Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.abit (More info?)

I apologize in advance for any english mistake in that post.

Just received 3 brand new Corsair memory sticks i ordered from a
canadian web site.

Corsair model #: VS256MB133A

The 3 sticks are 256MB cas3 pc-133 labeled as "Value Select"...and
SINGLE SIDED yeah as i just found out!!! They carry what very looks
like an authentic "Corsair Value Select" label on the stick's memory
chips and are well packed. Corsair memory, even single sided can't be
cheap, right ?

Problem: My BE6-2 only sees half the 256MB(Bios and Win XP pro).

Corsair's web site has a "Memory guide" tool that recommends the best
Corsair memory stick for your motherboard. The tool's recommendation
for the "BF6" is the very same VS256MB133A. The tool doesn't has any
of the BE6-2 in it's database, but since the BF6 and the BE6-2 are
twins, i assumed the tool's recommendation for the BF6 had to fit to
the BE6-2 as well, so i felt safe and ordered the VS256MB133A sticks.

Question 1. Is there a Bios setting (or OS tweak) in the BE6-2
v1.0(beh70) and/or the BF6 that can fix my problem. I don't see one
but i ask before going to my first ever RMA procedures.

The web site i bought from is NOT an "Authorized Reseller" as Corsair
defines it (listed in their website at the time of purchase).

Question 2. Should there be no Bios setting (or OS tweak) to fix the
problem, do i have a RMA case? Is Corsair a tough company to RMA to?

After running into the problem, i made more search and found that the
problem seems to be the VS256MB133A not being "double sided" memory. It
has 8 chips on just one side of the stick.

Neither Corsair's tool nor BE6-2's manual warns against the half
capacity recognition problem at all.

RMA tips are welcomed.

Thank's in advance.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.abit (More info?)

"Steve N" <jokerteck@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1119342818.475926.61580@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> I apologize in advance for any english mistake in that post.
>
> Just received 3 brand new Corsair memory sticks i ordered from a
> canadian web site.
>
> Corsair model #: VS256MB133A
>
> The 3 sticks are 256MB cas3 pc-133 labeled as "Value Select"...and
> SINGLE SIDED yeah as i just found out!!! They carry what very looks
> like an authentic "Corsair Value Select" label on the stick's memory
> chips and are well packed. Corsair memory, even single sided can't be
> cheap, right ?

What's cheap and what's proper are two different things.

You have the wrong memory for a BX motherboard, which
can recognize a maximum of 128MB per logical bank. If
each of your dimms is organized into one bank of 256MB
instead of two banks of 128MB, nothing will fix the problem
except to swap the memory.

These dimms will definitely work:
http://www.crucial.com/store/PartS [...] 32M64S4D7E


> Problem: My BE6-2 only sees half the 256MB(Bios and Win XP pro).
>
> Corsair's web site has a "Memory guide" tool that recommends the best
> Corsair memory stick for your motherboard. The tool's recommendation
> for the "BF6" is the very same VS256MB133A. The tool doesn't has any
> of the BE6-2 in it's database, but since the BF6 and the BE6-2 are
> twins, i assumed the tool's recommendation for the BF6 had to fit to
> the BE6-2 as well, so i felt safe and ordered the VS256MB133A sticks.
>
> Question 1. Is there a Bios setting (or OS tweak) in the BE6-2
> v1.0(beh70) and/or the BF6 that can fix my problem. I don't see one
> but i ask before going to my first ever RMA procedures.
>
> The web site i bought from is NOT an "Authorized Reseller" as Corsair
> defines it (listed in their website at the time of purchase).
>
> Question 2. Should there be no Bios setting (or OS tweak) to fix the
> problem, do i have a RMA case? Is Corsair a tough company to RMA to?
>
> After running into the problem, i made more search and found that the
> problem seems to be the VS256MB133A not being "double sided" memory. It
> has 8 chips on just one side of the stick.
>
> Neither Corsair's tool nor BE6-2's manual warns against the half
> capacity recognition problem at all.
>
> RMA tips are welcomed.
>
> Thank's in advance.
>

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.abit (More info?)

"Steve N" <jokerteck@hotmail.com> wrote in message...
> Just received 3 brand new Corsair memory sticks i ordered from a
> canadian web site.
>
> Corsair model #: VS256MB133A
>
> The 3 sticks are 256MB cas3 pc-133 labeled as "Value Select"...and
> SINGLE SIDED yeah as i just found out!!!

Oops.

> Problem: My BE6-2 only sees half the 256MB(Bios and Win XP pro).

Indeed.

> ...since the BF6 and the BE6-2 are twins, i assumed the tool's
> recommendation for the BF6 had to fit to the BE6-2 as well,

Correct.

> Question 1. Is there a Bios setting (or OS tweak) in the BE6-2
> v1.0(beh70) and/or the BF6 that can fix my problem.

No. This is not something that can be fixed at BIOS or OS level. The 440BX
chipset can only access a maximum of 128MB per bank (i.e. each side of a
DIMM) of memory. This is a hardware issue and not something you can change.

> The web site i bought from is NOT an "Authorized Reseller" as
> Corsair defines it (listed in their website at the time of purchase).

Oops. Hopefully this won't be an issue, but the point remains that even
though the fault here seems to be with Corsair's memory configurator
utility, the actual contract is between you and the reseller, so you should
probably contact them for a return in the first instance.

> Question 2. Should there be no Bios setting (or OS tweak) to fix
> the problem, do i have a RMA case?

You definitely have a valid reason to return the memory. As mentioned tho
it's the reseller you should return it to rather than go straight to
Corsair.

> Neither Corsair's tool nor BE6-2's manual warns against the half
> capacity recognition problem at all.

The BE6-II's manuals were written at a time when quad density DIMMs didn't
exist, largely explaining the lack of specific mention of this issue.
Corsairs tool certainly should know about it tho.
--


Richard Hopkins
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
(replace nospam with pipex in reply address)

The UK's leading technology reseller www.dabs.com

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.abit (More info?)

Hi Richard,

Good to see you're still here and still providing the light. Good for you
mate. Should you ever disappear, I'll know its definitely time to jump the
Abit ship.

Ron

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.abit (More info?)

> Perhaps we need a new special educational needs category... Risibility
> Deficiency?
>
> Patrick
>
> <patrickp@5acoustibop.co.uk> - take five to email me...

Agreed.

Edukashen Edukashen Edukashen!

Ron.