kelvin

I'm guessing the following is a simple compatability problem but i'm interested to know whether or not anyone else has experienced similar problems and managed to come up with a definitive solution...

I have an MSI motherboard (the model number escapes me for now...) running 2 x 512mb sticks of memory. Both memory sticks are the same type (DDR 400mhz) but are from different manufacturers. Having tested the memory using a boot disk utility both individually and together, I'm confident that neither one is faulty - the programme's been running sweeps on them all morning without picking up a single error.

Here's the problem:

1. If I place stick 1 in either channel, XP boots up fine - quickly, and with no problems.
2. If I place stick 2 in either channel, XP boots up fine - quickly, and with no problems.
3. If I place stick 1 in channel A, and stick 2 in channel B, XP boots up fine - (ultra!) quickly, and with no problems (i'm getting there...)
4. If I place stick 1 in channel B and stick 2 in channel A, XP gets to the logon screen, but then reboots once I enter my pasword and hit enter?!

It's a weird one that has me a bit confused. A compatability error seems most likely, but I can't understand why "3" works, but "4" doesn't? Perhaps something to do with the way Windows writes to the memory? - Anyone?

It's not really a major issue as i'm running in configuration 3 at the minute without any untoward problems but I wouldn't mind knowing the cause of the problem - things like this really bug me

Has anyone had a similar problem?

K.

MJW

Your mainboard might be fussy about the RAM. I too have an MSI board and have had problems with running different brands of RAM sticks. It wouldn't let me run a 1Gb stick in one slot and a 512Mb stick in the other. Check both your RAM sticks are the same latency and that the speeds are set correctly in the BIOS.

jpor

iTrader: (1)

Sounds to me that the board is trying to boot up in Dual channel Mode (I.e channel A & B memory slots of the same colour). But because your RAM isn't the same it cannot sustain the 128bit mode without sustaining the errors. To get 128bit Dual channel mode you need 2xRAM of the same type and manufacturer.

Looks as thugh when you place the RAM in slot A it is probably CL rating of 2.0 and the other stick in slot B is CL rated at 2.5, thus the BIOS is picking up the settings of Slot A and making the assumption the RAM in slot B is rated at CL 2 which is faster than the RAM in slot B can take.