Memory or MoBo probs

[gprellwitz]

I just picked up a new computer last night, and am having troubles with it already

It came with 1GB or DDR2/667 in two 512MB pieces. I knew that wouldn't be enough, so the store (Fry's) sold me a 4x1GB kit of Patriot memory (800MHz, 4-4-4-12) with the PC.

Installed the memory, and got the dreaded 3 beeps on boot. Believe I located the bad piece and pulled out it and one of the others so I'd still have a pair in there. (MemTest86+ was showing errors when I did manage to get it to boot with the bad piece in.)

Being "smart", I looked in the BIOS and saw that the timing on the memory didn't match the specs (it was getting 5-5-5-15 from the DPS), so I switched it to the 4-4-4-12. Only now it won't boot, and frequently won't even get into setup. I reset the setup back to the "automatic" memory setting, but it still won't boot, either with the 2x1GB that I was using that seemed good or the original 2x0.5 that came with the box.

When I say it won't boot, I mean that I'll (sometimes) see the message to hit F2/F10 for BIOS, and sometimes be able to get into BIOS setup, but it won't go past that, into either Windoze or the MemTest86+ boot CD.

It's a Gateway GT5630E with an Intel (Stoughton) G965 Motherboard MoBo and an Intel Core2 Quad 6600 processor.

So, did I somehow mess up the PC changing the memory settings or with the MemTest? Do I maybe have a bad MoBo? Do I just have a bunch of bad memory? I was careful to ground myself before working with the memory, and I've checked that both the memory and all the connectors are fully inserted. Any ideas?

 

[RJM62]

I'd be leaning toward a mobo problem on this one. Probability is against getting a whole handful of bad RAM at once. I don't remember the last time I bought a bad stick of unused RAM from a major mfg. But...

Did the Memtest show problems with the same addresses on repeated tests, or were they different? If the latter, then it's more likely a chipset issue than the RAM. (Unfortunately, a bad chipset could possibly do damage to the RAM, as well.)

Did you clear the CMOS? Once in a while I've had some machines refuse to boot after a RAM upgrade until I cleared the CMOS, which you usually do by moving a jumper or unplugging the machine and removing the CMOS battery. It depends on the mobo, however; sometimes, all the battery does is keep the time on the clock.

Some BIOS's have settings to restore the defaults and reset the configuration data. If you can get into BIOS setup, that might be worth a try.

Have you checked the mfg. Web site to see if there are known issues that might be addressed with a BIOS update?

Still, on a brand-new computer, I'd bring it back. It stinks of a problem with the chipset or the BIOS chip itself. I'd bring it back and have the vendor install the additional RAM and test it in the shop.

Rich

 

[RJM62]

Could also be something as simple as a bad capacitor, too. But whatever the specific component, it still smells more like a mobo problem than anything else.

 

[TMetzinger]

Quite a few desktop Mobos have trouble with four sticks of RAM inserted. One technique is to look up the RAM and find out what the normal operating voltage is - standard DDR2 runs at 1.8V but higher speed chips may require more, up to 2.2 or 2.3V.

So, before you tear all your hair out, check what the operating voltage of your RAM is, and set your Mobo to that voltage, and you may want to bump up the MCH (northbridge RAM controller) a tenth of a volt or so too.

After lots of headaches with my Abit IP35Pro and some Patriot memory, I ended up with 2 1GB modules and will eventually put in 2 2GB modules.

 

[gprellwitz]

Quite a few desktop Mobos have trouble with four sticks of RAM inserted. One technique is to look up the RAM and find out what the normal operating voltage is - standard DDR2 runs at 1.8V but higher speed chips may require more, up to 2.2 or 2.3V.

So, before you tear all your hair out, check what the operating voltage of your RAM is, and set your Mobo to that voltage, and you may want to bump up the MCH (northbridge RAM controller) a tenth of a volt or so too.

After lots of headaches with my Abit IP35Pro and some Patriot memory, I ended up with 2 1GB modules and will eventually put in 2 2GB modules.

The original memory is 1.8V, but the new memory is 2.2V. I don't see anywhere in the BIOS to change that, though, and I don't think there are any DIP switches or jumpers for that. At least I didn't see any in the documentation. I did suspect that voltage might be a problem, but I'm still having problems now with the original 2x512MB 1.8V pieces.

It did operate long enough on the 2x1GB 2.2V pieces to allow me to do the Windows Update and do some basic cleanup, e.g. getting rid of all their pre-loaded stuff and replacing it with my standard security suite.

I'm wondering it there was something on the MoBo that wasn't fastened quite properly and the simple pressure of inserting memory caused a failure. Sounds like I may be contacting Gateway. I'd better do it before the post-Thanksgiving rush, though!

 

[gprellwitz]

Thanks Tim & Rich!

I believe that I had both bad Patriot memory and a bad MoBo. I've swapped both of them out, replacing the Patriot 4-4-4-12 with OCZ 5-5-5-15 at a savings of almost 50%. I now have a functioning Gateway/Intel Core 2 Quad 6600 2.4GHz, Intel G965 MoBo, 4GB RAM, and ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT with 512MB GDDR3 and a 24" LCD. I plan to add another I figure it should be at least passable for Microsoft FSX after I download the multi-threaded service pack. I also expect to put Ubuntu or similar on it in a dual boot situation.

 

[RJM62]

Thanks Tim & Rich!

I believe that I had both bad Patriot memory and a bad MoBo. I've swapped both of them out, replacing the Patriot 4-4-4-12 with OCZ 5-5-5-15 at a savings of almost 50%. I now have a functioning Gateway/Intel Core 2 Quad 6600 2.4GHz, Intel G965 MoBo, 4GB RAM, and ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT with 512MB GDDR3 and a 24" LCD. I plan to add another I figure it should be at least passable for Microsoft FSX after I download the multi-threaded service pack. I also expect to put Ubuntu or similar on it in a dual boot situation.

Glad it worked out for you!

Rich

 

[Ghery]

E6700 Core 2 Duo, 2 GBytes RAM, nVidea 8800 GTS video card, ASUS P5W DH MB, 250 GByte hard drive and it's all displayed on this great Samsung 22 inch wide screen LCD monitor. MS FSX? Shove the realism sliders all the way to the right and it doesn't even breath hard. Oh, and MS Vista Home Premium OS. Would I recommend that? No. XP works fine.

 

[TMetzinger]

Abit IP35Pro, E6700, 2 GB, ATI 2900XT, Raptor 150 GB for flight sim, Seagate 500s for OS/Apps, and dual 19" LCDs. Works great for FS9, with a dual boot (XP with all sorts of addons like virus scanning, etc for everyday use, and XP with Nothing except the video and sound drivers for Flight Sim).

I'm gonna get Vista Premium when SP1 is relesased and install it on its own partition, and then put another partition on the Raptor for FSX. So I can then boot
XP-Office
XP-FS9
Vista-FSX

And eventually I'll migrate the XP-Office setup to Vista.