DF-21 Forums Forum Index DF-21 Forums
The Dark Forces Community
 
DF-21.net Home | FAQ | Search | Memberlist  | Register 
Profile | Log in to check your private messages | Log in

Problems with new RAM

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    DF-21 Forums Forum Index -> General Discussion
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Patrick Haslow
Trandoshan

Joined: 25 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 04, 2003 23:01    Post subject: Problems with new RAM View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
I installed a new 256mb 168 pin PC100 SDRAM memory module in my PC, and since then Windows XP gives me more than its fair share of "runtime errors", resulting in shutdowns of explorer.exe and Photoshop and some other apps. I am confused- I previously had two 128mb 168pin PC100 SDRAM modules in there, manufactured by the same company (PNY), but this new module is screwy somehow. All of the modules are non-ECC.

Anyone have this happen to them before? Any suggestions as to what the problem might be? I figure I will have to get new RAM regardless- It's just irritating that I have checked everything so far and all indicators say it should work.

Mattias Welander
Trandoshan

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 04, 2003 23:22    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote
It's a fundamental rule of memory upgrades that you always buy all memory modules new, and never combine old with new ones. Unfortunately.

That said, if you're lucky you can still get old and new modules to mix. It's theoretically possible. In practice, I'd never take the chance.

One possibility is that the timing of the two modules are different. Have you verified that the specifications of them are the same? In theory, the chipset should use the worst timings for both modules, so they should both work, but in practice, that does not always happen. You can try forcing the memory settings lower, and see if that improves stability.

Patrick Haslow
Trandoshan

Joined: 25 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 04, 2003 23:45    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Never mind. I'm an idiot. I confused the model numbers and this one isn't compatible with my machine after all.

Taton
Trandoshan

Joined: 25 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 05, 2003 01:28    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote
*Fwaps Patrick*

And while your at it, FINISH DTIII!!!

Thanks for listening...

_________________
"A fight should be clean and elegant, without waste"
-Asuka Langley Sohryu, Evangelion

Patrick Haslow
Trandoshan

Joined: 25 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 05, 2003 04:09    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
While I am at what? F|_|cking up my PC?

I'll finish DTIII when somebody pays me to do it, alright?
See how long it takes you to piece together a 20mb GOB file! It's already at 15 so far and shows no signs of stopping.

Taton
Trandoshan

Joined: 25 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 05, 2003 13:04    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote
You certainly have a way with words...

_________________
"A fight should be clean and elegant, without waste"
-Asuka Langley Sohryu, Evangelion

Nottheking
Kell Dragon

Joined: 29 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 05, 2003 19:01    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Shocked

I never realized how lucky I was with RAM upgrades, then. My current (read: ancient) PC has 192 MB: two old 32MB PC 100Mhz SDR units, and a new(er) 128MB 100Mhz SDR unit. Originally, it had only the 32MB units, then I upgraded with an otherwise identical 64MB unit, then switched it with my brother's old computer's 128MB unit.

Don't feel bad... at least you didn't do anything like shown at this website, link provided graciously by ZZTer...

http://rinkworks.com/stupid/cs_memory.shtml

It still surprises me how stupid some people can be about memory... Your mxing up different types of modules is nothing compared to believing that RAM is increased by installing "memory software"!

_________________
Wake up, George Lucas... The Matrix has you..

Last edited by Nottheking on Nov 05, 2003 20:31; edited 1 time in total

Mattias Welander
Trandoshan

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 05, 2003 19:19    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote
Well, not even the professional memory retialers always know how to pair memory properly... ask Mortal for a somewhat less than entertaining story on his latest memory purchase.

Nottheking
Kell Dragon

Joined: 29 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 05, 2003 20:28    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Might some of my (and my brother's) luck with RAM stem from the fact that both machines have identical motherboards, and were built at the same time? Also, they happen to be cheap(er) integrated boards, designed to accept any configuration of chips sizes from (I think) 16-256MB. (I might be wrong; I'm unsure what the smallest PC 100 DIMM is). Also, since both were hand-made, not OEM, most of the components were purchesed individually, and probably designed for maximum compatiability with whatever other hardware it could be potentially paired with.

