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View Full Version : Was i sold 128MB ram with a 256MB sticker on it?

parallax
09-10-2002, 05:48 PM
Heya folks, :)

I just bought 4 modules of 256MB SDram PC-133, and strangely enough, my systems says there's only 512MB installed instead of 1024MB.
I'm kinda puzzled here :shrug:
I thought i'd check if there were not any broken ones, so i pulled out two modules, and now it says i have 256MB instead of 512MB.
I have a Asus P3B-F (BX chip) so it officially does not support 133mhz, but that shouldnt be a problem should it? In the manual it says:
At the time this User's Manual was written, 256MB DIMM's are only available as double-sided registered memory
By double sided i guess they mean that you'd have chips on both side of the module??.

I have also never heard of the fact that RAM could be recognized for only 50%.
I always thought that either memory works, or it does not work at all. (please correct me if i'm wrong)
I have never heard of this kind of behaviour.

Did i overlook something, or did they sell me 128MB with a 256MB Label on it.??
Maybe there's a hidden setting or something??
frog
09-10-2002, 07:24 PM
Well, it's possible that it's your OS, win 98 only recognises 512Mg of RAM. If that's the case then it's time you upgrade to win2000 or XP Pro. :)

If not then I've no idea :surprised

[edit] Re-read your post and it obviously isn't that, sorry.

My guess is that it's either your RAM or your Mobo, possibly the board doesn't support the RAM config you have.
De-Cypher
09-12-2002, 01:29 PM
sometimes the ram may need to be Registered ram or ECC to fill up all the slots... check the specs on the mb, and also the operating system does have something to do with it if your using 98...
slugo3
09-12-2002, 06:44 PM
Look in your bios and it should tell you how much you have installed regardless of the OS. If you have access to another computer you can try them there, that would be a good test to count out your mother board. only time ive seen memory register wrong is in the old days when you had to upgrade in pairs of matching ram. kinda sounds like you might have been scammed, where did you buy the memory from?
De-Cypher
09-12-2002, 07:37 PM
memory matching is still going on.... there are some mother boards that lets say for example support up to 4gb of ram with for slots. You can use two sticks of un registered ram but not 4. To get all the slots full you have to use registered.... this is not a thing of the past, look at any of the high end amd motherboards on the market...
slugo3
09-13-2002, 01:18 AM
yeah matching different types is generly bad but I ment you had to mach sizes and upgrade in pairs back in the day.
neilyb
09-13-2002, 07:04 AM
I had the same problem with my MSI motherboard. Basically it only allows 4 sides of memory. So 2 double sided on 4 single sided...or 2 single and a double.....etc...stupid thing is on the box it says upto 2GB of RAM possible.......that is if the 1GB DoubleSided mudules appear!!!!
parallax
09-13-2002, 12:09 PM
Thanx for the replies guys,
I figured it out.

neily>>

You're right,
it has all to do with the single/double sided, single/double banked issue.

It seems my mainboard only supports double sided, and 16MB chip (or something like that..)
The funny thing is, i could put in 1GB of ram, but the kind that fits is rather hard to find (especially for a good price).

So i decided i'd better build up a new system from scratch.

This is what i had in mind:

Athlon 2200
1024MB ddr 333
Asus A7V333
2x Maxtor 740 40GB 133
AOpen GeForce 4 Ti 4200 128MB
Antec WS 840 Case (400 watt)

Does any of you guys have experience with one of these components?
What do you think of the configuration?
I hope i can get this for a nice price.
I'm not planning to buy the absolute top of the line(waste of money IMHO), but stuff that at least lasts me a few years.
Stability/price is more important to me then performance.

I upgraded my last PC with old parts, i still regret that.
danhua76
09-13-2002, 03:05 PM
go to http://www.pricewatch.com. you'll find the latest prices on computer components there.
derelict
09-20-2002, 04:06 AM
From your specs you have there a single side (you say it is for double sided ?) It is due to the multiplication of the ram layout on the mobo for it was architech for 3 and not 4 slots. Tell you what, place the ram alternately an see if it appears as 512 (place ram pcs on slot 0 and 2 while leaving slot 1 and 3 empty).
erwin1978
09-23-2002, 02:32 PM
Yo, derelict; who's that girl?
derelict
09-23-2002, 03:28 PM
megan
erwin1978
09-23-2002, 06:06 PM
megan who? and where can I get naked pictures of her?:bounce:
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