problem with ram card

I recently bought a compatible 256 mb ram card from the website "4allmemory.com" for my HP BRIO BA210 computer. (old, I know)...When I got the card I installed it, and it worked great (for a while) then I rebooted at one point, and got a stop error (I'm using windows 2000 pro) at first, I didn't know what was causing the problem, until I tried removing the new ram card I bought, and my computer booted up with no problem. I tried putting the ram card back in again, and when windows booted, it got to the point of my desktop loading in, and then it automatically rebooted again.

Is there something I can possibly try to do (maybe in BIOS) that may cause the ram card to work properly for good? I'm not too familiar with messing in BIOS So I'm afraid to try anything without proper guidance.


Thanks for any help with this problem.

 

Depending on the quality of your board and the depth of BIOS features, there may be a couple of options available to you. However, a caution is in order. These may actually hurt your machine. The safe bet is to trash the problem module and buy something else.

OK, so you've been warned. If your BIOS permits you to adjust DIMM voltage, try increasing it ever so slightly. You should be able to safely go about 10-15% above your current setting but I certainly won't guarantee this either. There's always a chance for damage to occur. You can also try going the other direction but more often an increase is what the Dr. ordered.

You can also try slowing down your memory timings but you are going to need to know what they currently are in terms of CAS, TRCD (RAS to CAS delay),TRP (RAS precharge) and TRAS (Active to precharge). You can download a free copy of Everest 2.20 from www.oldversion.com and get your current memory speeds by running that program.

Last option you may have is to try moving the sticks around and see what happens.

Again, your best bet is to pitch it and buy some new memory.

 

Thanks for the suggestions Rockster.

Considering what you said about the dangers of tinkering with the BIOS, I may just take your suggestion and get another module. Now here's something I failed to mention in my original post...I have another old computer from the same time period that isn't working right now. What I did was i took one of the ram sticks out of that one (128 mb) and popped it in this machine, and it's working fine. (Problem is though, I'm only getting 192 mb of memory now instead of the 320 I was getting with the new stick installed. This is with the original 64 mb card that was already in here. This is why I wanted to try and get the new one to work again. Big difference in speed.)

This obviously tells me that the new ram card (even though 4allmemory said it was 100% compatible), is just too "new" enough for my computer to not be able to handle it. But the old ram card I put in from the other computer is working because it an original module from the period the machine was manufactured. So now I have another question for anyone here, aside from going to ebay, does anyone know of someplace online that exclusively sells the old original ram cards for these old machines?

Thanks.

 

Just something I would ask is if you have tried taking out the 64MB module. It may be clashing (incompatible) with the other module.

I have seen Rockster's settings work magic in the past. "Mixing and matching" RAM modules is another story though.

Matt

 

This should do the trick. At this price you may want to buy two of them but as the url says, its almost gone. In other words, you have no time to procrastinate. My guess is that you might have this available for a few more hours at best.



edit: Poetink, I sure hope you get out of bed shortly and get on your computer sooner rather than later. I just looked again and figured I ought to add that this is extremely good memory for an unbelievable price for your system. Its also very fast CAS 2. Buy two sticks of this stuff.

 

Yeah, I took out the original 64 mb module and left the new 256 one in, and it didn't work. But as I said, when I put in the 128 module from the other old computer, the computer accepted it with no problem.

 

Thanks for the link rockster. Their modules are actually cheaper than the 4allmemory one I got ($40.00)...

Thing is though, are these old original modules, or are they new ones, like the 4allmemory ones? If they're new, then I may end up in the same boat as I am with the 4allmemory one.

 

Uh, it does not matter when the memory was made. What matters is the specs of the memory. Plus you should only deal with E-tailers you trust. It does sound like you got a bad stick. It happens. You should be able to RMA it and get a new stick free. I always deal with NewEgg. Great customer support.

 

It doesn't matter when the memory was made? Then could it be that my BIOS version is too old to handle the card? This is one of the solutions that 4allmemory suggests in their FAQ. Can someone let me know what would be a possible upgrade for my BIOS version that may help? This is my BIOS version:

PHOENIX BIOS 4.0 RELEASE 6.0​

I went to the Phoenix website to see if there was an upgrade, but I didn't know what was right for my computer (if any that is).

 

Have you identified the motherboard correctly?

I don't know about now, but in the past OEM manufacturers released motherboards that took special or non-standard RAM.

Some of different types of RAM include ECC or Non-ECC, Buffered or Non-Buffered. Some motherboards can take different types, some only specific types.

Look up the motherboard or if it is an OEM computer (HP, Compaq, Dell, Gateway, etc), the system model, at a RAM manufacturer's website like Corsair or Kingston. It will tell you what type of RAM is suitable for your computer (you don't have to buy their RAM, it will tell you the specifications though).

You will need to do research if you are worried that the RAM will be incompatible.

Matt

 

Grump is right on the money - RMA the bad stick.

Based upon your questions re: memory in general, I would discourage you from considering any attempt to change anything re: your BIOS. That isn't your problem as it relates to this memory issue anyway. I believe you said it worked when you first got it. Not knowing anything about the module you purchased, I can not say anything about system compatability so I don't know if it is a good match for your computer or not. If you RMA it and the second one fails, then it might not be a good match. Without any specs, I'm clueless.

I will say that if I owned your computer which will handle two 256MB PC100 168pin DIMM modules as a maximum and I could buy two CAS2 Infineon low density unbuffered modules for $30 something, I would have already done so. Chances are good that you don't have to worry about this - I expect this offering is sold out by now.

Side note to Grump - I couldn't agree with your more re: NewEgg. I've never been disappointed with them. I'd say the same thing about Computer Geeks but they are two totally different types of Vendors.



edit: Matt - I missed your post. I spec'd it out yesterday but there is a knowledge issue at play here.