Anyway, My brother got a much newer machine, and I'm looking to be adventurous, and build a new machine from "nothing" (actually, I will be going on a few gundred dollars, along with many of my old components, at least for a while)

_________________
Wake up, George Lucas... The Matrix has you..

Nottheking
Kell Dragon

Joined: 29 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 05, 2003 20:32    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Patrick Haslow wrote:
I'll finish DTIII when somebody pays me to do it, alright?


I'm afraid most of us have kinda given up on the "carrot" approach to convincing others... We've opted for the "stick" approach... Laughing

_________________
Wake up, George Lucas... The Matrix has you..

Mattias Welander
Trandoshan

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 05, 2003 20:46    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote
Yes, if you build your system yourself, you'll most likely get one that supports a wider range of memory circuits. Brand computers are deliberately created to support only model specific memory circuits, since they can cost three times as much as generic cirucuits.

Still, even with a home made system, mixing memory with different specifications is more likely not to work than the other way around.

Nottheking
Kell Dragon

Joined: 29 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 05, 2003 20:54    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Mattias Welander wrote:
Yes, if you build your system yourself, you'll most likely get one that supports a wider range of memory circuits. Brand computers are deliberately created to support only model specific memory circuits, since they can cost three times as much as generic cirucuits.

Still, even with a home made system, mixing memory with different specifications is more likely not to work than the other way around.


As I thought. I found that one can get 256MB DDR modules for around $30 (<240 Kronor). It just shocks me; there's Moore's law regarding the number of transistors on a microprocessor, but I it seems that there's a similar law at work for RAM prices. That should really help in assembling a new machine.

_________________
Wake up, George Lucas... The Matrix has you..

Mattias Welander
Trandoshan

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 05, 2003 21:12    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote
Yeah, RAM is cheap. I wouldn't go below 1 GB of it.

Nottheking
Kell Dragon

Joined: 29 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 06, 2003 19:56    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Mattias Welander wrote:
Yeah, RAM is cheap. I wouldn't go below 1 GB of it.


agreed. Now if only they made motherboards with 16 RAM slots... then I should be able to get 8 GB, or even more! (although my funds may limit me to only 1GB at first...)

_________________
Wake up, George Lucas... The Matrix has you..

j-dogg
Gamorrean

Joined: 29 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 07, 2003 07:12    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Well I don't mean to brag (okay I do a little bit :p) but I got 1 gig of PC133 for free!!! 1X 512MB Kingston and 2X 256MB Infineon, the nneighbor next-door just gave me a 256 MB stick for free, and the other two sticks were gifts in a trading deal for me being so patient.

Go Infineon if you are using PC133, had this 256MB module for 5 years now, no problems. First stick of 168-pin I ever had. Been in countless computers. Proally been to God-knows-how-many LAN parties. Best 168-pin RAM out there.

_________________
J-Dogg: Formerly known as Death_Blood_Fire Razz

Member since March 1999

Mattias Welander
Trandoshan

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 07, 2003 11:20    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote
j-dogg wrote:
...PC133...



Hrm...

The MAZZTer
Death Star
Death Star

Joined: 25 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 07, 2003 12:29    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote
You know what's sad? I have 512mb of memory, and if I get another clip of memory, my machine is configured in such a way that my ram speed will double. =S

_________________
http://www.mzzt.net/ | I am a respectable admin with a respectable sig.

Mattias Welander
Trandoshan

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 07, 2003 12:37    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote
Doesn't all modern computers support dual channel memory configurations, unless they use extremely cheap chipsets? Not that it doubles the memory speed, just the theoretical peak memory bandwith.

Nottheking
Kell Dragon

Joined: 29 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 07, 2003 18:47    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Mattias Welander wrote:
Doesn't all modern computers support dual channel memory configurations, unless they use extremely cheap chipsets? Not that it doubles the memory speed, just the theoretical peak memory bandwith.


Yes, I think it's been about two years since DDR motherboards have become more than 90% of all boards produced. The one I use at home that's from 2000... And it uses PC 133 SDR... A real drag for now...

