Memory headachs

Ok so i baught new ram.

Geil Ultra Series
GL5123200DC
184-Pin DDR SDRAM 2x512MB DDR 400 (PC 3200) I installed the sticks and it was running fine, then booom it shut down and restarted and shut down and restarted etc etc.. I got this error message BCCode : 1000007f BCP1 : 0000000D BCP2 : 00000000 BCP3 : 00000000 BCP4 : 00000000 OSVer : 5_1_2600 SP : 2_0 Product : 256_1

So i took the ram out. I am testing in my buddys gateway. still waititng on parts to finish mine. so i am using his to test my parts, anyway i took it out and put his old 2x 256 sticks back in and no problems. so we took them out and stuck 1 of my sticks in. no problem. stick both back in it and it did it again.

Now i was mad. so i left and he continued to test the ram, to find ou wich one was bad if any. now he has both my 512's and his (2) 256 sticks in it and it is runnign fine he said. But he has the sticks in this order. my 512 in white slot, a 256 in white slot, my other 512 in black slot and 256 in a black slot. It is running fine like that.

As soon as you put both of my 512's in the white slots it crashes and restarts with the error message. ????? I am confused ?

Any help would be greatly aprectiated. just want to make sure my ram is good. sorry for the long post.

 

You should definitely test the ram with a ram testing utility such as memtest86+. You DL it, and burn the iso file to a cd, then boot from the cd - the test runs automatically. Testing the ram this way will give you a definitive answer as to which, if any, of the sticks are bad. Oh, and one other thing, test the sticks one at a time in the first memory slot.

Memtest86+ can be found here:
http://majorgeeks.com/Memtest86_d4226.html

 

Regardless of what memory mfrs. claim, not all brands or models of memory work well with all PCs, boards or processors (Having worked in retail PC parts sales, this was a daily topic with customers who had to return or exchange it).

Although Memtest is a great program, I have seen it give a "defective" reading on memory that simply didn't play nice with the specific PC. I validated this theory based on:

a. Pulling the "defective" memory, reinstalling it in different PC and retesting it with no errors.

b. Returning or exchanging the memory for the identical make/model and having the problems and "defective" Memtest results repeat themselves.

Your best bet is to return the Geil memory and try a different brand. Even if you get hit with a small restocking fee, it will be worth the time and headaches saved.

To increase your odds of getting memory that will work properly:

* Go to the PC or motherboard mfr's website and see if there is a list of "approved" memory that has been tested with your specific model. Try to buy that brand/model if possible.

* Read the user reviews (not just the "egg" ratings) on Newegg.com. They often flag incompatibility issues with certain memory/motherboard combinations or give a "thumbs up" based on use in the same make/model of PC you're working with.

Hope these tips help.