RAM HELP-Compaq Presario C501NR Notebook PC

Im working o na computer for my cousin who has been having problems with BSOD a lot. so he told me to reinstall vista for him and well during install id get bsod or say system can not complete installation.

I tested hard drive on my desktop by installing vista that way. And ran Memtest 86 and it found 86 errors. He has 2 1gb pc5300 ddr2 667 sticks in there that was jsut put in 2 months ago.

From what i bee nseeing online is that its supposed to run pc2 4200 ddr2 533. does anyone know if pc5300 is able to run or is that the reason for bsod.

I put the newly installed HD back in laptop and as windows vista loading bar shows loading then bam bsod pops up then puter reboots.

Link to the specs of laptop
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...=en&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=3337783#N360


Heres a picture i took when the test was only half done but finished with 86 errors.

Cousin jsut told Sent me this after i asked when the errors begain

It started about 3 - 7 days after Staples got done ****ing with it.

The tech didnt have my password to get into my laptop. So he just installed it. I picked it up. We did check it and it seemed ok at the time. Each day it got worse.

221 MHz is not really a proper speed for any RAM. Are you overclocking? Put everything to stock, then test.

Normally, RAM capable of faster timings is not a problem when using it with slower ones. You just underclock it basically.

its all stock you cant overclock a compag/hp computer as bios is locked. thats what the speed is 221 which is 1:2.

Hes buying a set of pc4200 ddr2 533 tomorrow and im gonna pop that in and see if it fixes it. should fix it since staples didnt know what they were doing.

945 chipset can use PC2-5300, no problem. I'd suspect either faulty ram or faulty slot(s), I don't know if incompatible ram as it's been 2 months since install.

Ill know whats up later on this afternoon. He said if the new ram dont fix it hes not gonna replace motherboard. Told him not worth it to replace motherboard when he got laptop for about 3-400.


Ill be sure to let you know what it is.

Its the memory slots on the mobo. we tried brand new ram one at pc5300 and one pc4200 and got bsod at the same loading part. So pretty much needs a new motherboard and hes not doing it. So hes just gonna sell it at a parts laptop as everything works but mobo.