Unbalanced RAM sticks

[nmX.Memnoch]

What is the model of that Dell?

I honestly don't remember. Next time I'm out there I'll use WinAudit or Everest to do up a report of the specs and specifics and answer your question then. Cheers.

Or you could just call her and ask her to read the model off the front of the machine.

[jcarle]

What is the model of that Dell?

I honestly don't remember. Next time I'm out there I'll use WinAudit or Everest to do up a report of the specs and specifics and answer your question then. Cheers.

Or you could just call her and ask her to read the model off the front of the machine.

Some older models also had the number on a sticker at the back of the machine.

[Jeremy]

Or you could just call her and ask her to read the model off the front of the machine.

Smartass.

[nmX.Memnoch]

Yeah, yeah. Better than being a dumbass though.

[RJARRRPCGP]

There's also the following issue:

If you use more than one stick of RAM, the OS may get corrupted. There's a chance of a BSOD.

Also, Windows may silently get corrupted, it's fine, then when you turn on the PC the next day, you get a crash and can't use Windows! The symptom may be a BSOD or it reboots over and over again at the Windows logo.

Ummmm... Corruption of the OS can be caused by MANY other things; the same goes for BSODs. If one of the two sticks is faulty, then yes, there is a chance of getting a BSOD. However, even if you only have one stick of RAM in your computer, there is still a chance of getting a BSOD if the RAM is faulty. I have four sticks of RAM in my home server (each one being 128MB) and it has never crashed on me; not a single BSOD. Motherboard manufacturers put more than one RAM slot on their boards for a reason: to upgrade! Where are you getting this information from?

Let me clarify.

After I added another 256 MB DDR SDRAM modules with the FSB at 133 mhz and the RAM timings at 2.5-3-3-7, which is a standard setting, to my trusty Asus A7V8X-X motherboard, which I gave to someone.

It seemed to be fine when I was configuring Windows XP Pro SP2 with it.

But days later, the owner complained about it repeatedly rebooting at the Windows XP logo!

Despite the above problem, Memtest 86 passed at least some loops. I didn't have the time to run Memtest86 for longer!

I never gotten another complaint after removing that 256 MB RAM module then restored an image that I made.

The issue is more likely to occur with newer motherboards. It seems that the memory controller gets strained or a VRM issue with newer motherboards.

That's despite they are made to be able to run at 133 mhz.

Thus, I'm puzzled, because I wasn't expecting Windows to throw a fit, because it wasn't even overclocked one little bit!

Edited May 13, 2007 by RJARRRPCGP

[jcarle]

Let me clarify.

After I added another 256 MB DDR SDRAM modules with the FSB at 133 mhz and the RAM timings at 2.5-3-3-7, which is a standard setting, to my trusty Asus A7V8X-X motherboard, which I gave to someone.

It seemed to be fine when I was configuring Windows XP Pro SP2 with it.

But days later, the owner complained about it repeatedly rebooting at the Windows XP logo!

Despite the above problem, Memtest 86 passed at least some loops. I didn't have the time to run Memtest86 for longer!

I never gotten another complaint after removing that 256 MB RAM module then restored an image that I made.

The issue is more likely to occur with newer motherboards. It seems that the memory controller gets strained or a VRM issue with newer motherboards.

That's despite they are made to be able to run at 133 mhz.

Thus, I'm puzzled, because I wasn't expecting Windows to throw a fit, because it wasn't even overclocked one little bit!

Could be a number of things. The stick of ram could be bad. The module could be incompatible with the motherboard. Conflicting timings could be an issue. And so on and so forth...

[nmX.Memnoch]

It certainly wasn't just because more than one stick of RAM was in the system.