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RAM PROBLEM?
Carol Haynes:
I have had a look at the MSI website and there are a couple of useful links and bits of info:
1) Memory tested to be compatible with that mobo is listed here. I would check your memory is actually listed as I found MSI to be picky about what it will accept.
2) The manual says you can put the RAM in any slot you like so it shouldn't make a difference. Personally if i only have one stick of RAM I always put it in slot 1 (the one nearest the CPU in this case).
There is some confusion (IMHO) in the manual because there are only 2 memory slots but the maximum memory allowed is 2Gb in 4 banks. The 4 banks refers to the fact that it accepts double sided memory cards with 512Mb on each side. I am not sure what would happen if you install a 1Gb single sided card because the slots are obviously designed to take either 1 x single sided 512Mb card or 1 x double sided 1Gb card (with 512Mb on each side). Have a look at your 1Gb card - does it have chips on one side only or both?
If you haven't got a motherboard manual you can get one from here
The product website is here. Have you tried updating the BIOS? There is a Live BIOS uility with MSI boards (see the BIOS downloads section on the product webpage and read the Live Update instructions). Important: to use Live Update you MUST use Internet Explorer to access the webpage.
There is another webpage about this mobo too (talk about a badly designed website) here with the following comment - which may or may not be relevant to the problem:
Main Memory
• Supports Four memory banks using two 184-pin unbuffered DDR333/400 DDR DIMM.
• Supports up to 2GB memory size.
• Supports 2.5v DDR SDRAM.
Due to the High Performance Memory design, motherboards or system configurations may or may not operate smoothly at the JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) standard settings (BIOS Default on the motherboard) such as DDR voltage, memory speeds and memory timing. Please confirm and adjust your memory setting in the BIOS accordingly for better system stability.
Example: Kingston HyperX DDR500 PC4000 operates at 2.65V, 3-4-4-8, CL=3.
For more information about specification of high performance memory modules, please check with your Memory Manufactures for more details.
--- End quote ---
So you may need to set your memory timings manually in the BIOS - not trivial if you aren't sure what to do. This will be even more complicated if you are trying to use two memory modules with different timing specs, different chipsets etc. and really reinforces sticking with matched memory sticks or only one stick.
The voltage setting is particularly key - if the BIOS expect 2.5V memory (the stuff that was preinstalled is probably set to this since it is what is expected in the system) and you are adding 2.7V or 2.8V memory (quite possible - my Corsair memory runs at 2.8V) then to avoid frying the old memory it will default to the lowest value - the 1Gb stick then wouldn't have the correct voltage and could account for why Memtest freezes when you have two sticks installed. You can get the memory specs from the memory manufacturers website by looking up the part number. Having said that if you aren't sure what you are doing fiddling with BIOS voltage and timing settings can have serious consequences including physical damage to your system. You may want to get someone in the know to come and set them for you rather than damage the memory or your motherboard.
bobparham:
Hi Carol,
Answering yor questions--
I have had a look at the MSI website and there are a couple of useful links and bits of info:
1) Memory tested to be compatible with that mobo is listed here. I would check your memory is actually listed as I found MSI to be picky about what it will accept.
THE RAM I HAVE IS GENERIC.
2) The manual says you can put the RAM in any slot you like so it shouldn't make a difference. Personally if i only have one stick of RAM I always put it in slot 1 (the one nearest the CPU in this case).
--- Code: ActionScript ---[code=actionscript] [color=red][i][i]I NOW HAVE ONLY THE 1 GB STICK IN DIMM 1.[/i][/i][/i][/i][/color][/code]
There is some confusion (IMHO) in the manual because there are only 2 memory slots but the maximum memory allowed is 2Gb in 4 banks. The 4 banks refers to the fact that it accepts double sided memory cards with 512Mb on each side. I am not sure what would happen if you install a 1Gb single sided card because the slots are obviously designed to take either 1 x single sided 512Mb card or 1 x double sided 1Gb card (with 512Mb on each side). Have a look at your 1Gb card - does it have chips on one side only or both?
THE STICK I HAVE INSTALLED IN DIMM 1 HAS CHIPS ON BOTH SIDES.
If you haven't got a motherboard manual you can get one from here
I HAVE THE MANUAL THAT CAME WITH THE MOBO.
The product website is here. Have you tried updating the BIOS? There is a Live BIOS uility with MSI boards (see the BIOS downloads section on the product webpage and read the Live Update instructions). Important: to use Live Update you MUST use Internet Explorer to access the webpage.
IF YOU THINK I COULD DO THIS WITHOUT COMPLETELY SCREWING UP I WILL GIVE IT A TRY.
