Monitor won't wake up after new mem is installed

[bigj00700]

Hi,

 

I currently have 2 gigs of memory (1 gig stick and 2 512 sticks) and I recently purchased an additional 1 gig stick. I'm experiencing the following problems:

 

1) After I installed the new stick my monitor will not wake up from sleep mode. I removed the stick completely and put a different stick in that same slot and it wakes up fine.

 

2) BIOS, WinXP and Belarc Advisor all say I have 2.5 gigs when it should be 3 gigs (2x1 gigs, 2x512). I know there are some limitations with WinXP but shouldn't the BIOS be showing the correct amount? Also while Belarc says 2.5 gigs it does show that all 4 slots are filled with alternating 1 gig and 512 slots (I have 4 slots total 4 gigs max memory).

 

The type of memory that I'm using is CM2X1024-5400C4. Should I get it replaced?

 

Thanks,

Paul

[Legend]

Usuall mixing different models of RAm together will cause issues. Try clearing the CMOS/ resetting the Bios and test the new RAm in the system by itself. The 5400C4s require 2.0v so I would definitely make sure upon the first post to Bios to adjust the memory voltage to 2.0v.

[RAM GUY]

Please make sure that you have the latest BIOS for your motherboard and then load optimized defaults and set the Memory Voltage to 2.0 volts and then set the timings to 4-4-4-12 (CAS-tRCD-tRP-tRAS) and then test the modules one at a time with http://www.memtest.org! Please allow memtest to run 2-3 passes on each module. If you still get errors, we will be happy to replace them! However, if you get errors with multiple modules that would suggest some other problem and I would test them in another system or MB to be sure.

 

Make sure when running memtest you have “Legacy USB Support” disabled in the BIOS.

[bigj00700]

Thanks fort the advice. I just updated my BIOS and I have 2 questions.

 

1) For the Voltage I have an option of 200 mv. Is this ok?

 

2) I'm not sure how to set the timings. Under Adjust DRAM timing I don't see anything that resembles CAS-tRCD-tRP-tRAS. The only fields that have numeric values are:

 

Channel Map NB

Channel Map GFX

Bank0 Map

Bank1 Map

Bank0 Map NB

Bank1 Map NB

 

Thanks,

Paul

[Wired]

Is it +200 mv?

 

Also, when mentioning problems getting it out of sleep mode, are you swapping sticks while the PC is on, and in sleep mode, or do you mean that this happens when the PC is off, new sticks installed, PC is on, and then goes to sleep mode?

[bigj00700]

When I tested the memory with sleep mode I did the following.

 

1) Turn off the computer

2) Insert the new chip

3) Turn on computer and put in sleep mode.

4) Wake up computer. Monitor does not wakeup so I completely turn off the computer

5) I then remove the questionable chip

6) Turn on computer and put in sleep mode.

7) Wake up computer. This now works w/o the newly installed chip.

 

I have never swapped the memory while the computer is sleeping.

 

As for the +200 mv I'm not sure if there's a "+" in front. I'm at work right now and can't check.

 

Thanks,

Paul

[RAM GUY]

I would recommend contacting the motherboard manufacturer or looking in the motherboard manual, to find out where to find the memory timings and the memory voltage in your BIOS.

[bigj00700]

Thanks, I'll do that. I know I can change the volts but the timings I'm not sure about.

 

One thing that concerns me is that when I bought my computer it came with 2 512MB (CM2X512-5400C4) sticks at 675 MHz. I've been reading in my motherboard manual that it supports 667 MHz at 1.8V.

 

I hope this isn't why I'm having problems because then I'll have to replace all of the memory.

 

Thanks,

Paul

[RAM GUY]

The board will run these modules at 667MHz unless you manually adjust the settings to run at 675MHz, however if the board only supports 1.8v memory there may be an issue. These modules are tested at 1.9 volts and may or may not be stable at 1.8 volts.

[bigj00700]

Thanks a lot everyone I got it working! My monitor now wakes up from sleep mode and all diagnostic programs and BIOS report 3 gigs. I did the following:

 

1) upped the voltage to 2.0

2) Changed the memory speed to 266 MHz so the timings would be 4-4-4-12

3) Alternated the placement of the 512MB and 1Gig chips into the red and purple DIMM slots.

 

I made the changes all at once so I can't say if 3 was necessary.

 

Thanks again,

Paul

[RAM GUY]

Great news and thanks for letting us know. 2.0v is fine and within the tolerance allowed. However, if you have the option, you may want to test at 1.9v to see if it is stable there. If it is, that is less heat and less load on the MOBO.