Additional RAM proved fatal

[joshidm]

Good find! Does say 256MB max DIMMs though. These also would need to be
low density

Evidently it was stupid on my part to assume that machine can take
more memory, but wonder why the motherboard is given with 4 slots.

I have one Deskpro machine with all 4 slots filled, together making up
128mb ram. There I never thought of getting additional memory.

 

[joshidm]

If you can see a 512MB I guess the 512 one is OK. the other two are total of
256 (2*128)
I guess the 128 ines are much older and much slower so in any case I advice
you to keep the 512 one only, if it works OK.

As you would have gathered by now nothing works and in fact it was 512
that has killed the machine.

 

[Pen]

Evidently it was stupid on my part to assume that machine can take
more memory, but wonder why the motherboard is given with 4 slots.

I have one Deskpro machine with all 4 slots filled, together making up
128mb ram. There I never thought of getting additional memory.

You can have 1GB of ram, but no more than 256MB per slot. The problem is
that they must be low density, which is hard to get now days. However,
it's now academic as apparently the mobo is now trashed.

 

[JAD]

No. I tried out as Mike Walsh had suggested.
It gives out 2 kinds of sounds, one with no stick in and that sound
goes on repeating till I power off the machine. Second sound with any
of 3 sticks in any of 4 slots and that sound is given out just once.

Ok then Josh as Mike said It looks ...not too good.
so no post -no clear cmos warning- no nothing......crap ;^(
inspect the slots for physical damage/ and capacitor damage...bulging tops/ leaking from
the things that look like silos (cylinders coming up from the board) maybe you pushed one
over the edge

reseat all expansion cards and/or go the route of benching the board (or remove all
peripherals) and fire up with Power supply- CPU -1 stick of the 128 -and video. No hard
drive -floppy- CDs etc.

Good luck

 

[JAD]

Evidently it was stupid on my part to assume that machine can take
more memory, but wonder why the motherboard is given with 4 slots.

memory comes in many version sizes. So 4 slots with 64mb modules can be done or in your
case it seems you can have 4x 256mb(max) modules. This may not be possible without a bios
update or sometimes a mainboard just wont run with all 4 slots filled, for reasons of poor
design, chipset problems.

 

[kony]

No. I tried out as Mike Walsh had suggested.
It gives out 2 kinds of sounds, one with no stick in and that sound
goes on repeating till I power off the machine. Second sound with any
of 3 sticks in any of 4 slots and that sound is given out just once.

Unplug AC power and use the clear CMOS jumper. Check the
battery voltage. Put ONE, 128MB module in the first memory
slot and retry it. On the off chance that module was killed
by ESD damage, unplug AC then swap it with the other one,
128MB and retry it again.

Your board may be subject to faulty capacitors. Inspect
them for vented tops, particularly those behind the CPU
slot.

 

[joshidm]

Unplug AC power and use the clear CMOS jumper.

I know of jumper only on hard disks.

Check the
battery voltage.

Someone listning to 2 kinds of beeps (machine gives out, one when
there is no RAM module is in any of 4 slots, and another when either
kinds of module is in any of four slots) asked me to check button
battery by touching it with tongue. It was stinging.

Put ONE, 128MB module in the first memory
slot and retry it. On the off chance that module was killed
by ESD damage, unplug AC then swap it with the other one,
128MB and retry it again.

Your board may be subject to faulty capacitors. Inspect
them for vented tops, particularly those behind the CPU
slot.

Capacitators are I believe small cylinders with top covered.
There 8 of them with top in white etched K on it. These are between
CPU and backside of machine, and are lightblue casing, similar 2 are
near RAM slot next to power supply. There is one small such cylinder
with top white of it etched with + on it behind CPU. Casing of this
one is black. There are 17 of these on motherboard.

I see no top of any of these having lifted.

 

[Conor]

Evidently it was stupid on my part to assume that machine can take
more memory, but wonder why the motherboard is given with 4 slots.

I have one Deskpro machine with all 4 slots filled, together making up
128mb ram. There I never thought of getting additional memory.

You said you bought your memory from Crucial if I remember correctly.
Give them a phone up and see if they'll swap the RAM for some that's
compatible now you know the motherboard model number. Crucial have an
excellent customer service.

 

[kony]

I know of jumper only on hard disks.

Then search the manual for one on the motherboard, clear
CMOS. If you can't find it, remove the battery for 10
minutes while AC power remains disconnected.

Someone listning to 2 kinds of beeps (machine gives out, one when
there is no RAM module is in any of 4 slots, and another when either
kinds of module is in any of four slots) asked me to check button
battery by touching it with tongue. It was stinging.

