Computer memory help

disneyjoe7

The memory are pairs, but neither don't work or bios doesn't see's if 1 or 2 are in.

disneyjoe7

Ok found out I had a really old version of bios v2.14 which there's a software update of 2.21 where it stated old version 2.20. So where did 2.15, 16, 17, 18, 19 go


So it's now 2.21 but still doesn't see a 1 meg stick of memory, could the stick be wrong,
too fast too quick too something?

McLoki

Do you know what the memory stick is rated at? All 1 gig sticks are not the same.

You need to use PC2100 DDR SDRAM DIMMs

McLoki

Also - it could just be a bad stick. I purchased a 2gb upgrade for my wifes machine to upgrade her to 4gb. (damn visa) 1 of the 2 - 1gb sticks was bad out of the box and had to be returned. It is not very common, but does happen.

disneyjoe7

This is what I got, tell me what's wrong.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145486

disneyjoe7

Then by newegg.com a search here says pc2100 but nothing with 1g sticks?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?submit=ENE&Configurator=MemoryConfigurator&CFG=CFG003Evo%20D510%20SFF&DEPA=0

WilliamM2

You don't need PC2100, PC3200 will work, it will just run at PC2100 speeds.

It could just be that the ram is incompatible with that particular board. I've seen that a lot lately, especially with Corsair and AMD boards. We no longer buy Corsair at work, we've found Kingston and Crucial seem to have the best compatibility. The last batch we bought for upgrades was all Mushkin, no trouble with that either.

McLoki

This is what you should have purchased.....

This is a 2 pack.

And these are single sticks...

I think its just the wrong memory for your application.

disneyjoe7

But why it would seem faster memory would be better, no?


Other then that thanks for the link.

disneyjoe7

WilliamM2 wrote: »

You don't need PC2100, PC3200 will work, it will just run at PC2100 speeds.

It could just be that the ram is incompatible with that particular board. I've seen that a lot lately, especially with Corsair and AMD boards. We no longer buy Corsair at work, we've found Kingston and Crucial seem to have the best compatibility. The last batch we bought for upgrades was all Mushkin, no trouble with that either.

Well I'm home now and well try it in another Compaq 510 SFF computer.

disneyjoe7

It doesn't work in mine Compaq 510 sff computer either. And I found I have Super Talent pc3200 512mg sticks x 2 in there, so at least I think pc3200 stick should work.


So I left with this non returnable memory sticks so I could do this....

Eat the memory (but I know it works tried it in my main system)

A.) buy 2g 2 x 1g memory from Crucial which guarantee it would work, but I doubt it.

B.) Buy 1g 2 x 512mg which is the highest newegg states for this computer model. Which I feel is correct as I have this working now at home.

C.) Put the 2g in my main computer which will only see 1.25g now as the bios and or the OE Win XP doesn't see 4g seems like a waste but not a complete loss.

D.) Should I even say sell it here.

E.) or the K word?

McLoki

How long have you had it? The memory I just returned (Doa) was from NewEgg and they took it back with no issues. (sent me a shipping label and everything)

Ironically, what I purchased for my machine was 2 - 1gig sticks of 3200, I guess timing is everything.....

Anyway, not sure what the non-DOA return poicy is, but might be worth a call to New Egg to find out. You may have to eat shipping, but they may take it back.

Just a thought.

Michael

(BTW - since HP (the new compaq) offers 1 gig sticks as an upgrade for your system, I would guess that they will work. I bet the faster memory (PC3200) has higher density chips on it that are incompatable with your machine. If you purchase the speed and type set for your machine, you will get the lower density chips and they will work.

I played the speed games with computers for quite a few years. I finally just decided to upgrade to parts spec'd for my machine and I have alot fewer issues. (when the machine is maxed out in memory, has an aftermarket video card in it and still feels slow - its time for a complete computer uprade.)

disneyjoe7

Michael,

I purchased this memory 6/24/08

But it has this quote on their webpage

"Return Policies
This item is covered by Newegg.com's Manufacturer Warranty.

Return for refund within: non-refundable
Return for replacement within: non-replaceable"

Even if they took it back the 15% restocking fee, the shipping back in all it sucks.

