Thinkpad 600E memory upgrade issue

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Hi,

I've been bringing an old Thinkpad 600E (model 2645-AAU) slowly up to
speed like it was an old Chevy. New battery, updated BIOS (INET36WW),
Windows XP Pro - so far so good. But I've hit a glitch with adding new
memory.

From what I've read on IBMs web site this particular model should
accept two 256MB PC100 SDRAM SoDIMMs. Hedging my bets, I bought both
two 256MB DIMMs and two 128MB DIMMs. Good thing too. The 128MB DIMMs
work fine.

With the 256MB DIMMs - either just one or both installed - the same
thing happens on start up: The Thinkpad splash page appears, the memory
is properly recognized and totalled up in the top left corner, and then
everything stops. The speakers don't beep but they make a quick series
of maybe a dozen clicks - "brrrrrrrr". (On normal startup it makes one
loud beep before loading the OS.) Holding down the F1 key on startup
doesn't open the configuration menu.

(Also of note the laptop also starts OK if I put the old memory back, or
if both DIMM slots are empty using just the 32MB built-in memory.)

Any ideas? I can live with just the two 128MB DIMMs, but the two cost
the same as the two 256MB DIMMs, so...

Thanks in Advance!

Chris O.

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

JHEM wrote:

>
> Sounds like you've got the wrong memory, either PC133 or hi-density.
>
>

That's the culprit - it's hi-density (who knew? Not me obviously.) Note
at the site I bought it at the lo-density version costs *twice as much*
- go figure.

Thanks Again!

Chris O.