It is not safe to do that to this type of battery. I mean
safe for the battery. Unlike a 9V cell which has wide
spaces and large terminals, a coin cell has a very tight
tolerance and thin insulator, you many have shorted out the
battery with saliva until it had ran down too low. I
suggest rechecking the battery now with a voltmeter or
multimeter to confirm it still retains sufficient charge,
voltage.


You might also use a strong light and inspect the memory
module contacts and the contacts in the motherboard memory
slots. If the machine is very dirty inside, it may have
fouled the contacts, they might be cleaned with a
non-residue, spray contact cleaner (but if system is very
dusty or dirty, it may need generally cleaned out _before_
using a contact cleaner, otherwise the cleaner will just
make a mess and could still leave dirty residue on
contacts).

If all else fails, try the memory in another system or other
memory in that one. Lots of new things can happen if memory
was handled unsafely, or if the board had developed cold
solder joints after being flexed from repeated insertions of
memory modules.

 

[joshidm]

You said you bought your memory from Crucial if I remember correctly.
Give them a phone up and see if they'll swap the RAM for some that's
compatible now you know the motherboard model number. Crucial have an
excellent customer service.

I can do that but right now the problem is machine not booting even
with original 128 module alone in any of 4 slots.

 

[Conor]

I can do that but right now the problem is machine not booting even
with original 128 module alone in any of 4 slots.

Get hold of a fibreglass tip pen from Maplin:

http://tinyurl.com/2u5b2m

Remove all expansion cards and RAM.

Clean all the slots thoroughly using this pen.

Remove the CPU and replace it.

Replace the graphics card and one stick of RAM.

See if the computer now starts. If it does, add hardware one bit at a
time, making sure that the computer still boots. The final bit of
hardware to add is the hard drive.


Over time, corrosion builds up between the pins on RAM and expansion
cards and the slots they sit in. Unused slots get a layer of dust on
them. Sometimes you find that this can result in the symptoms you're
having when you disturb the computer after a long period to install
some additional hardware. Simply fitting the wrong type of RAM will not
kill a motherboard.

The pen costs just over £5.

 

[larry moe 'n curly]

512MB RAM that created the trouble (having bought it for total of
£57.56) is
CT64M64S4D7E
http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/partspecs.aspx?imodule=CT64M64S4D7E

on it written I see "133MHz CL2"

On each of its 8 chips is written

0634 4 - 2
MT 48LC32M8A2
P -7E D

One side embossed is
0209 C
This one is Singapore made.

Two 128mb ram are identical
On each of their 8 chips is written

Your Intel 440BX-type mobo needs modules that are PC100-compatible,
and most PC133 modules aren't. Normally, 8-chip 128MB modules will
work fine in your mobo, but some contain 32Mb x 4 chips rather than
the more common 16Mb x 8 chips, and your mobo will see only half their
full capacity. But I've never experienced damage by using modules
with 32Mb x N chips with any mobo, including my old Soyo 440BX, which
I've run with 768MB.

Is it possible that your power supply has lost one of its voltages,
like the +5.0V or +3.3V? Because if the +3.3V failed, the fans and
HDs should still spin, but without +5.0V, only the fans should spin.
The +5.0V is for the CPU, and the +3.3V may be used for the DRAM,
although some mobos power the DRAM through from the +5.0V by passing
it through an onboard +3.3V voltage regulator. On my Soyo that
regulator ran very hot, like 90C.

Some wierd mobos won't run at all without a good battery installed.

 

[joshidm]

I can do that but right now the problem is machine not booting even
with original 128 module alone in any of 4 slots.

Get hold of a fibreglass tip pen from Maplin:

http://tinyurl.com/2u5b2m

Remove all expansion cards and RAM.

Clean all the slots thoroughly using this pen.

Remove the CPU and replace it.

Replace the graphics card and one stick of RAM.

See if the computer now starts. If it does, add hardware one bit at a
time, making sure that the computer still boots. The final bit of
hardware to add is the hard drive.

Over time, corrosion builds up between the pins on RAM and expansion
cards and the slots they sit in. Unused slots get a layer of dust on
them. Sometimes you find that this can result in the symptoms you're
having when you disturb the computer after a long period to install
some additional hardware. Simply fitting the wrong type of RAM will not
kill a motherboard.

The pen costs just over £5.

--
Conor

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright
until you hear them speak.........[/QUOTE]

Belated thanks Conor,

Was waiting for someone more experienced to sit by my side.

As somebody will be in a weeks time I have bought the pencil and even
a fresh Coin Battry CR2032.

Will post results here.