The memory is good as my main computer works with it, but it has 2g already and I sure if 4g is worth it as the computer can't see all of it. So if the computer would only see 3g is it best to add 4g as dual channel?

I use the Evo 510 for a business as I needed a real serial port for programming a Micro Chip. Where a usb serial wouldn't work a current issue I think.

My mother in-law uses the Evo 510 as a main computer, but she a beginner user at best just coming off a WebTV in the past year or so.


Steve

McLoki

Personally, it is cheap enough, I always try to max out the memory. Due to the way it accesses memory, you will get better speed filling both banks. (so yes, use 4 gig instead of just 3)

Also if it pulls from system memory for an onboard video card, max that out as well. (since it will not impact how much your OS sees)

When I upgraded my memory from stock, I maxed my machine out at 2 gig (just like your D510) and maxed my wifes out at 4 gig. The other big benefit of running 2 gig or more is turn off your page file and you will see a decent performance increase.

If you have a machine that will use it, plug it in.

Even if it only adds 6mo to a year to the life of your machine - it will be well worth the $50-$75 you pay for the upgrade.

If you do ever decide to upgrade to Visa or another OS, I am sure the extra memory will be a big help.

Michael

McLoki

In XP to turn off the swap file....

Click the start button.
Right click on my computer
click on properties.
Click the advanced tab
click the settings button under performance
click the advanced tab
click the change button under Virtual Memory
click the no paging file radio button.
click the set button.
click ok.
reboot

Once rebooted, follow the same proceedure and make sure paing for all hard drives is set to 0mb.

Windows will still page, but will end up paging to memory. (stupid I know, but thats Windows for you) Anyway - it will speed things up dramtically as windows pages whether it really needs to or not.

I actually set many of my servers up this way (when maxed out with memory) and it helped alot there as well.

1.5 gig is the recommended (by me) minimum memory config to turn off paging in xp. 3 gig for Vista. Don't turn if off in a server unless you understand what you are doing, the memory config in the server and the apps the server is running.

Michael

disneyjoe7

Done now have a 3.25g main machine with a no page system.


Now with the D510 what a difference going to 512mb from 256mb... So I'm not sure what I do with my mother in-laws D510. I could take the 1g 2 x 512mb to her, take hers 256mb to add to my 256mb for 512mb or just add the 256mb to her's.

McLoki

What do you have now? 2 x 512 and 2 x 256?

I would take the 2x512 to your mother in law (don't turn off her paging file though) and order 2x1gig for your machine. (and turn off the page file)

If all you have it 4 x 256 - I would get 4 - 1 gig sticks and go to town.

Michael

disneyjoe7

There are 3 computers I'm playing with 4 if you added my laptop also. When I made master order I purchased 2g from my laptop also replacing the 1g.

Of the 3 computers 2 are D510 Compaq 1 is a custom AMD 3700 KN8 SLI 6800 Msi video Zalman cooler now with 3.25g memory.

Both of the D510 had 256mb sticks, I wanted my D510 to have more memory and if I was to buy 1g 2 x512mb sticks for $45 why not pull the 1g from my custom and add 2g to it for $75. Thinking the D510 would handle the 2g ok, I don't think so even if Crucial says so, newegg says not, my experience says either compatibility or no way. I purchase Win XP software, 4g of memory, (4 x 1g sticks) 19" LCD monitor, Logitech wireless and mouse, alone with the laptop memory and an usb printer port cord.


So that leaves me with these parts 2 x 512mb sticks 2 x 256mb sticks, 4 x 1gb sticks. Luckily they all are DDR PC3200 except for the 2 x 256mb sticks which are PC2100.

Well and the 2 x 512mb sticks DDR2 PC4200 laptop memory does anyone need?

McLoki

ok - so your options are:

1. Put one computer at 512mg and one computer at 1gig - both running xp.
2. Put both computers at 768 meg.
3. Purchase more memory and take one computer to one gig and one computer to 2 gig.

Were they my computers, I would purchase the correct memory and perform plan 3. If you do not want to sink more money into them, Plan 1 is the best choice (if no further purchases are your plan). Which computer you upgrade is up to you.

Personally, I find plan 2 kind of a half assed band-aid so neither party is really happy with the upgrade. Not my recommended route.

