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New DDR2 RAM ... PC won't boot or POST

I need more RAM in my Vista machine.

I have a PCChips A13G+ v3.0 Motherboard with a 64-bit AMD processor. Specs at:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3304880&sku=P459-1236

I am currently running 1 1-GB DDR2 stick of memory. It works fine, but I wanted to jump to 4 GB.
So I bought 2 2-GB DDR2 800 sticks. Specs at:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2905800&CatId=3410

With those installed (or even just one of them), the system emits a series of high-pitched beeps, spins the optical drives, then just beeps. It won't POST.

I pulled them out & replaced my 1-GB stick and all was well again.

What am I doing wrong w/ those 2-GB sticks?

Thanks!

Macros82

So are you taking the 1GB out when you install the others?
Is there only 2 memory slots on this motherboard? If nto are you sure they are in the correct memory bank?

Have you tried swapping the DIMM's around?

Otherwise test the RAM on another PC and see if it works :D

Daniel Wilson

ASKER

>>So are you taking the 1GB out when you install the others?

Yes.

>>Is there only 2 memory slots on this motherboard?

Yes.

>>Have you tried swapping the DIMM's around?

No. Why? Suspect the one I had in slot 0 is bad ... and if I swap them I could get the good one into slot 0?

>>Otherwise test the RAM on another PC and see if it works

I don't have another PC that accepts DDR2 RAM.

I thought I'd gotten something incompatible, but upon reading the specs of the MB, it really doesn't look that way.

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

Macros82

Erm you didnt include my smiley

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Macros82

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andoss

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PCBONEZ

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Daniel Wilson

ASKER

Thanks for all the ideas.

I pulled the RAM, blew the dust out, reset the CMOS, tried each RAM stick in each position.

When I was done, none of the RAM, including my old stick, would work in either position.

So I took it to the PC shop ... and bought a new motherboard.

I suspect, but cannot prove, that the motherboard was in some way defective such that it would recognize the new RAM. All the changes I tried confused something ... BIOS I guess ... to the point it died.

I lost over half the day on the problem, but am back in business.

internethotspot

One consideration is if the ram is non-ecc or ecc. The slightly older boards only like single-sided ram modules. If the computer starts up (fan noise and lights) but no sounds, it is likely RAM and not the mainboard. Note for future reference, matching ram is a matter of getting single or double sided - ecc or non-ecc in most cases. But to be certain, just bring the computer in to a local shop and ask them to upgrade the ram. If it is working when you bring it in, its going to work when you bring it home with more memory.

PCBONEZ

ECC vs non-ECC has nothing to do with single vs double sided.