Different memory

Hi all,
Initially i had 2 x 1G ram (KTM8854/1G) 2.5v and (KVR533D2N4/1G) 1.8v
I wanted to double that so I got a (KVR800D2N5/2G) 1.8v and as you can
Imagine, nothing works now. So I figured I could cut my losses and use the new 2G one plus one of the 1G ones but I'm not sure which to put where. Any suggestions? Thanks

Dan

 

Could you tell us your system make, model and specications please ?

I'm surprised your 2.5V RAM worked with yor 1.8V RAM in the first place. Is it DRR (DDR1) spec ? The KVR533D2N4/1G RAM is DDR2 so I'm even more surprised !!

Your new RAM is much higher speed than either of your DIMMs and I'd be surprised if your machine was compatible with it given that it worked with the KTM8854/1G DIMM (but I've been surprised before, see just above !).

See if it works with just the KTM8854/1G, in the slot closest to the processor/motherboard.

Could you tell us your system make, model and specifications please ?

Dub_Question
8.September.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A under XP/SP3 Home edition
Processor - Celeron 2.7 GHz (Northwood I think)
Motherboard - MSI MS-6577 v2.1
RAM - 1GB + 512MB (1GB +1GB max) DDR PC2700
PSU - Octigen 300W model 10270PSOTG ('upgraded' from original Bestec 250W PSU [in 2011?])
Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics card in AGP slot.
56K modem in PCI slot

 

Yup! PC worked fine, I just wanted some more ram to boost it a bit more but I'm still stuck with 2G :banghead!

As for the specs.

XP Pro SP3
-Intel Pentium 4 Dual core 530J, 3000 MHz, 3000 MHz
-Motherboard Luxemburg D915GUX (2 PCI, 1 PCI-E x1, 1 PCI-E x16, 4 DDR2 DIMM, Audio, Video, LAN)
-Chipset Intel Grantsdale-G i915G
-HD WDC WD1200JS-00MHB0 (IDE)
-Memory 2016 Mo (DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM)
-Video Card Intel(R) 82915G/GV/910GL Express Chipset Family (128 Mo)
-Creative Audigy LS Audio Processor

I tried switching the 1G in different slots and rebooting but none seem to work. I guess I have some ram for sale now. LOL

 

As I said earlier, I'm surprised your first two DIMMs both worked especially with what I have just read here http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/d915gux/sb/CS-027031.htm. It's the Intel system memory document for your motherboard.

One of the first things it says is "1.8V only". Check that your other DIMMs meet the specs for this motherboard. In the installation notes it recommends removing any PCI Express x16 video card before installing RAM. It also says "DDR2 533 MHz or DDR2 400 MHz SDRAM DIMMs". I suspect that initially you were only using the KVR533D2N4/1G and your system was ignoring the KTM8854/1G (it being 2.5V and I think DDR1 and several other reasons why it should not work in your board) and that you new memory is also out-of-spec for this system being 800MHz while your board will only support 400MHz and 533MHz. (but I get confused between data rate/memory speed/FSB speed because there is a facor of 2 between some of them !)

To be quite certain insert the DIMMs one at time in the system (i.e., with only one DIMM present on each trial) and try powering on. Please describe exactly what happens. Your system should get to to the BIOS and beep if there is a problem with RAM. In the BIOS screen (which is usually accessed by repeatedly tapping F8 or F10 during the start up process) you should see ddetails of your system including RAM. If your system boots up install speccy or CPUID/CPU-Z (search MG downloads for these - they are freeware) to find out what memory your system is seeing. If your system does boot up with one of the DIMMs, after you have installed the system analysis software that I pointed out, try the other two DIMMs one at a time in addition to the one that worked. I think that your system will reach the BIOS and POST without RAM but will not boot.

Incidentally your processor has an 800MHz FSB I'm guessing that you built your system yourself, right ? Is this http://ark.intel.com/products/27464?wapkw=pentium+530j your processpor ?


At the worst your motherboard is kaput (unlikely); you can always sell any DIMMs that are surplus to requirements.

Dumb_Question
9.September.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A under XP/SP3 Home edition
Processor - Celeron 2.7 GHz (Northwood I think)
Motherboard - MSI MS-6577 v2.1
RAM - 1GB + 512MB (1GB +1GB max) DDR PC2700
PSU - Octigen 300W model 10270PSOTG ('upgraded' from original Bestec 250W PSU [in 2011?])
Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics card in AGP slot.
56K modem in PCI slot

 

Hey Dumb_Question,

I believe you're right about the pc detecting 1 of 2 sticks. When I get a chance I will try checking the memory individually and keep you posted. I wonder if it's best to install another 2g stick or cheat and get 2x1g sticks instead.

Thanks for the help.

 

Before you buy any more memory check to verify what works. You may wish to check that all slots on your mb are working (by trying a DIMM that does work in each of them). It might be that your 2GB DIMM will work on its own, as I don't know what the speccs for the KVR800D2N5/2G are - I assume that the 800 is an "800MHz" but I don't whether this refers to, if the data rate is 800MHz and the I/O speed is 400 MHz and this is the same as the FSB speed on your PC (which seems the most likely combination) then your PC should work with this DIMM[is it labelled PC2-6400 anywhere ?] (but maybe not with the 3GB combination of the 533 part as well).

