Memory Compatibility

lkalka

I had 2*256 in my Dell 8400.

I decided I would update it. It has 4 slots.

I used crucial to find memory and ended up buying 2*512: -
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/productinfo.asp?WebProductID=487065
(its on today only for £29)

Now I notice my old memory was
DDR2 PC2-3200 (533)
and the new one is
DDR2 PC4200 (533)

Even though crucial confirmed you could use 'either or', I wasn't sure if I could use it all together.
I asked in Scan and they said I would have to take the old ones out and just use the new ones, giving me 1gB in total but with 2 spare bays.

When I got home and tried them out 1 of the sticks worked but it seemed whenever I put the other one in I got problems booting into windows (I used the same slots as the 2*256 were originally in) e.g. 'blue scren of death'.

So basically I just left 1 in so I still ended up with 512.

I then thought I'd try my 2*256 in 2 of the other 3 spare bays and to my surprise everything fired up ok and the bios now said I had 1Gb
(made up of 1*512 and 2*256)

So that leads onto my questions: -
1/ do you think this could cause any problems
2/ if it says in the bios that 1gB is present then does that mean he PC will be using it all? (is also says 1gB in system properties)
3/ Do you think the other memory stick is just duff?

Thanks for the help.

Mick.

akmodi

Hi -- you may have a duff RAM.

The way to do this is download from this page:
http://www.memtest86.com/memt32.zip

Then run it and form a floppy disk (this is bootable). Then keep the 512 that works -- boot off the floppy -- you may need to change the BIOS settings to do this. Memtest then runs to check your memory -- leave for about 1/2 hour -- it runs throug about 7-8 tests (1pass). This should be OK. The n change for the other stick and run it.

Report back --- please.

Thanks

lkalka

akmodi wrote:

Hi -- you may have a duff RAM.

The way to do this is download from this page:
http://www.memtest86.com/memt32.zip

Then run it and form a floppy disk (this is bootable). Then keep the 512 that works -- boot off the floppy -- you may need to change the BIOS settings to do this. Memtest then runs to check your memory -- leave for about 1/2 hour -- it runs throug about 7-8 tests (1pass). This should be OK. The n change for the other stick and run it.

Report back --- please.

Thanks

Hi,

Thanks for the feedback. I've been away since I posted but I will give it a try later in the week and let you know how I get on.

PS The 512 and 2*256 seem to be doing ok together because my son even commented how much faster the pc was when he was gaming.

Maybe I'll just get my money back on the other 512 !!

lkalka

I just got a refund on the 'dodgy' 512 no problem.

I ended up doubling the memory to 1gB for less than £30 so well happy with that.

I still don't fully really understand why it's allowed me to have 3 slots full and 1 empty though. I thought in general the memory should be in pairs!