RAM faulty/buggered mobo?

G'day,

I had a random event occur yesterday.. My motherboard was emitting a long, constant beep before getting to POST, so I cleared the CMOS and everything was good again.

Before this happened, I noticed my board was only reading 512MB RAM when I have 1GB installed (2x512 sticks) and the above happened after I rebooted.

Now, I ran a Memtest with Memtest86 and it returned fine with no errors (While still only 'seeing' the 512mb RAM). Window's & Everest ALSO only see 512mb RAM but reports two sticks present:

http://is.gd/gY6uk
http://is.gd/gY6vp

Could anybody possibly help with this issue? Just a simple RAM replacement?

 

Looks like you uploaded the same picture twice. Both highlight DIMM 2. What does it show for the detailed view of DIMM 1?

 

Oh, so it does. Silly me. Fixed url below
http://is.gd/gYlnP

 

Running Everest if you go to Motherboard>Memory what does it report for Total, Used and Free? (Specifically I'm trying to figure out if it says you are using more than 512mb)

And when you right click on Computer/My Computer and select Properties you are saying Windows says 512mb?

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If you are seeing only 512mb somewhere, I would think troubleshooting would be try booting with only 1 module in the first RAM slot. Then try booting with only the other module in the first RAM spot. If both boot OK then try With only one module in the second RAM slot and then with only the other module in the second RAM slot. If all those positions let you boot I would think that rules out a faulty RAM slot on the motherboard.

Where to go from there I'm not sure.

 

Just tested, its the motherboard . Bank 2 seems to be dead for some unknown reason.. fun fun.

Thanks for all your help.

 

I wouldn't jump to that conclusion. I don't know a whole lot about hardware and I think it is possible that some boards require that a chip is in the first slot. So the fact that (I guess you got a long beep) that it wouldn't boot with a module only in the second slot may be something else. The reason I say that is Everest was getting detailed information about the module in DIMM 2 from somewhere.

Let's see if someone else weighs in. Maybe the motherboard model number would help?

 

Sure. I can't get to the shop to get more RAM until Wednesday anyway. It's an old Gigabyte 7VM-400AM (Not /RZ, the standard AM).

 

Sorry, it turns out it's the "7VM-400AMF" model. Not the standard AM.

 

I haven't read through your motherboard manual yet but I'm curious about a couple of things.

Both RAM modules boot up the PC in DIMM 1. Neither boots the PC when alone in DIMM 2. Are you sure that DIMM 2 doesn't need an extra push to firmly seat the module?

With both RAM modules in place, Windows states that the PC has only 512mb of memory available. When you right click on Computer/My Computer and select Properties Windows says installed memory is 512mb--is that correct?

With both modules in place. If you run SIW and in the left pane under Hardware select Memory, then in the details it says Physical Memory is 512mb--is this also correct?

As far as I know Everest and SIW both get their information from BIOS. So I am trying to figure out why Everest has detailed information about DIMM 2 and yet Windows is not recognizing DIMM 2.

 

Yes, both will boot up in DIMM 1. Neither will boot by its own when placed in DIMM 2. The firmly seated problem shouldn't have been an issue in the first place since the RAM was never removed from their slots, nor touched before this began happening.

Now having both RAM in place, the computer will not get to POST. I have to pull the CMOS battery out to reset it and it will only start after taking the RAM out of DIMM 1 and replacing it.

This doesn't apply any more apparently. But yes, this was correct previously.

You and me both

Edit: I am thinking of replacing the CMOS battery. 9/10 times when the computer was powered down and the power cable was removed for testing, it would throw me a CMOS check sum error on boot. I've looked into updating the BIOS but as I do not have a physical floppy drive, this will not be possible.

 

Yes do it as it is an old board and these batteries are only good for some 3 years without power. Ya can't go wrong spending 3 bucks just to see though it should POST something. I just had a problem with no POST at all and it turned out to be my PSU.

BTW, if a BIOS change log(s) do not address your particular issue then don't bother.

 

Which brand of BIOS do you have? Google 'beep codes' and see what yours means.

 

I already did this before coming here. It's an award BIOS, and, as stated on "Bios Central"

It's not 'missing' (Except in the case of me not having any in the DIMM1 slot) and improperly seated doesn't apply because like I said above, this happened randomly without anything being touched.

 

Sorry, needed some coffee.:-o Change your Batt.