Michael

disneyjoe7

You're under the impression that a D510 could be upgraded to 2g where Crucial indeed states so, but others state not. I'm not under this impression which it would work, and wish not to go through the BS if my gut is right. I know Kingston or Crucial memory are in another class over Corsair but I don't think I would get the hard error which I gotten in both D510's.

McLoki

Look at page 2-7 here.

If you take off one of the heat spreaders on the memory you purchased, are there 4 or 8 chips under them? If there are only 4 - that is your issue.

Personally, i would purchase the memory that is supposed to fit in there (as specified by Compaq). In the end though - it is your money and your machine. Upgrade as you see fit.

Michael

BTW - from What I see - the memory you purchased is CAS 3, not 2 or 2.5 as specified. Also I am guessing there are 4 main chips under that heat spreader, not 8 as seen on the PC2100 memory (without the heat spreader).

disneyjoe7

Thanks Michael for the info.

I must admit I'm ticked as I brought something wrong.

Thanks You learn something everyday and I moving on.

But before I go off this thread what the heck is 3-3-3-8

McLoki

They are timings for the RAM. Basically lower is better. If you really want to try and understand it you can start by reading this...

To be honest it is kind of beyond me for the most part. That is why I just buy what I need to to make the machine run. (I do get as fast as the manufacturer tells me I can though)

Also - don't sweat the purchase. At least you are putting it to use. (better than sitting in a drawer where it annoys you every time you open it.)

disneyjoe7

Thanks again, but really pisses me off is now I understand CAS 2 / 2.5 thing. There are clock cycles so you're right mine was CAS 3 where its one clock cycle longer then which the computer can see it. That's why bios can't even see it, but it works in a much faster machine.

Learn something everyday but it burns you when you realize it.

McLoki

I would guess it is the memory chip thing rather than the cas issue. (Cas would perhaps make the system unstable, but not beep codes...)

I.E. you are using denser memory than your system was built to understand. (like putting a 4 gig memory card in a camera that only supports up to 2 gig) I know you still had 1 gig in your machine, but it was (I am guessing) made up of 4 256meg chips rather than the 8 128meg chips your system would understand.

Make sense? (then again - I could be wrong, won't know until you look under the heat spreader and see what is under there)

Michael

disneyjoe7

I don't feel it was a denser problem, but a timing issue. The computer came me beeper errors, when 1 chip was installed with the original chip the bios couldn't even see the new memory chip.

The memory chips cost me $75 so I feel **** about that. My main computer has all my 1g sticks or 4g but that computer is on like 20 mins a week. My laptop computer is on like 30 hours a week, so 4g in that computer kills me.

McLoki

Laptops are always well worth maxing out the memory in. Turning off the page file in them really helps extend battery life. (as it can turn off the hard drive and keep it off longer.)

In the whole life lessons thing, you still got off pretty cheap..

Michael

disneyjoe7

McLoki wrote: »

In the whole life lessons thing, you still got off pretty cheap..

Michael

How true


BTW when I seen a laptop computer with 2g of memory using 2 screens... and it was FAST

I asked about the laptop oh it gots 2g's so when I needed memory I brought 2g's from my laptop (works ok I on it now) 2g's for my main computer (which is on 20 mins a week) works ok, then 2g's for the D510 computer... That's when it took a turn into the water.

disneyjoe7

[QUOTE=McLoki;887251BTW - from What I see - the memory you purchased is CAS 3, not 2 or 2.5 as specified. Also I am guessing there are 4 main chips under that heat spreader, not 8 as seen on the PC2100 memory (without the heat spreader).[/QUOTE]

The new 1g stick memory's are 8 chips, and the old 512mb sticks 1g x 512mb are 8 chips also. Where the 512mb sticks worked ok where the 1g sticks didn't, the difference is that CAS the 512 are 2.5 where the 1g are 3.0. The computer D510 will not see anything if it's over 2.5.

ben62670

disneyjoe7 wrote: »

The new 1g stick memory's are 8 chips, and the old 512mb sticks 1g x 512mb are 8 chips also. Where the 512mb sticks worked ok where the 1g sticks didn't, the difference is that CAS the 512 are 2.5 where the 1g are 3.0. The computer D510 will not see anything if it's over 2.5.

Will the bios allow you to manually set the cas to 3?