 

I'll have to look up the motherboard model. But if this helps with the specs of the ram card I purchased, here's the link on 4allmemory where I bought the 256 ram card:

http://www.4allmemory.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.memorySearch&model_id=31962

 

Yes. The module did work fine when I first got it. And it worked I believe for a good month with no problems. my computer was working faster than it ever had been since I got it. But when I did a normal reboot for something, the stop error came up. I removed the new ram card and it booted up fine. Then I removed the original 64mb ram card and put the new ram card in by itself and that's when it booted to the desktop, and then automatically rebooted again. I even let the reboot go again just to see if it was just a glitch, but again it rebooted automatically when it reached the desktop.

What do you mean RMA the module BTW?

 

Did you put the new stick in the slot where the 64MB stick was? If not, try that with no other memory.

RMA is short for Return Material Authorization. Over the years its become commonly referenced as Return Merchandise Authorization. Either way its usually required from a vendor before you can return something that was defective, is wrong or got broken.

You said you had an HP BRIO BA210. Thats all that was ever needed to identify what memory was required. Well, almost ........... If you search the HP part number D9525A there is something missing from most sites that will offer you memory. Most are offering CAS3 memory. A lot of those older HPs required CAS2. Same with the older Dells. Even HPs support site fails to specify this. That kind of information often only comes from the college of knowledge.

Maybe you are now beginning to understand why I originally advised you to jump on that Infineon offering without procrastinating. At $15 a stick you missed a great deal that your computer would have loved.



edit: I guess I should also mention that these type of machines will not run high density memory. That has no bearing on your problem because you would never have been able to boot with a high density stick populating either bank along with your original memory. Ditto for trying to run a high density stick by itself. I only add this for the benefit of others who may reference this thread at a later date with a similar problem.

 

Matt, note to self! Read the information in the original post!!

Hey, thanks Matt.


Matt

 

Well, I tried installing the new module again (for the heck of it, this time with the 128mb module from the other computer instead of the 64mb one). I first check BIOS and it was detecting it: "384mb "

But when I let it boot, I got some DLL errors and then it rebooted again. I tried switching the sticks around, and it just hung at the windows 2000 boot up screen and didn't even get to the desktop.

I just don't get how when I first got it I just popped it in, started the computer, and had no problems. Now the darn thing is acting like it should've never worked to begin with. I didn't make any changes to my machine when it was in there and working. What could have gone wrong?

BTW rockster, just to let you know, I did try putting just the new module in by itself in both slots when it it first started giving me problems. That's how I found out that it was the culprit causing me headaches. Thanks for the suggestion anyway.

 

Stuff happens ........

What I would suggest at this point is going back to my very first post for the link to download and install Everest V 2.20. Put both the 64MB and the 128MB stick in your machine beforehand. Then open Everest and go down to the Motherboard tab on the left hand side and expand it (click on the +), then go down to SPD and click on that. Now look on the right hand side of the screen and it will show you the Timings for each stick. Post that back here - it will be a number like 3-4-4-6 or 2-2-2-5. Just that number for each stick. Then shutdown and yank the 128MB module. Once you've rebooted, run Everest again and give me the timings for just the 64MB stick. You will find several things in this utility to be of significant interest and most informative.

I have a hunch but need your help to investigate it. When you've completed that excercise, you can go ahead and put the old 128MB stick back in. Based on your next post with all three sets of numbers, I will provide additional information and or suggestions. Don't throw away that 256 MB chip yet and don't fill out an RMA request just yet. If you already have one then just sit tight but don't ship that chip back yet. We may try something with it depending again on those numbers.

Don't get frustrated (like I did when you procrastinated). I won't bore you with war stories but I could tell you some tales of woe re: memory that defy all logic and reason. The learning experience here - not all memory is created equal (as you are finding out the hard way). The bright side - those are the best learned lessons.



sidebar to Matt - You are allowed one such oversight this year. I'll write it down too because its a pretty rare occurance.

 

Ok rockster, these are the numbers from each ram card with both of them installed, according to everest:

128 mb card: Field Value
@ 133 MHz 3.0-3-3-6 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS)


Field Value
@ 100 MHz 2.0-2-2-5 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS)


64 mb card: Field Value
@ 100 MHz 3.0-2-2-5 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS)

Field Value
@ 66 MHz 2.0-2-2-4 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS)



Now, when I removed the 128mb card and rebooted, after a very slow boot up, I started everest, and clicked on the spd area, and nothing came up everything was blank. I clicked other areas of everes and the info came up withno problem. Just the spd area was blank.

Is this what your hunch was? (I hope so). Otherwise I don't know what to do to try and get the info.

 

I'm hoping that you aren't pulling any cards while the system is running. I think if you were to reboot again, Everest would probably not be grayed out.
I was looking for 3 readings.
First two were with both the 128 and the 64 - each should have a set of values.
Third was the 64 by itself.
I can't tell anything the way you have provided the #'s unless you are telling me that 64 read the same with and without the 128.

Regardless, my initial hunch doesn't pan out. I was expecting your 64MB stick to be CAS2. I know you have a Celeron and it is running on a 100 MHz bus. At that speed, your original stick is CAS3. So much for that idea. You really don't even need to worry about supplying those 3 sets of 4 numbers I was originally looking for.

Unfortunately, most HPs have what some of us would call a crippled BIOS, meaning that there are few if any provisions for "tweaking ". Higher end boards permit a user to manually fine tune a system through a multitude of adjustments in the BIOS.

At this point, I think your best course of action is to contact 4allmemory, request an RMA# and return the 256MB module for your money back or another stick.