Author Topic: Upgrading Memory (Read 755 times)

MarkVZ · « **on:** January 05, 2002, 11:24:00 AM »

I recently replaced my single stick of 128Mb PC-100 RAM with a stick of 256Mb PC-133 RAM on my BH6 MB. My problem is that my system is not recognizing this new memory, as it still reads "128.0 MB" when I check under System in Control Panel. I went through the BIOS and found no place to specify the memory size. How do I get my computer to recognize the larger memory that I installed?

Thanks in Advance

Sox62 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 05, 2002, 11:33:00 AM »

It should recognize it automatically.
I think you were NOT sold what you thought you were purchasing.Maybe an error was made by the store,clerk,etc...but I'd bet what you have IS a 128 meg stick,and not a 256 meg one.

[ 01-05-2002: Message edited by: Sox62 ]

mrsid2 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 05, 2002, 11:41:00 AM »

MarkVZ why did you take the old memory away?

If you still have the old stick with the new one, it is most likely that your new ram is not properly seated in its socket. It takes quite a lot of force to install the ram. In this case your motherboard only sees the old ram stick 128Mb.

MarkVZ · « **Reply #3 on:** January 05, 2002, 12:08:00 PM »

Thanks for the responces.

I took the old stick out because running PC-100 RAM with PC-133 RAM would force the PC-133 stick to run at the speed of the slower memory.

This is IBM ECC Memory, and the company I purchesed it from does not advertise any other IBM memory. The label on the memory seems to indicate the correct size. Why isn't my computer seeing this? Is there an option in BIOS that I need to turn on/off?

Thanks

Sox62 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 05, 2002, 12:23:00 PM »

No there is nothing in your bios to turn on/off.At least I've never seen it,and I've built over a dozen systems.
I still think it's labeled wrong,and you were sold a 128 stick.
Try it in someone else's computer,you'll probable still find it's a 128 stick.

MarkVZ · « **Reply #5 on:** January 05, 2002, 12:46:00 PM »

Thanks Sox, I'll give the company a call.

Animal · « **Reply #6 on:** January 06, 2002, 05:15:00 PM »

Hi, AFAIK, the Abit BH6 does not support PC-133 memory speeds, so your new ram is running at PC-100. You might as well pop in the old ram so you have more.

As for the problem, I dont know the answer.

mrsid2 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 06, 2002, 05:47:00 PM »

Listen folks: Memory sticks do not force anything to run with any speed. Your BH6 runs the memory based on solely of your CPU's front-side bus speed. With old Pentiums or new celerons its 100Mhz.

Your memory performance won't be any better regardless of how many sticks of PC66,100,133 or even 150 SDRAM sticks you have in your system.

Only difference is that PC66 sticks will most likely be unstable while being run at 100Mhz and PC150 sticks can take overclocking from PIII cpu's.

So if you didn't upgrade your CPU there is absolutely no reason why you should remove your old RAM from the computer as long as it was working ok and you don't plan to overclock your cpu.

As what goes for the ECC sdram, it's more expensive and used mainly in servers because it's error correcting. It has a two major downsides: It's more expensive than normal RAM and it's SLOWER than normal SDRAM.

Animal: you're wrong, BH6 does support 133FSB and above. It can be used with the latest CPU's that run at 133Mhz default and even beyond that if overclocked.

[ 01-06-2002: Message edited by: Mr RiplEy ]

Animal · « **Reply #8 on:** January 07, 2002, 07:05:00 AM »

Actually, some motherboards can run the ram at different speeds than what the fsb is going at.
my old ASUS A7V ran my Duron cpu at 100mhz, but the ram at 133.

i thought the BH6 was of the same generation as the BE6, wich I thought was 66/100fsb only.

Eagler · « **Reply #9 on:** January 07, 2002, 07:42:00 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Animal:

i thought the BH6 was 66/100fsb only.

You are correct. 100Mhz fsb limitation.

mrsid2 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 07, 2002, 07:59:00 AM »

You are both wrong, BH6 CAN run 133Mhz fsb even though it's not officially supported by Abit.

I had a memory that it was even officially supported, but it seems I remembered wrong. It's possible to use the latest Cumine and celeron cores through an adapter.

Regardless of that, PC133 SDRAM will work just as fine in BH6. The PC rating only shows the rated top speed for a certain RAM. Ram voltage, CAS, RAS etc. settings may become a problem if the ram is exotic and the bios lacks support - but I doubt that's the case.

Maybe the problem is that you bought (probably super expensive) IBM ECC ram which you don't need in the first place.. You should stick the ram back the sellers b*tt before it sees the light of day. You were ripped off.

Buy Kinsgston, Crucial or Apacer CAS2 SDRAM, they will be cheaper and will work in your box. Mushkin or Corsair would be overshoot with the mid-low end system of yours.

Animal · « **Reply #11 on:** January 07, 2002, 12:54:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Mr RiplEy:
You are both wrong, BH6 CAN run 133Mhz fsb even though it's not officially supported by Abit.

I had a memory that it was even officially supported, but it seems I remembered wrong. It's possible to use the latest Cumine and celeron cores through an adapter.

Regardless of that, PC133 SDRAM will work just as fine in BH6. The PC rating only shows the rated top speed for a certain RAM. Ram voltage, CAS, RAS etc. settings may become a problem if the ram is exotic and the bios lacks support - but I doubt that's the case.

Maybe the problem is that you bought (probably super expensive) IBM ECC ram which you don't need in the first place.. You should stick the ram back the sellers b*tt before it sees the light of day. You were ripped off.

Buy Kinsgston, Crucial or Apacer CAS2 SDRAM, they will be cheaper and will work in your box. Mushkin or Corsair would be overshoot with the mid-low end system of yours.

Yes, but thats not the point. If he is running his FSB at 100Mhz wich he never specified but I believe he is because he was using PC100, there is no difference between PC133 and PC100, so he might as well leave his old RAM installed.
If he WAS using the 133 frequency, then obviously his old ram was able to reach 133Mhz, so there is no point on removing it either.

As for his problem, I am pretty sure he either got some bad RAM, or they sent him 128MB by mistake.

Crucial.com - Buy RAM here. Period.

[ 01-07-2002: Message edited by: Animal ]

bashwolf · « **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2002, 06:32:00 PM »

Hey I got that Nice Bh6 MB, I got pc133 from crucial and it work fine. Got 3 stick of 256 (total of 768) using Window XP and reads all first time I booted. Np here. Wondering if i can add 1.33 to this bad boy

Bh6 motherbaord had saved me a lot of money. I went from PII400 to PIII850.

Like somone suggested to check to see if you got the right memory.
Good luck
Bash

Tumor · « **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2002, 11:15:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Mr RiplEy:

Your memory performance won't be any better regardless of how many sticks of PC66,100,133 or even 150 SDRAM sticks you have in your system.
[ 01-06-2002: Message edited by: Mr RiplEy ]

err...uhhm ok. You mix and match one of each on a single system and then post the results here.

Tumor