VA-503+ SIMM problem

[Guest]

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

Hope one of you gents can help me sort out a problem I'm having.
I'm not vastly experienced in hardware upgrades, but I've got the
FIC 503+ User Manual and get pretty stubborn about sticking to a
problem until I eventually reach a working solution; so here goes...

I've long wanted to up my RAM to the 512MB maximum, and so when
four 128Meg SIMM sticks came along I figured I would use them.
They arrived in the mail, packed two sticks per anti-static baggie,
but the trouble is that I can't get them to work!

Here's my current configuration:
VA-503+ 1.2A JE439
K6-2/350 CPU (running at speed, not O.C.ed)
One 128Meg DIMM stick @ 100MHz
ATI Rage128Pro in the AGP slot
Sound Blaster PCI audio card
SupraMax 56i PCI 56K modem
Plextor CD-R
ATAPI 40X CD-ROM
USB 1 riser installed (though not in use for anything)
One hard drive running Windows 98 (plugged with MP3s

That's it, nothing fancy I should think.

Here's what happens when I take out the DIMM and try
to use the SIMMs:
Filling both Bank 1 & Bank 2 produces a "RAM problem"
beep code and a black screen (it does not POST).

Filling just Bank 1 with 2 128 sticks gets me past
the POST screen (with the RAM passing parity check
and showing 256Megs or 262144, whatever) but then
the system freezes with a black screen and a blinking
cursor in the far upper left corner. (I am assuming that
all four sticks are okay, as either pairing has the same
result just described)

Before I began this experiment I was running the
JE4333 BIOS (in hopes of one day trying my hand at
O.C.ing a K6-III+ 450 I found on eBAY) but I had the
same results as above... obviously flashing to
JE439 didn't help me any... :-(

Anyone have an idea what the cause might be?

(BTW, I think I can guess the obvious answer of,
"Trade in your SIMMs for a couple of 256Meg DIMMs,
dude!" but the SIMMs are at hand and if there's a simple
solution I'd like to try that before throwing in the towel.)

Thanks!
-Al

 

[kyle]

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

There are some jumper changes required for this operation. The SIMMs
are most likely 66 MHz devices, not 100 MHz capable. Did you make the
appropriate jumper changes?

--
Best regards,
Kyle
"ABoretz" <ABoretz_diespamdiediedie@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2h0m61ptdpno81tvif6bh7ja2uo4mv2h60@4ax.com...
| Hope one of you gents can help me sort out a problem I'm having.
| I'm not vastly experienced in hardware upgrades, but I've got the
| FIC 503+ User Manual and get pretty stubborn about sticking to a
| problem until I eventually reach a working solution; so here goes...
|
| I've long wanted to up my RAM to the 512MB maximum, and so when
| four 128Meg SIMM sticks came along I figured I would use them.
| They arrived in the mail, packed two sticks per anti-static baggie,
| but the trouble is that I can't get them to work!
|
| Here's my current configuration:
| VA-503+ 1.2A JE439
| K6-2/350 CPU (running at speed, not O.C.ed)
| One 128Meg DIMM stick @ 100MHz
| ATI Rage128Pro in the AGP slot
| Sound Blaster PCI audio card
| SupraMax 56i PCI 56K modem
| Plextor CD-R
| ATAPI 40X CD-ROM
| USB 1 riser installed (though not in use for anything)
| One hard drive running Windows 98 (plugged with MP3s
|
| That's it, nothing fancy I should think.
|
| Here's what happens when I take out the DIMM and try
| to use the SIMMs:
| Filling both Bank 1 & Bank 2 produces a "RAM problem"
| beep code and a black screen (it does not POST).
|
| Filling just Bank 1 with 2 128 sticks gets me past
| the POST screen (with the RAM passing parity check
| and showing 256Megs or 262144, whatever) but then
| the system freezes with a black screen and a blinking
| cursor in the far upper left corner. (I am assuming that
| all four sticks are okay, as either pairing has the same
| result just described)
|
| Before I began this experiment I was running the
| JE4333 BIOS (in hopes of one day trying my hand at
| O.C.ing a K6-III+ 450 I found on eBAY) but I had the
| same results as above... obviously flashing to
| JE439 didn't help me any... :-(
|
| Anyone have an idea what the cause might be?
|
| (BTW, I think I can guess the obvious answer of,
| "Trade in your SIMMs for a couple of 256Meg DIMMs,
| dude!" but the SIMMs are at hand and if there's a simple
| solution I'd like to try that before throwing in the towel.)
|
| Thanks!
| -Al

 

[nobody]

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

Aren't there also voltage jumpers on this board? SIMMs are 5V whereas DIMMs are
3.3V and you could burn up DIMMs if you run them at SIMM voltages.


On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:31:21 -0500, "Kyle" <me@privacy.net> wrote:

>There are some jumper changes required for this operation. The SIMMs
>are most likely 66 MHz devices, not 100 MHz capable. Did you make the
>appropriate jumper changes?

 

[Guest]

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

The VA-503+ does not have a DIMM voltage jumper. At least, the one that
I worked with didn't. The VA-503+ supplies 3.3V only to the DIMM slots
and 5V only to the SIMM slots.

