RAM problem

[H-2-0]

ok 2 months ago i bought a new memory for my computer from 256mb i added 512 so that makes it 768mb at first the computer doesnt read the added memory but after a few restarts it was able to read it..for a couple of weeks the computer was OK until yesterday when i was browsing the net my computer just restarted and it just restarted when its about to show the xp loading screen. it would then sometimes show a blue screen of death instead so assumed the computer might be hot.. so i turned it off for an hour when i turned it back again i noticed that the memory testing is in random its sometimes 256mb and sometimes 512mb and it loads quite fine but when the memory test sometimes is about 768mb it restarts..i dont know why it is causing this a friend of mine told me that maybe the cmos battery is about to die..i dont know cuase i just formated my pc...any help on this?

 

[jazz3000]

You need to be specific about the motherboard name and it's numbers and the name of the type and name of the memory you installed. Jazz

 

[Triple6]

I would run a memory diagnostic like Memtest86+: http://www.memtest.org/

First test each piece by itself, so remove the other stick and make sure the remaining stick is seated well in the slot and that the slot is not dirty. If either piece fails by itself then you've found the problem, if they both pass then test them together. I have a feeling the new 512MB stick is either faulty or not compatible.

 

[H-2-0]

ow i dont know the brand ok my motherboard how can i tell?..well both my memory is a ddr333 with different brand one's a kingston and the other is some generic brand that i dont know...right now im trying the kingston

 

[kfinpgh]

How old is the mobo? Any mobo over 3-4 years old probably needs a new CR-3032 CMOS battery. They are normally $3-$5 at most US retailers.

The CMOS battery is not related to your formatting and reloading Windows. Windows is software; CMOS is on the hardware side, even though some on here might beg to differ. CMOS is your PC's basic "personality" - date, time, hard drives, RAM, optical drives and other tweaks. Windows uses that to determine what devices are in place.

Also, buy a can of duster spray. Make sure the memory slots are clean before you install the memory. Make sure the memory is firmly seated in the slot. Memory can have defects that manifest themselves after it has been used for a while so you might need to replace it.

Who made your machine? If it says HP, Compaq, Gateway or Dell, they assembled it from their parts. If the computer has no brand name on the case, it's possible it's a custom build from off the shelf parts.

 

[Triple6]

The make and model of the mainbaord may be printed on the mainboard itself. It may also popup on the screen when first booting or in the BIOS setup.

In Windows, if you can get it fully loaded and run applications, you can use SIW: http://www.gtopala.com/