I DON’T KNOW IF I HAVE “TOOL BAR PLUGINS WHICH MIGHT EFFECT THE NORMAL OPERATION OF MSI UPDATE ONLINE". I HAVE NOT USED IE IN SEVERAL YEARS. (I NORMALLY USE FIREFOX). HOW CAN I TELL IF I HAVE ANY TOOLBAR PLUGINS? WHAT WOULD I DO IF I FOUND ANY?
ON SEARCH SETTING WINDOW, SHOULD I SELECT “SEARCH FOR ALL AVAILABLE VERSIONS” OR “SEARCH FOR NEW VERSIONS ONLY”?
ON AUTO SEARCH WINDOW SHOULD I SELECT ALL (9) ITEMS OR ONLY CERTAIN ONES? WHICH ONES?
IN WINDOW WHICH SHOWS HYPERLINKS FOR SEARCH RESULTS, SHOULD I SELECT EACH OF THE (5) ITEMS SHOWN? IF NOT, WHICH ONES?
There is another webpage about this mobo too (talk about a badly designed website) here with the following comment - which may or may not be relevant to the problem:
Quote
Main Memory
• Supports Four memory banks using two 184-pin unbuffered DDR333/400 DDR DIMM.
• Supports up to 2GB memory size.
• Supports 2.5v DDR SDRAM.
Due to the High Performance Memory design, motherboards or system configurations may or may not operate smoothly at the JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) standard settings (BIOS Default on the motherboard) such as DDR voltage, memory speeds and memory timing. Please confirm and adjust your memory setting in the BIOS accordingly for better system stability.
Example: Kingston HyperX DDR500 PC4000 operates at 2.65V, 3-4-4-8, CL=3.
For more information about specification of high performance memory modules, please check with your Memory Manufactures for more details.
So you may need to set your memory timings manually in the BIOS - not trivial if you aren't sure what to do. This will be even more complicated if you are trying to use two memory modules with different timing specs, different chipsets etc. and really reinforces sticking with matched memory sticks or only one stick.
The voltage setting is particularly key - if the BIOS expect 2.5V memory (the stuff that was preinstalled is probably set to this since it is what is expected in the system) and you are adding 2.7V or 2.8V memory (quite possible - my Corsair memory runs at 2.8V) then to avoid frying the old memory it will default to the lowest value - the 1Gb stick then wouldn't have the correct voltage and could account for why Memtest freezes when you have two sticks installed. You can get the memory specs from the memory manufacturers website by looking up the part number. Having said that if you aren't sure what you are doing fiddling with BIOS voltage and timing settings can have serious consequences including physical damage to your system. You may want to get someone in the know to come and set them for you rather than damage the memory or your motherboard.
I’M NOT SURE WHAT THE VOLTAGE REQUIREMENT IS BUT, SINCE IT IS GENERIC, I WOULD GUESS IT IS 2.5 VOLTS.
I KNOW I AM ASKING A LOT FROM YOU BUT I REALLY NEED HELP FROM SOMEONE AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME THUS FAR.
BTW, HOW IS THE WEATHER OVER IN ENGLAND?
BOB
Carol Haynes:
To check IE to see if you have the plugins probably the best bet is to install them - at least then you will have the latest version. The worse that can happen is that the installer says they are already installed and reufse to install again or offer to uninstall them. If you really want to check in IE 7 got to Tools > Manage Add-ons > Enable or disable add-ons and you will see them all listed. If you still have IE 6 then there isn't this window but you can see (in some cryptic form) what is installed by going to Tools > Options and look for a button that says "Objects" - sorry I don't heve IE6 on any machines and I can't remember where it is.
Updating your BIOS is an 'at your own risk' option but I have never had any problems personally. There is the possibility however that you could kill your machine if it fails. If you want to give it a go make sure that your Windows is as uncluttered as possible at the time. Run MSCONFIG (Start > Run ... > MSCONFIG) and go to the Startup tab to disable all startup items, then go to the Services tab and check the box at the bottom "Hide all Microsoft services" then hit disable all. Click OK and allow Windows to restart. You now have a system which has Windows start with the minimum of extra stuff loading at startup and you can do the BIOS update. When you have finished run MSCONFIG again and check "Normal Startup" and then click OK and all windows to restart and your system will be back to normal.
Re. the memory module you have - if it is generic there is absolutely no way to know what valtage it expects but I suspect it would be 2.5V which seems to be the norm for DDR memory but it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and since it could have been made by anybody there is no way to find out. Lots of problems I have encountered over the years have been traced back to 'generic' RAM. I am not sure where it all comes from but I suspect that it is probably the stuff that comes of the production lines of the big companies that fails quality testing because it only just achieves spec. I could be wrong but generic RAM is to be avoided and it got particularly bad in the early days of DDR technology when it was very hit and miss whether to expect generic RAM to work at all.
I know you won't like this but if you want a stable system I would buy good quality RAM. The prices are pretty cheap at the moment and at least it will come with a guarantee and you can get the technical specs and support from the manufacturer.
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