Video card and RAM trouble.

[Team929]

I got a complicated, and weird, problem so I'll try to be concise. I'm writing this post here becuase I'm running Windows XP and am REALLY stumped.

HISTORY.

I had a problem with my video card(Radeon VE, RV100 QY 32mg SDR or something like that). The problem was that I could not find it listed ANYWHERE for a driver, at the ATI site and the site of the 3rd party mfg. SO I went and bought another card, a Radeon 8500 64mg. I'm not in love with the company, just that it was a used one(meaning cheap) and the place I bought it from was reputable in the area I live in.

WHAT I DID.

I switched the cards and added the new drivers.

PROBLEM.

My comp specs BEFORE the new card:

P4 1.5/128sdram/32sdr vram/win xp

my comp specs AFTER the new card:

P4 1.5/64sdram/64ddr vram/win xp

STUMPED.

How can my ram DECREASE!?!?!?!? just by adding a new card? I thought it might be that there might be a conflict with the new card but the system took it with no problem, and that my 128ram is one chip, so how can it just decrease?

WHAT I'VE DONE.

1. reinstalled drivers for EVERYTHING.

2. checked for any conflicts or anything out of the ordinary.

3. checked a lot of forums and sites to see if there were any similar problems..... nothing.

4. reinstalled windows and everything else.

5. still stumped.

SYMTOMS.

The computer is a bit sluggish, acting like it IS running with 64 ram instead of 128. lots of cpu activity when running a game, even to the point of unplayable(the game is empire earth which was newly installed). graphics is MUCH better than the previous card. The internet is negligably slower than before.

I would greatly appreciate if anyone could alleviate my situation... If someone could just tell me even why my RAM halved I would be happy. I'm just another joe who can handle his own(not an expert) regarding computers but this I am totally clueless. I know of instances where memory halves when there is a conflict in hardware but isn't that if you have more than one ram chip? or maybe not.. I dunno. I'm going mad............

Thanks in advance to all.

[Drewdatrip]

From what you have explained, there should be no software issuses casuing ram to not register. the only thing that i can think of is that while you were installing the new vid card, u bumped, or some how disloged the ram from its banks.

Even if they look ok, take them out and reseat them back in the orginal spots u took them from..and restart....see if that helps at all

=Drew

[Team929]

Thanks for your reply drew. But the problem is fixed.

I would like to say that it was me who fixed it but sadly the computer fixed itself on its own. This is probably the weirdest thing to happen to any of my computers.

What happened was that ever since yesterday, I've been rummaging(spell?) around my comp to fix it somehow software wise and have rebooted the comp about 100 times since yesterday. I went out today and came back at night and started the comp and suddenly WHAM!!! its back to normal, nice quick start up, no sluggish feeling at all and the system info is all correct. I guess the hardware just needed time to get to know each other a little, like when you add a secondary HD and sometimes its sluggish for a day or two.

[FthrJACK]

this is wierd.. it definatley sounds like you have a lose connection someplace!

hope it stays ok Team.

And Welcome to the board!