Need help on PC2100... Stupid Question

G

Guest

Guest
I just bought a new MB and AMD +1800

The MB came with 4 total Dim slots, 2 for PC2100, and 2 for PC133.

I bought 1 stick of PC2100 (stupidly, without researching) and put this together with the MB and proc.

First boot no video but the Optical Mouse lit up...

I moved the PC2100 to slot 2

Second boot got video, memory registered, but couldn't install and OS because an error always occured.

Took out the PC2100 memory added my old PC100 memory to the other slots

Works fine... other that being clocked alot lower the pc is totally funcional.

QUESTION: Are PC2100 mem sticks like old sims? Do I need two like sticks to be operational...? If not what might be my problem?
 

AMD_Man

Splendid
Jul 3, 2001
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What motherboard do you have? I'm guessing it's either the Asus A7A266 or the ECS K7S5A, correct?

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor
 
G

Guest

Guest
WOW!!! you are the MAN.. it is the ECS K7S5A

Does that mean you have seen this or know the answer?
 

AMD_Man

Splendid
Jul 3, 2001
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Probably.

First of all, it sounds to me like you have a bad stick of RAM. Try exchanging it for another.

Secondly, DDR does not have to be installed in pairs unless you have an nForce-based mobo, which you don't.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor
 

lhgpoobaa

Illustrious
Dec 31, 2007
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hey mr jack..

find and download the following program, MEMTEST86
its really really good for detecting errors in your ram... but you knew that allready. seems you got a dud stick of ram. i would return it to where u got it.


Overclocked athlon 1200C @ 8.5 x 166FSB + PC2700 = GOOD! :smile:
 

FatBurger

Illustrious
Actually, I believe the A7A266 has 3 DDR slots and 2 SDRAM slots. Let me double-check that...yeup, I was right. Friend of mine has it, that's why I remember.
BTW, the Jetway KT266 is another motherboard with SDRAM and DDR slots. Only found it a couple of days ago, I thought only the A7A266 and K7S5A had both slots.

<font color=orange>Quarter</font color=orange> <font color=blue>Pounder</font color=blue> <font color=orange>Inside</font color=orange>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Well I exchanged the stick and brought home the new one... I noticed at home that I didn't have to cut the bag open to get to the new stick, but I did for the first one... and the second one didn't either(prolly shoulda made note of the markings or marked it) I think the lady at this store, which is normally great, stiffed me and gave me the same stick... BAH I'll return it and go elsewhere to see if I have the same problem.
 

globe111

Distinguished
Jan 30, 2002
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actually the other way around, a7a266 has 2 ddr slots and 3 sdram slotts (have 3 of those boards)

XP 1700+ Soltek 75drv2 512 MB Mushkin rated 233 Radeon 7500 Audigy MP3+ Sony 16x10x40
 

FatBurger

Illustrious
You're right. That's odd, I could've sworn it said 3 DDR and 2 SDRAM when I checked their site before. Oh well.

<font color=orange>Quarter</font color=orange> <font color=blue>Pounder</font color=blue> <font color=orange>Inside</font color=orange>
Don't step in the sarcasm!
 
G

Guest

Guest
I just got done helping a friend build a similar system that you sound like you are building. He used ECS K7s5a Mobo and Athlon XP 1700+. He is only using 1 stick of 256MB PC2100 DDR ram (Crucial). He was getting an error on startup until we went into his bios and changed his mobo's default settings for bus speeds to 133 instead of 100 and that fixed him right up. Hope this helps, also i would recommend getting your ram from a quality source like Crucial. They have excellent ram and very reasonable pricing.

I ain't got time to bleed! :eek:
 
G

Guest

Guest
Buying an ALI chipset is not a good Idea.

ALI does not test their chipsets well. It doesn't even have to be a bad stick of memory. It could just be incompatible.
Another thing is, why buy a board that supports DDR? To hopefully get like (yeah right) preformance boost right?
Well ALI preforms like a dog and there are all sorts of problems with them ranging from heat, to preformance, to MEM compatability. The only saving grace is that they're cheap. But then again you can find SiS mobos for even cheaper. Um... I just opened a whole new can of worms so I think I'll quit while I'm still not foaming at the mouth.




If I ever meet you I'll control alt delete you.
 

FatBurger

Illustrious
Have you ever used the A7A266? Everyone I've talked to that has one has been happy with it. And yes, DDR gives a good performance boost with newer chipsets. It was only back when only the KT266 was out that there was no advantage to getting DDR. I suggest you read up and find out what you're talking about before trying to start a flamewar.

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Don't step in the sarcasm!
 

bum_jcrules

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May 12, 2001
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I think that you have the answer. I remember someone else having this problem not too long ago and the bios setup switch did the trick.

FB: You're slipping...must have been the mid-week "When's Friday going to get here?" syndrome.

<b>"Taurelilomea-tumbalemorna Tumbaletaurea Lomeanor" - Treebeard</b> :lol:
 

FatBurger

Illustrious
Must be. Actually, I think I'm distracted because of my disappointing results overclocking my 1.6A so far.

<font color=orange>Quarter</font color=orange> <font color=blue>Pounder</font color=blue> <font color=orange>Inside</font color=orange>
Don't step in the sarcasm!