OS 32 & 1GBx3=3GB

Windows XP will support 3 GB of installed system RAM. No BIOS update needed. Just install the RAM in the system.

Actually it's not correct. The MB is V600DAP JetWay A04 12-03-03 with CPU Athlon XP 3200+.
The MB is recognizing the 1GBx3 RAM, but the OSes 32 as: Win XP sp3, Linux Mandriva 2008, Fedora 8 & Knopix can not load - blue message for Win XP &
Kernal panic for Linux.

But for 1gb+1gb+512mb all this OSes 32 are working perfectly.

What is your Opinion colleague?

Windows XP will recognize 3 GBs of system RAM.



I have the Athlon XP 3200 installed on an NF2 MB with XP for ten years. The 3200 barton is one of the few, if not the only Athlon XP CPU, to provided dual channel memory configuration. I use 2 x 512 in dual channel on my system. If your MB is not the NF2 chipset, it probably is not capable of dual channel memory configuration. There is no BIOS update that is available to allow 'more' total usable system RAM than the chipset is designed for. So, a BIOS update is not going to help you to use more system RAM than the chipset calls for. A BIOS update may make alterations to system RAM, but one of those alterations is not to allow 'more' system RAM installed on the chipset than it does now.



This has nothing to do with the BIOS. It has to do with the memory compatibility and the proper voltage, speed and timings being set in BIOS. It is possible your MB chipset will not support 1 x 3 GB system RAM, I am not familiar with your board. maybe 3 x 512 is the limit on supportable system RAM, I don't know that for sure. But whatever RAM you use must be compatible and set up properly.



A BIOS update is not going to fix the situation where 3 x 1GB will work.



Read the MB manual. It will be available online on the MB product page. Check the RAM specifications carefully.

From your MB manual.


This motherboard provides three 184-pin DUAL INLINE MEMORY MODULES (DIMM) sites for memory expansion available from minimum memory size of 64MB to maximum memory size of 3.0GB DDR SDRAM.



To install the system memory:


Valid Memory Configurations

Bank 184-Pin DIMM PCS Total Memory
Bank 0, 1 (DDR1) PC2100/PC2700/PC3200 DDR SDRAM X1 64MB~1.0GB
Bank 2, 3 (DDR2) PC2100/PC2700/PC3200 DDR SDRAM X1 64MB~1.0GB
Bank 4, 5 (DDR3) PC2100/PC2700/PC3200 DDR SDRAM X1 64MB~1.0GB
Total System Memory (Max. 3.0GB) 3 64MB~3.0GB



NOTE! Make sure the total installed memory does not exceed 3.0GB, otherwise the system may hang during startup.



Chipset supports 3 GB system memory, but only with the correct 'speed' modules. BIOS update has nothing to with the 'amount' of system RAM the board will support. The chipset dictates that fact. Even with the 3200 Barton, which is dual channel memory capable, the VIA KT600 chipset does not support dual channel memory configuration.


Generally speaking, installing DDR SDRAM modules to your motherboard is very easy, you can refer to figure 2-4 to see what a 184-Pin PC2100/PC2700/PC3200 DDR SDRAM module looks like.



NOTE! When you install DIMM modules fully into the DIMM sockets the eject tab should be locked into the DIMM modules firmly and fit to its indention on both sides.

WARNING! For the DDR SDRAM CLOCK is set at 166MHz, use only PC2700- compliant DDR Modules. When this motherboard operate at 133Mhz, most system will not even boot if non-compliant modules are used because of the strict timing issues, if your DDR Modules are not PC2100-compliant, set the DDR SDRAM clock to 100MHz to ensure system stability.

Thank you every body for helpful advises.

The real problem was in the Memory that I bought cheap on eBay.
The 2 chips was signed as DDR 1GB PC3200 2700 400MHz. They was not
compatible with my old ULTRA DDR 1GB PC3200 (before I used Ultra PC3200
1Gb+512+512). The play with the frequency cost me my old Barton Athlon XP 3200+. It crashed in 4 days playing. When I installed 3 Ultra DDR PC3200 (1+1+1) with an other Barton 3200+ to the same MB V600DAP all began working. Actualy, I forgot that I am not so rich to buy cheap.

I returned the RAM to the eBay seller and will search parts to assemble a new Work Station, because I have shortly to return the borrowed CPU & 2GB Ultra RAM. I used to the old Barton about 5 years. To buy an other Athlon XP that is to waste money now.

I didn't make the decision between AMD Phenom x4 940 & Intel Ci7 920.
The last 12 years I used only AMD. The difference in that PCs is about $350,
but I have to have a reliable multi target computer that I could use 3-4 years definitely.

Again thank you every body.
llayvant.

The real problem is that linx based Oses do use up most of the ram so whatever is left over is all you got for Windows.