Dumb_Question
11.September.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A under XP/SP3 Home edition
Processor - Celeron 2.7 GHz (Northwood I think)
Motherboard - MSI MS-6577 v2.1
RAM - 1GB + 512MB (1GB +1GB max) DDR PC2700
PSU - Octigen 300W model 10270PSOTG ('upgraded' from original Bestec 250W PSU [in 2011?])
Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics card in AGP slot.
56K modem in PCI slot

 

Hi,

It would not be cheating to use 2x1gb sticks because your board only accepts up to 1gb per slot, so that is the correct type to buy. http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=D915GUX&Cat=RAM

@Dumb_Question, nice catch on the KTM8854 being DDR rather than DDR2.

DDR has 184 pins and DDR2 has 240 pins so I wouldn't be testing that KTM8854 stick in other slots as it could damage the slots and it won't work anyway.

 

I missed that the board only allows 1GB per slot - this would be why it didn't work with the 2GB DIMM, I'm surprised (and a bit puzzled) that I didn't notice that on the intel document.

I recognised the KTM8854 from my earlier perusals of ebay, so I'm familiar with it, it rang some bells and I know more about it than the Kingston website tells you currently (which isn't much...). I am also surprised I didn't remember that DDR won't physically fit into slots designed for DDR2 (so I beleive) so I don't how Can't come up with any got it into his board !

Dumb_Question
12.September.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A under XP/SP3 Home edition
Processor - Celeron 2.7 GHz (Northwood I think)
Motherboard - MSI MS-6577 v2.1
RAM - 1GB + 512MB (1GB +1GB max) DDR PC2700
PSU - Octigen 300W model 10270PSOTG ('upgraded' from original Bestec 250W PSU [in 2011?])
Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics card in AGP slot.
56K modem in PCI slot

 

Sorry about going MIA for so long guys.

I just realized the other night that the sticks weren't of the same shape, don't know how I missed that,lol. I do have quit a few sticks lying around. :hammer
That was a good catch Dumb_Question. I finally tried my 1g in the other 3 slots but puter freezes up. Screen goes haywire that I can barely read Windows logo.

Another odd thing that gvstn mentionned,

Funny thing is, I'm running a 2g stick right now.
Should have removed the 2g one, put the 1g in first slot, then tried the 2g one in the others. Don't know if that would make any difference.
Probably gonna try it this weekend.

Thanks guys

 

I have been away as well.
I hope you have got your system working now.
If not here are my clarified thoughts:
You have three DIMMs. From my understanding of these one is a DDR (DDR1) an so will not fit into your m/b. Another is a 2GB DIMM which according to the intel docment previously referenced concerning your m/b is not compatible either.

So you have only 1GB of memory that stands any stands any chance of working: KVR533D2N4/1G As this is Kingston generic memory, which is not guaranteed to function in any m/b, there is a chance that this won't work either. Of course you may have a chance that something nominally incompatible will actually work, as apparently you have found (were you just lucky in this case ?). Have you tested this DIMM ? How much memory does your system see ? It night be an idea tio use than system check program to verify that they all give the same results. But as I have stated above two of your modules are written up as being incompatible.

It may be that your 2GB DIMM is not compatiblr with 1GB DIMMs or some more subtle reason.

What gvstn wrote is perfectly correct, although somewhat oddly phrased (it would not be cheating...). I have given my best explanation as to why your 2GB DIMM works (possibly it is incorrectly labelled ?)

Dumb_Question
3.October.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A under XP/SP3 Home edition
Processor - Celeron 2.7 GHz (Northwood I think)
Motherboard - MSI MS-6577 v2.1
RAM - 1GB + 512MB (1GB +1GB max) DDR PC2700
PSU - Octigen 300W model 10270PSOTG ('upgraded' from original Bestec 250W PSU [in 2011?])
Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics card in AGP slot.
56K modem in PCI slot

What ther DDR2 memory have "lying around" ?

Your best bet is put what the manufacturer recommends for an upgrade, next find out what the appropriate mem p/n from corsair, crucial, kingston, mrmemory or another reputable supplier is and buy from them, or newegg, amazon, etc, next and perhaps cheapest is to buy appropriate p/n on ebay or somesuch. There may be other good courses of action which I have not suggested.

 

Thanks for the input Dumb_Question,
I just want to clarify that my puter's running great and detects 1.96g so that's fine. I just wanted to ad more RAM to give it a lil boost.

My mobo has 4 slots, one has a 2g which is fine. I tried the 1g(KVR533D2N4/1G) 1.8v in the 3 remaining slots, but the only result was a messed up screen and no function. I Should have removed the 2g one, put the 1g in first slot, then tried the 2g one in the others. Not sure if having the smaller of the RAM sticks first and the bigger one in the other slot(s) will do the trick. I remember something about the location of different sizes of RAM making a difference for the mobo's detection.

Thanks for all your advice, D_Q
Keep you all posted.

 

in my reading I sense that it it is said that usually you put the best DIMM in slot 1 (usually nearest the processor)

If you haven't already tried I reckon that the KVR533D2N4/1G will either not be recognised or it will disrupt your computers operation whereever you put it: but try and see, I would be interested to see the results.

Dumb_Question
4.October.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A under XP/SP3 Home edition
Processor - Celeron 2.7 GHz (Northwood I think)
Motherboard - MSI MS-6577 v2.1
RAM - 1GB + 512MB (1GB +1GB max) DDR PC2700
PSU - Octigen 300W model 10270PSOTG ('upgraded' from original Bestec 250W PSU [in 2011?])
Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics card in AGP slot.
56K modem in PCI slot