populated starting from A(black) socket, then B(black), then A(white) and B(white).

Table 8-1 of "8200/6200 Maintenance and Service Guide" document provides us the slot numbers:
DIMM4 (Channel A) DIMM4 white Memory Module
DIMM3 (Channel A) DIMM3 black Memory Module
DIMM2 (Channel B) DIMM2 white Memory Module
DIMM1 (Channel B) DIMM1 black Memory Module

So, the proper order is DIMM3, then DIMM1, then DIMM2 and DIMM4.

[Maverick_Nik]

Hi @himaryuk,

The subjected error message leads to RAM failure, Please find below the description on the same. 

201-Memory Error

RAM failure.

Ensure memory modules are correctly installed. Verify proper memory module type. Remove and replace the identified faulty memory module(s). If the error persists after replacing memory modules, replace the system board.

You may refer to below document for more information on your product. And you may check the Memory configuration supported on this unit.

http://www8.hp.com/h20195/v2/getpdf.aspx/c04168353.pdf

I hope that answers your question. 🙂

I am an HP employee, the opinions expressed here are my personal opinions, not of HP.

Make it easier for other people to find solutions, by marking my answer “Accept as Solution” if it solves your problem.

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[himaryuk]

Hi,

Thank you for the reply.

I have this printed information from the manual,I think the order of ram is in reverse to the quoted numbers in figure 8-11 page 180, so that DIMM1 is the most on top when you look at this table and DIMM2,DIMM3,DIMM4 follows downward direction.It also say in this page that DIMM1,DIMM2 is channel B and DIMM3,DIMM4 for Channel A, but when I placed ram and checked the BIOS,I found the reverse that is DIMM1,DIMM2 is channel A, DIMM3,DIMM4 is for channel B, I cannot explain this why they are not same order as in figure 8-11!

So the correct ram population is DIMM1, then DIMM3,then DIMM2,then DIMM4.

My issue is also different,when I placed this PC3-12800 4GB ram in DIMM1 slot, error message 201 appeared,when I replaced with PC3-10600 4GB ram no error message appeared.

When I placed thie PC3-12800 ram in DIMM3 slot and placed 2 x 2 GB RAM PC3-10600 in DIMM1,and DIMM2 no error message appeared!!!! does this mean the PC3-12800 has problem,or incompatible that the system can detects this when I placed in DIMM1 slot but does not detects when I place in DIMM3? this is my question.

[himaryuk]

Hi,

Thank you for your reply to my posting.

I have already tried the ram testing and my question was if the ram I tested PC3-12800 4GB has made this error message 201 when placed in DIMM1 socket but does not produce this error message when placed in DIMM3 socket with DIMM1,DIMM2 bieng populated with 2GB RAM PC3-10600 in each slot (different speed) also this error message does not appear when I place (one) 4GB RAM PC3-10600 in DIMM1!!!

The recommended RAM for this model is PC3-10600 butCrucial and HP forum recommend using PC3-12800 as also compatible RAM.if this is the case then PC3-12800 that Iplaced in DIMM1 socket should not make error message 201.though the PC booted up and works OK after displaying this error message but the BIOS reads the ram as PC3-10600 not PC3-12800.

[Maverick_Nik]

Hi @himaryuk,

When you are connecting PC3-12800 4GB RAM alone on the unit, it's giving an error message 201.

And when you are connecting the same PC3-12800 4GB RAM  with 2 x 2 GB RAM PC3-10600, no error message.

But is the unit working with the same configuration and how much Available Memory it's showing?

Note : It's always best to use the same configuration RAM for best results.

And other things you can do to isolate this issue is , to check this RAM on another unit. If it's giving issue there as well, which means RAM is faulty and need to replace. Otherwise, it might be a compatibility issue.

I hope that answers your question. 🙂

I am an HP employee, the opinions expressed here are my personal opinions, not of HP.

Make it easier for other people to find solutions, by marking my answer “Accept as Solution” if it solves your problem.

***Click on "Thumbs up" button to the left side of my post to acknowledge the post ***