Memory Problems

[sol]

Hi
I have just installed my new AsRock 939 Dual VSTA motherboard and put in a 1Gig stick of DDR333 memory taken from my old board. But with this new board it only reads as 512Meg, I have upgraded the boards Bios and changed the memory timings, the result is still the same. :?:









AsRock 939 Dual-VSTA, AMD Athlon 64 3000+, 1Gig Generic Memory

[Belso]

Full computer specs?

Have you tried putting the memory in different slots?

[sol]

Yes, I have tried all four slots with the same results.

[Belso]

Full Computer Specs mate? :D

[sol]

System specs are
ASRock 939Dual-VSTA
Athlon64 3000+
1Gig(512Mb) generic pc2700 Ram
NVidia GeForce6200 graphics card
WD 120GigHDD
Samsung 18Gig HDD
LG DVD write
I have a Venice core, revision DH-E6. The Bios is V2.2, I changed the memory timings to T2(my memory runs at these timings according to cpuz), but still the same result.
Win XP Pro(32 bit) on hdd1, Suse10.1 (64 bit)on hdd2.
:)

[Firerat]

is the memory Double or Single Sided?

[Sleepy]

[quote:68b7695336=\"sol\"]System specs are
ASRock 939Dual-VSTA
Athlon64 3000+
1Gig(512Mb) generic pc2700 Ram
NVidia GeForce6200 graphics card
WD 120GigHDD
Samsung 18Gig HDD
LG DVD write
I have a Venice core, revision DH-E6. The Bios is V2.2, I changed the memory timings to T2(my memory runs at these timings according to cpuz), but still the same result.
Win XP Pro(32 bit) on hdd1, Suse10.1 (64 bit)on hdd2.
:)[/quote:68b7695336]

So, is it 512 MB or 1 Gig?

I think Firerat has hit the nose there if you are sure it is a 1 gig.

[Biodoid]

[quote:4fbfa303c3=\"sol\"]System specs are
ASRock 939Dual-VSTA
Athlon64 3000+
1Gig(512Mb) generic pc2700 Ram
NVidia GeForce6200 graphics card
WD 120GigHDD
Samsung 18Gig HDD
LG DVD write
I have a Venice core, revision DH-E6. The Bios is V2.2, I changed the memory timings to T2(my memory runs at these timings according to cpuz), but still the same result.
Win XP Pro(32 bit) on hdd1, Suse10.1 (64 bit)on hdd2.
:)[/quote:4fbfa303c3]


You sure it's not version 1.2 bios because the highest release bios for that board is 1.3 cos I have that mobo..It also saw the right amount of memory I have tried in the slots from 256 sticks through to generic hynix 1 gig sticks upto the crucial stuff I'm running now (it gets the speed wrong if you leave it set to auto, always sets ddr400 as ddr333)..The only problems I've had was random power offs but thats was down to the hynix memory which was known as Intel ram and looks like the northbridge cooler didn't cool enough (works better after my Blue Peter style of adding a fan to see if it made a difference)

and my specs are

939 Dual Vsta
X2 3800
2 gig Crucial DDR400
Galaxy 6600GT agp
WD 160gig Caviar SE 8meg cache
Pioneer 106 dvd burner
Sony CRX230E cdrw
XP Pro

[sol]

Sorry about the typo about the Bios.
It is 1Gig of memory, I was using it in my old board(MSI KT4V-L) for abour 6 months, when I reinstalled that board the memory shows as 1Gig on the POST screen.

[Firerat]

[quote:30feb9e25d=\"Firerat\"]is the memory Double or Single Sided?[/quote:30feb9e25d]


also is it high or low density?

[quote:30feb9e25d=\"poster to this site http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/ram-power-supply-support/75262-high-density-memory-low-density-memory.html\"]
High Density memory? Low Density memory?
There seems to be a lot of confusion with understanding high density and low density memory modules. I will try and clear this up a little.
A lot of people can obtain high density memory for a ‘cheap’ cost. These as usually branded as generic or do not have a brand name on them. While they save money on this memory, it may not work with their specific motherboard. A majority of motherboards do not accept high density modules. They usually show or register as half of what they spec out or advertised to be (i.e. bought a 1GB module and it only shows as 512MB), or they don’t work at all. This is common on all size modules. DDR and standard SDRAM included.

First rule, Double sided memory is not always low density modules. High density modules can have 16 chips (8 on each side). 'Standard' RAM chips are organized a DEPTH x 8 Bits. E.g. 32x8, 64x8, etc. That means 8 of the chips make up a 64 bit wide rank (memory bus is 64 bits wide). \"Double Sided\" is an old term to describe a stick with 16 chips, 8 on each side. And with DEPTH x 8 chips that makes for 2 ranks (or, again in an older style terminology: 2 'banks').

'High Density' chips are DEPTH x 4 bits so it takes 16 to make a 64 bit wide memory rank. And this is why \"double sided\" is no longer the favored description because when x8 chips are used \"Double sided\" means \"double rank\" but with x4 chips it takes both sides and 16 chips to make the ONE, single, rank.

Using a 1GB memory module, the 'High density' memory stick crams the 1GB into ONE RANK by using 16 deeper (twice as deep) x4 bit width chips. And this is how they arrive at the confusing term 'high density'. The chips themselves are no higher in density than the x8 chips but since they are organized as x4 they can cram more 'bytes' into a single rank because 16 chips make up a rank rather than 8, not that it helps make the stick itself any 'higher' in 'density' because you can still only get 16 chips mounted on the thing.

A memory 'slot' is usually designed for 'standard' x8 chips and memory sticks containing 2 ranks. That is how the 'capacity' will be described.
For example, a motherboard that will accept 3GB of memory with 3 slots. Each slot will accept a “double rank” module. Never exceeding 512MB per rank.
Next example, a motherboard that will accept 2GB of memory with 3 slots. This would be tricky and would require reading the owners manual of the system board. Typically on these boards, the first slot will accept a double rank module and the combination of the second and third will accept 2 ranks never exceeding 512MB per rank. I.E.
first slot – double rank module
second slot – single rank
third slot – single rank
or
first slot – double rank
second OR third slot – double rank leaving one of the slots empty.

So, a 1GB 'high density' stick puts 1GB in ONE RANK and a 'standard' (low) density 1GB stick is two 512MB Ranks. Same size, same 'density'. It's the RANK organization that's different.

This still doesn’t mean you cannot use a ‘high density’ module in a motherboard. If the slot will accept a double rank module, never exceeding 512MB per rank, you could still use a 512MB ‘high density’ stick of memory, because it is 512MB in a single rank module.

In conclusion, If you don’t know if your motherboard will accept ‘high density’ modules, buy the more expensive ‘low density’ or what they call ‘100% compatible’ modules. The more money you spent, will give you more assurance and less of a headache later.[/quote:30feb9e25d]

[sol]

Hi
Thanks for the reply. The memory module is double sided, and from reading your post I suspect that it is high density. I had been thinking of upgrading my memory to a dual channel kit and may do this sooner rather than later. :)