Gateway Monterrey Motherboard/Memory Problem

[jsmith56]

I have a Gateway (Intel) monterrey MB in my wifes old system with a 1.5 GHz 423 pin Intel processor. I have been running two 512 MB and Two 128 MB PC800, 45ns, ECC memory sticks (1.2 GB configuration) in it for a long time with no problems. I recently purchased two Elpida PC800, 45ns, ECC chips to replace the 128 MB chips to bring me up to a full 2GB.

When I install the Elpida sticks in the system and turn the computer on the CPU fan spins up for a second or two, and then stops along with everything else..like power is shut off. No beeps or errors and nothing ever comes up on the screen.

I have run the Elpida chips in the 1.2 GB configurations with no problems. I have also mixed the Elpida and Samsung together in the 1.2 GB configuration with no problem. It just seems to choke in the 2 GB configuration when all four 512 MB sticks are in the board.

The board specs say it can run 2 GB of memory. I have checked the Ram compatibility and both sticks have been test and are list as compatible with the MB. I have installed the latest Bios on the MB.

Link to MB specs: http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/INTEL/2510651/251065133.shtml

Memory Sticks:
Elpida: MC-4R512FKE8D-845A
Samsung: MR18R16GAF0-CK8Q0

I also checked the specs on these before I bought them and they looked 100% compatible.

I went online with Gateway tech support and that was a joke. They don't even have a basic understanding of the mother board and the 850 chip set. He told me to talk to Intel. Of Course Intel won't talk to me because it's an OEM board and they point me back to Gateway.

Bye the way, you may be asking why keep putting money into this old gateway. Well the wife took it upon herself to upgrade to Vista. Vista is a memory hog and all she does is browse the web and sync her IPod to here ITunes. So I was hoping to give her a little more memory to speed things up a notch.

So, does anyone out there have any suggestions on what I can do? beside thowing out the Gateway and never buying another one again.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[g-paw]

Really don't have an answer rather than going back to the working configuration, there is a point when we should quit while we're ahead. I'm absolutely amazed Vista runs on this machine. I'd either offer it to Microsoft as proof you don't need to upgrade your hardware to run Vista, send it to the Smithsonian, or send it to Ripley's Believe It or Not.

 

[PotGoblin]

here a good little flow chart for you for diagnosing -

http://www.fonerbooks.com/cpu_ram.htm

btw if you ever need spare parts for old gateway systems at a cheaper price check this place out - http://www.skyline-eng.com/

 

[rammedstein]

so let me get my head around this, you have 3 stick, 2 512 and 1 128, you try to replace the 128 with 1 1024 or 2 512? either way, have you tried a partial upgrade to 1.5gb? or even if it is a 4 slot mobo, 1.78bg?

 

[bsfisher]

Did you ever get this fixed? I'm doing the same type of upgrade on my DELL 8200 only I have 2x256=512 and want to add another GIG in the other two slots 2x512 for a 1.5GB total of a 2GB MAX

Did you mix up your new sticks? or do you think you have bad sticks?
Let me know how you came out

My Dell docs says this:

NOTICE: If you remove your original memory modules from the computer during a memory upgrade, keep them separate from any new modules that you may have, even if the new modules were purchased from Dell. Your original memory modules must be installed as a pair in either connectors RIMM1 and RIMM 2 or RIMM 3 and RIMM4. Do not pair one original memory module with one new memory module in connectors RIMM1 and RIMM2 or RIMM3 and RIMM4. Otherwise, your computer may not start properly.