New RAM in Pre-built PC - Won't Boot

mdemint

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Jun 7, 2013
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10,510
I am upgrading a Lenovo PC I bought from Tigerdirect a few years ago... not sure which model, but it looks like the H520 albeit an older model. I do know the motherboard and other hardware info.

Motherboard: Lenovo CIH55CV
Chipset: Intel Havendale/Clarkdale Host Bridge Rev 18
Southbridge: Intel H55 Rev 06
BIOS version D6KT15A

The RAM that was installed was 2x Sharetronic 2Gb, DDR3 1333, PC3-10666, 9-9-9-24. Additional info that I've gotten from RAMMon:

tCK: 1.500
tAA: 13.125
tRCD: 13.125
tRP: 13.125
tRAS: 36.000
tRRD: 6.000
tRC: 49.125
tRFC: 110.00

I am trying to install 8Gb of:
ADATA AD3U1333C4G9-DRH Premier Series Desktop Memory Kit - 8GB (2x 4GB), PC3-10600, DDR3-1333MHz, 240-pin DIMM, CL9, 1.5V, Non-ECC, Unbuffered

The issue I'm having is that the computer freezes at the Lenovo splash screen where it says press F1 for BIOS, F12 to change boot settings.

I understand that the BIOS is locked and that I can't change RAM timings or voltages. Can anyone help me figure out how to get this RAM working? I have 4x 4Gb sticks of this... if I install one stick, it will boot. When I install two sticks it won't.

Additional information: I did upgrade the psu. The one that came with was only 180W... the new one is 320W (I upgraded the videocard as well).


***Update: It does appear that this may be the Lenovo H320, which is listed as only supporting 8gb max RAM... I assume that also means it should only support a max of 2gb per DIMM.
 

DocTony

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Jun 14, 2013
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10,510
My compliments to CIN 19 on providing info on the "compact" Lenovo PC and a URL citation for further mobo specs. I only use this machine as a "back-up" because this particular model uses a non standard [size wise] power supply and a paltry 180 watts max power with exactly TWO connections coming out of the non standard size PS, one for the hard drive and the other for the DVD/CD player. That's it! There is not a single wire extra to even piggy back [or substitute an updated plug, example, extra 4 or 6 or 8 pin DC power for a upgrade to a decent external video card versus the on-board video chip the computer comes with. Even if it did have extra PS wires for today's upscale video cards which 'require' additional DC power, with 180 watts, it's far too low to run any of the more powerful watt hungry video cards. Strange .. when I bought it brand new some years ago it had an Anatel router connection gizmo built in [!] [taking up about an inch and half slot on the mobo and, other than that mini slot, there is only one other normal size PCI-E slot for an external video card] along with a dual wired external antenna for the two male receptacles and it connected to my home network [now] Belkin 750 router without any problem once I typed in the router security code. I didn't care for this "compact" model with its non standard size PS and to get to the HD [I use a 1 TB SATA drive on it now] you have to do some 'surgery' to get to it as the internal DVD/CD is in the way [and which operates vertically in this "compact" computer] and sits on top of the HD with its 3 screws and push to release housing. Give me a roomy tower system anytime! As CIN 19 stated, it can handle 8 GB's of memory but you MUST use 2 GB sticks! The machine will reject a 4 GB stick and will fail to start if it doesn't have 2 GB memory sticks [1333, DDR3]. The built in CPU fan is barely adequate to do the job of cooling the CPU [in my machine, a 3.20 gig CPU] and, get this, often the CPU fan will not even begin to turn until the O/S [I use Win 7, 64 bit] starts! As I said, I keep it around as a "back-up" machine and for extended word processing. --- DocTony