I have worked with or seen other motherboards that do have a DIMM
voltage jumper, though, like the PC Chips M571 and M572. There are some
ancient 5V EDO DIMMs floating around. As you say, put a standard 3.3V
DIMM module in a slot with the DIMM voltage set incorrectly, you will
fry the memory.

--Alex



nobody@nowhere.net wrote:
> Aren't there also voltage jumpers on this board? SIMMs are 5V whereas DIMMs are
> 3.3V and you could burn up DIMMs if you run them at SIMM voltages.
>
>
> On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:31:21 -0500, "Kyle" <me@privacy.net> wrote:
>
>
>>There are some jumper changes required for this operation. The SIMMs
>>are most likely 66 MHz devices, not 100 MHz capable. Did you make the
>>appropriate jumper changes?
>
>

 

[Guest]

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

On Tue, 03 May 2005 18:57:24 -0500, Alex Zorrilla <apz@zxeng.com>
wrote:

>The VA-503+ does not have a DIMM voltage jumper. At least, the one that
>I worked with didn't. The VA-503+ supplies 3.3V only to the DIMM slots
>and 5V only to the SIMM slots.
>
>I have worked with or seen other motherboards that do have a DIMM
>voltage jumper, though, like the PC Chips M571 and M572. There are some
>ancient 5V EDO DIMMs floating around. As you say, put a standard 3.3V
>DIMM module in a slot with the DIMM voltage set incorrectly, you will
>fry the memory.
>
>--Alex
>
>
>
>nobody@nowhere.net wrote:
>> Aren't there also voltage jumpers on this board? SIMMs are 5V whereas DIMMs are
>> 3.3V and you could burn up DIMMs if you run them at SIMM voltages.
>>
>>
>> On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:31:21 -0500, "Kyle" <me@privacy.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>There are some jumper changes required for this operation. The SIMMs
>>>are most likely 66 MHz devices, not 100 MHz capable. Did you make the
>>>appropriate jumper changes?
>>
>>

Thank you Alex and Kyle for your assitance!

When I got down to it ~ and saw how friggin' tight the jumper
placement was ~ I thought to myself, "Hmmm, will it be SIMMs
and a shitload of extra effort with questionable results... or
a couple of 256 MB PC100 DIMMs plonked in to replace
my current single 128MB DIMM with no voltage change
required?"

Aaaaand I've opted for the DIMM solution. Thankyouverymuch!
;-)


Appreciate your input, guys.
-A

 

[Guest]

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

Good move!!!

--Alex



ABoretz wrote:
> On Tue, 03 May 2005 18:57:24 -0500, Alex Zorrilla <apz@zxeng.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>>The VA-503+ does not have a DIMM voltage jumper. At least, the one that
>>I worked with didn't. The VA-503+ supplies 3.3V only to the DIMM slots
>>and 5V only to the SIMM slots.
>>
>>I have worked with or seen other motherboards that do have a DIMM
>>voltage jumper, though, like the PC Chips M571 and M572. There are some
>>ancient 5V EDO DIMMs floating around. As you say, put a standard 3.3V
>>DIMM module in a slot with the DIMM voltage set incorrectly, you will
>>fry the memory.
>>
>>--Alex
>>
>>
>>
>>nobody@nowhere.net wrote:
>>
>>>Aren't there also voltage jumpers on this board? SIMMs are 5V whereas DIMMs are
>>>3.3V and you could burn up DIMMs if you run them at SIMM voltages.
>>>
>>>
>>>On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:31:21 -0500, "Kyle" <me@privacy.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>There are some jumper changes required for this operation. The SIMMs
>>>>are most likely 66 MHz devices, not 100 MHz capable. Did you make the
>>>>appropriate jumper changes?
>>>
>>>
>
> Thank you Alex and Kyle for your assitance!
>
> When I got down to it ~ and saw how friggin' tight the jumper
> placement was ~ I thought to myself, "Hmmm, will it be SIMMs
> and a shitload of extra effort with questionable results... or
> a couple of 256 MB PC100 DIMMs plonked in to replace
> my current single 128MB DIMM with no voltage change
> required?"
>
> Aaaaand I've opted for the DIMM solution. Thankyouverymuch!
> ;-)
>
>
> Appreciate your input, guys.
> -A

 

[Guest]

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

In article <f8ql81tosrh0c2bjgmoi10pr4jmkjmmqrm@4ax.com>, ABoretz
<ABoretz_diespamdiediedie@yahoo.com> writes
>
>Thank you Alex and Kyle for your assitance!
>
>When I got down to it ~ and saw how friggin' tight the jumper
>placement was ~ I thought to myself, "Hmmm, will it be SIMMs
>and a shitload of extra effort with questionable results... or
>a couple of 256 MB PC100 DIMMs plonked in to replace
>my current single 128MB DIMM with no voltage change
>required?"
>
>Aaaaand I've opted for the DIMM solution. Thankyouverymuch!
>;-)

Oh how you bring back memories!
Those jumpers were *so* awkward, and they went right to left and the
markings were upside-down, and the whole lot were crammed together, not
to mention the CLK jumpers - fiddly!

It was all worth it mind - a wonderful motherboard.
--
Roger Hunt
RIP my 503+