Problems with RAM. Win2k problem??

[Pendragon 0]

Ok here the thing.

My computer has 128MB Ram and a MS6169 Athlon Motherboard. Whenever I try to install new ram, in this case 128MB more, Windows crashes sometimes with an error saying something about MEMORY DUMP FAILED AT ADDRESS 1231231451"##!%#!% Whatever!!! I tried all kinds of RAM also one the excact same as the one I have now but nothing works!

It's the same thing over and over again. This error also occured on my old PC and that is whats puzzling me. Is it a motherboard config. or something???

Please help.

Thanks.

[ByronT 0]

One of the easiest ways to test RAM chips is by switching the order of the RAM chips. I've had machines where 64MB was installed with 2 32MB chips and errors only happened when one of the chips was installed in the first slot. After spending some money on some diagnostic hardware and software, I indeed found that one chip was bad.

 

What does the above mean for you? To see if the issue is motherboard or memory related, you need to eliminate one item from the overall equation. You have 128MB RAM that seems to be working (either 1 128MB DIMM or 2 64MB DIMMS.) Well, pull out the functioning memory and put in the memory that you were going to add. If it works without problems, then it might be the slot that the extra memory pops into or some other motherboard issue. Without removing the previous memory, try putting back into the motherboard the original memory. If it fails, then you most likely have a bad motherboard or there is a conflict between the type of memory - did you mix ECC memory with non-ECC memory or mix buffered memory with non-buffered memory?

 

In terms of just testing the memory, you won't have much luck finding someone with the right equipment - either hardware or software. The hardware for testing DIMMS runs in the $3K-$10K range. Software testing is usually substantially cheaper (my testing software cost around $500) but to fully test 32MB RAM, it takes approximately a week (yes, a full week) - even on a fast system. (The software changes each bit in the chip in sequence and after changing a bit will check the entirety of the rest of the chip to ensure that no other bits changed - this type of testing results in exponential testing times... the larger the memory, the longer the test.)

 

I just noticed that you said "crashes sometimes..." The key to finding what the problem is: finding out what is common between the "sometimes" that the computer crashed. What programs are running, what services are running, etc. Also check the event logs under Administrative Tools in the Control Panel. It may not be hardware - but then again, it may be.

 

Happy Troubleshooting.... (what I do for a living...)

 

Regards...

 

------------------

J. Byron Todd

Computer Consultant

byron@toddcomp.com

Todd Computer Solutions

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by ByronT (edited 10-12-1999).]

[bkehoe 0]

While installing Win2k RC3 on one of my systems with a MSI-6167 board (Athlon 550) I got memory errors also.

 

It worked fine on the Athlon 600 with the same board, but different system, so I messed around in the BIOS for a while. I decided to clock the memory back to, I think, CAS AND TAS 3. The 600 has PC-133 SDRAM, while the 550 had PC-100 RAM, and clocking the ram back to default fixed the problem..

 

Brendan

[YuppieScum 0]

Regarding memory testing - go to your local computer fair. Most will have at least one stand with a real-live hardware memory tester.

 

The guys I used to go to would test all the memory they sold right in front of you, and they would test and ID memory bought from other stands, or even stuff you bought with you, for a couple of quid.

[antrant 0]

memory errors, bad ram, hardware testers?

 

WHAT THE HELL IS MY COMPUTER DOING EVERYTIME IT BOOTS UP THEN?!?!!?

 

It tests the ram. one megabyte, two megabytes, three mebagytes all the way up to 192 (my current ammount). Then it's done, and moves on.

 

Is this some kind of a bust? Is it a con? Something funny the engineers thought consumers would like to have on their bootup sessions? Alien technology man never understood? etc..

 

I remeber an old friend of mine used to laugh at how my brand new LX mainboard tested the RAM every time it booted up and called it "ancient technology, my Amiga 1200 don't do that HAH etc."

 

So I just wonder... Is the always-there memory test at bootup actually useless? Just giving the owner lots of troubles when the last place he'll troubleshoot for errors is the RAM. Hey, it's tested at every boot, nothing is wrong with my RAM!

 

uhm... get my drift?

 

[YuppieScum 0]

Have you got any kind of "Quick Boot" option enabled in your BIOS?

 

If so, all that happens is that your memory is "sized", not tested.

 

Even if not, the POST of memory is not exhustive. It will not detect soft errors, no will it detect memory that is thermally unstable.

[ByronT 0]

Yuppie is right. The reading of memory when booting up is really only checking the amount of memory there. I've seen it catch bad memory maybe once in every fifty times that the memory is actually bad.

 

The worst kind of memory errors are the thermal ones, since they don't even show up until the machine has been running for a while and the memory then gets accessed. That's why even hardware testers sometimes don't do a good job, because they can test in such a hurry that the memory never reaches the temperature at which it fails. It's also the reason that though I can't stand the time it takes for my testing program to run, I can at least guarantee that the memory is good.

 

Regards...

 

PS. I was just wondering. The other day, I noticed that "Senoir Member" showed up beneath my name, though now it's back to "Member." What's the difference and how's it determined? Just wondering...

[Pendragon 0]

Ok... Here the thing. Thanks for the replies btw.!

I have tried everything everybody tells me to do.. Before I posted this message in the first place. I tried shifting around my memory blocks (alone - it's 2 128MB RAM block - they work fine! but together... Thats were the trouble starts!).

It's random places the errors occur, sometimes when accessing a subfolder in the Explorer or when I click an icon... It's seems very strange and if I can't get this damn thing to work I'll go mad! Think about it! I have 128MB of memory just lying around used only to collect dust! I hope you can understand my frustration.

[ByronT 0]

Sounds like you've got a fun one on your hands...

 

Everything that you're telling us is pointing us to the memory. But it could be that the motherboard slot is bad... possibly it's even a motherboard issue. Do you have any way to drop the memory into another machine?

 

What I would do is another thing though... But I have some specialized software tools to do it, and you might not. If you're planning on working on computers for a living, you might want to go ahead and invest (yes, invest - good tools cost good money)in some specialized software. A company called Data Depo makes some exceptional hardware testing products. (They are located at http://www.datadepo.com ) They produce a standalone package called WhatMEM that will find all memory errors - even ones you didn't know you had. Of course, it might take a while for the tests to run.

 

Good luck (happy troubleshooting...)

[Pendragon 0]

Ok thanks! I'll try and fiddle around with this problem a bit more but thats it... I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens but I hope you can understand why I'm so frustrated. About the software, I'll see if I can't find anything shareware first since I'm very cheap (Just kidding!) but since I live in Denmark I'd probably have to go through all kinds of stuff to get that software, so for now it's hunting at Tucows!

Thanks for the help!