As for J-dogg's supposed Infineon 256MB chip, I think he's a little confused... In 1998/99, I believe the largest availible chip size was only 64MB. I know that there were no production (read: commercially produced) 256MB chips... The most I could be wrong is that there might have been 128MB modules availible.

_________________
Wake up, George Lucas... The Matrix has you..

Nottheking
Kell Dragon

Joined: 29 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 07, 2003 18:59    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Oh, and as for "168-pin", I believe ALL SDR and DDR modules have 168 pins; the only ram that doesn't is the sorely obsolete 72-pin SIMM module (a far older RAM module style), and the 128-pin RIMM module style.

_________________
Wake up, George Lucas... The Matrix has you..

Mattias Welander
Trandoshan

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 07, 2003 19:32    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote
Nottheking wrote:
Mattias Welander wrote:
Doesn't all modern computers support dual channel memory configurations...


Yes, I think it's been about two years since DDR motherboards have become more than 90% of all boards produced.



And what does DDR memory have to do with dual channel operation? I run dual channel memory, but I wouldn't touch DDR memory.

Nottheking wrote:
In 1998/99, I believe the largest availible chip size was only 64MB.



That is interesting, since the invoice for the workstation I bought in 1998 clearly specifies that I bought two 128 MB modules of memory for it.

Nottheking
Kell Dragon

Joined: 29 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 07, 2003 19:38    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Mattias Welander wrote:
And what does DDR memory have to do with dual channel operation? I run dual channel memory, but I wouldn't touch DDR memory.


Sorry, my confusion. But don't RIMMs allow for four channels? I may be not understanding their documentation correctly, though... Or do you use SDR?

http://www.rambus.com/products/rdram/documentation/rdram.512s.0205-03.pdf

I currently prefer DDR/SDR because RDR is still out of my price range... I'm sure there will be a mass switch once prices for RIMMS get down to near level with DIMMS...
Mattias Welander wrote:
Nottheking wrote:
In 1998/99, I believe the largest availible chip size was only 64MB.



That is interesting, since the invoice for the workstation I bought in 1998 clearly specifies that I bought two 128 MB modules of memory for it.


I said I could be wrong... But I doubt that 256MB modules existed then...

_________________
Wake up, George Lucas... The Matrix has you..

Mattias Welander
Trandoshan

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Nov 07, 2003 20:00    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote
Nottheking wrote:
But don't RIMMs allow for four channels?



You're probably right. But as my current system only support two channel operations, I have not studied anything more. The point still stands that I run dual channel memory that is not DDR.

Nottheking wrote:
I currently prefer DDR/SDR because RDR is still out of my price range...



They were expensive, but at the time they were worth the extra money. Today, they would not be. It is quite possible they will be worth it again some time in the future.


Nottheking wrote:
But I doubt that 256MB modules existed then...



You could be right. But I doubt I bought the largest memory modules available at the time. If that were the case, they would have been terribly expensive. As it was, they were just plain expensive.

Patrick Haslow
Trandoshan

Joined: 25 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Dec 04, 2003 04:33    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Got a new question about this old topic:

I found a spec sheet about the 256mb RAM module:
http://www.pny.com/oem/DATASHT/168_DIMM/WEB_SITE/D1501-16.pdf

the part number is 6432ZHSEM- by looking at the PDF, can anybody tell if this will run as PC100 or PC133 RAM? I was initially assuming I could use it as I would a PC100 module.

Also, someone asked me for the retail model number, if it was 256S100.
It's driving me nuts, because the PNY website doesn't refer to "retail model numbers", only part numbers. I assume "256s100" means PC100 RAM, which is why I am trying to determine once and for all if this stick of RAM is PC100 or 133!

...and of course navigating their site for half an hour fails to provide me with a site map or telephone number so I can just f**king ask them a direct question.

j-dogg
Gamorrean

Joined: 29 Sep 2003
PostPosted: Dec 04, 2003 07:21    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
DDR RAM is 184-pin, just thought i'd point that out.

im not exactly sure when I got it, I just know that teh 256MB chip I got was the top of the line stuff when I got it.

_________________
J-Dogg: Formerly known as Death_Blood_Fire Razz

Member since March 1999

Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    DF-21 Forums Forum Index -> General Discussion All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group