View Full Version : Mysterious Missing Memory
I have an asus A7M266 mobo and can step the FSB frequency up by 1mhz increments in the bios.
My problem is that I have 2 sticks of memory. One is 512 pc2100 mushkin and other is I believe generic 256 pc2100. When I'm running at 133mhz FSB (ddr) my comp recognizes and shows 768mb of ram. As soon as I increase it it only recognizes 512. Anybody have an idea as to how to remedy this? Do I need a different mem stick instead of the 256 I have?
System:
Asus A7M266 mobo
AMD 1133mhz T-bird
768MB pc2100 ram (512 mushkin, and 256 generic)
Geforce3 TI 500
SBLive Value sound
I believe it's the memory because before I got the 512 stick I couldn't even bump the FSB up past 135mhz without gettin errors.
I would appreciate any info you gurus may have. Real newbie at this OC thing but wanna get into it. Like tinkerin with things:cool:
Try to pull the generic out and see how high you can get the FSB.
Well that's not really the problem kendan. I can increase the FSB quite a bit with both of them in there but when I do it doesn't recognize the 256 and says I only have 512. If I do no increases it reverts back to recognizing the full 768.
Christoph
02-04-02, 07:01 PM
Welcome to the forums!!!!!!
It's always fun to see a new name around here. Be on your guard to make sure that you don't get too addicted.
As for your RAM, sounds like it stinks (the generic, of course). Have you tried upping the Vmem at all? That might help you get more out of the generic RAM, but you might just consider when you want more RAM and when you want faster RAM, and use softFSB (http://www.hardtecs.de/3dcenter/softfsb.zip) to change the FSB in Windows accordingly.
Be careful, though. I don't know what would happen if windows suddenly recognized 256 MB RAM from a decreaced FSB (although I know that you wouldn't want to up the FSB and lose 256 MB while windows was running without any special software to ensure that only the 512 MB stick was being used).
That was a mouthful. Hope I didn't confuse you too much. If I did, just come back here and have someone straighten you out.
DManeKid
02-06-02, 12:13 PM
im not sure but isnt the reason people get name brand ram is so they can oc better? maybe the generic ram cant handle the fsb very well so it would shut down or something and just fall back on the 512mb which is name brand and can handle that oc...sound logical?
Christoph
02-06-02, 05:32 PM
Originally posted by DManeKid
im not sure but isnt the reason people get name brand ram is so they can oc better? maybe the generic ram cant handle the fsb very well so it would shut down or something and just fall back on the 512mb which is name brand and can handle that oc...sound logical?
Sounds logical. If it were quality RAM, it's unlikely that it would be generic (ie a big company would want to buy it, and then it wouldn't be generic anymore).
Well, heres the scoop on the memory I have:
The 256 stick is Corsair.
The 512 stick is Mushkin.
I didn't put this PC together myself. I ordered it online from Envision Computer Solutions. Small company but had good reviews.
Anyhoo, when I bough it DDR ram was really new on the scene and maybe the DDR ram out at that time wasn't very good quality.
One thing that bothered me about it when I got it was that is fits loosely in the slot. Even with it locked down it can be wiggled back and forth somewhat. Maybe if I could get a tighter fit it would OC better.
All in all I think I'm lookin at having to buy another stick if I want to OC with 768MB instead of 512MB.
Thanks for all the input guys :D
Unless you really want all that ram you might remember that the more you have the lower the fsb is most likely to be. If it is early ddr then your sure you do not have a 1600 stick? This might explain the dropping of one stick. I would be somewhat surprised however that the system would run any faster than the slowest stick.
The 256 ram is definitely pc2100. Made sure of that when I ordered the PC. Also says it on the stick. I'm not sure what you mean by not running any faster than the slowest stick. Can you please clarify? Also, in your opinion, would I see better performance with my system if I only used the 512 and OC'ed it or getting another 256 and OC'ing?
Well I believe that if you have a stick of pc2100 in as well as a stick of pc1600 then the fsb won't run any higher than the slowest sticks max speed. I.E. the 1600 would dictate the highest fsb. If you tried to exceed this then the computer somewhere along the way would be unstable. I have not run into the second part of your question before so others may be of more help. There are many here that run either one stick or two (of the same sticks) at either 128 or 256.
Both sticks are pc2100 for sure. No doubt about it.
Seems to me I read somewhere about either windows or certain mobos having trouble recognizing memory over 512. Ring a bell with anyone else?
You're right about the Windows thing Silver. In some instances it will not recognize over 512 for Win98 which is what I am using. My system will recognize the full 768 at 133Mhz FSB. I haven't done the "workaround" for Win98 yet for the memory which is supposed to fix the recognition issue. I will do that and try to OC it and post what happens.
I've solved the problem. I took the 256MB stick out hehe.
Actually managed to get to 150FSB with the 512 but didn't go any higher and didn't leave it there for long. I definitely don't have enough cooling in my case for that. Waiting on some upgrades. Running the 512 at 2.5-3-3. Tried 2-2-2 and at 133 it's fine but much higher and it craps out.
Oh well. 512 should be plenty.
Thanks for all the input guys :)
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