Memory upgrade doesn't work

wakandem

quite often if a mobo only takes say 128mb per slot & you put in 256mb in each, the pc normally works fine reading 128mb /slot & ignoring the rest.
It seems clear that the ram you have is not compatible or is faulty. I would look at trying another pc100 stick and see if that is read

jmc160

wakandem wrote: »

quite often if a mobo only takes say 128mb per slot & you put in 256mb in each, the pc normally works fine reading 128mb /slot & ignoring the rest.
It seems clear that the ram you have is not compatible or is faulty. I would look at trying another pc100 stick and see if that is read

Not necessarily. I had an older laptop a while back that could take a maximum of 320MB RAM - 64 built in + 2x 128. I thought the same thing as you and put in 2x 256 that a friend got for me. It was completely compatible (in theory), but the laptop didn't recognise it. It would only use the built in 64MB until I swapped the 2 sticks out for 2x 128MB. Then everything worked fine.

But I agree that if the laptop takes PC100, then you should stick to PC100.

Conor_3

https://www.crucial.com/uk and use the memory selector tool. What it lists is guaranteed to be compatible with a no quibble money back guarantee.

Donnie

How has the thread come this far without mention of the brand and model of the laptop being mentioned?

Yes, High and Low Density could be a factor.

marms

If the DIMMs only have memory chips on one side that'll be the problem, you need double sided memory, with chips on both sides.

devils_advocate

Took the CMOS battery out last night for about 4 hours - had to reset date & time, but the BIOS password was still there!

The laptop is an HP Omnibook 6000, 600 Mhz Pentium III. Phoenix BIOS, 4.0 rel 6.0. I did have a floppy drive for it somewhere, which I've been trying to find, as there are a couple of programs which apparently overwrite the BIOS password, but I need to boot from floppy.

However, I am thinking of giving up and selling the new memory on ebay, as though its fun to have a challenge there are other things I should be doing!

Conor_3

£28, free delivery. Guaranteed 100% compatible or your money back.

http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=3BA6022EA5CA7304

Donnie

Have you tried phoenix for the BIOS?

Crucial's price must be for Low Density memory, as it's so expensive.

Email someone like Funky Giraffe for them to confirm that their memory is compatible.
At least then, if it isn't, you are covered. It's half the price of the Crucial memory.