Suddenly my system fails startup RAM test?!?!

Anything related to hardware (CPU/MoBo/Video/FSB/BIOS, etc.), hardware settings, overclocking, cooling, cool cases, case mods, hardware mods, post pics of your unique creations here.
Post Reply
User avatar
LoopeD
Regular Member
Posts: 166
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2000 12:00 am
Location: Toronto, Ontario,Canada

Suddenly my system fails startup RAM test?!?!

Post by LoopeD »

Short story is:

Original system:

Dell Dimension 4100 @866 mhZ
30 GB HD
nVidia TNT2 RIVA 32 MB
128 RAM


Bought a 256 RAM stick a year ago, installed in slot 0, put 128 stick in slot 1, no problems.

Reformatted and installed Win 98 SE, same OS I've been running for 2 years with no problems.

Suddenly the RAM startup test fails at 132 MB! Gets up to 132 MB then beeps 4 times............. :(

Oh, also I flashed the BIOS from A01 to A04, then A04 to A07. However, it failed the RAM test even before I flashed it..........

I have a BIOS flash that will bring it up to A10, then to A11 (I got all upgrades from Dell tech). Should I flash it till its the latest?

Help! I didn't touch the RAM or any memory settings. It recognizes the 384 in the BIOS and in Windows.

One more thing: It says while checking that its checking NVRAM, but its SDRAM. What the heck is going on? All kinds of wierd things are happening and I guarantee its cause of the memory problems...........




:) d
Top
SLK
Posts: 2394
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2002 9:48 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Post by SLK »

well, first of all, Run a memory test like a program "memtest86" can be found HERE. You can try to update bios. Urs may of corrupted somehow(highly doubt it) Or ur ram is going crapo. Thats why you should run memtest86 to make sure.


BTW, Check all ur memory modules to see if they are properly seated.
Rob
Top
User avatar
mwkirchner
Senior Member
Posts: 4231
Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2002 7:47 pm
Location: Smyrna, Delaware Car: 1998 Honda Accord EX Occupation: Honda Service Coordinator

Re: Suddenly my system fails startup RAM test?!?!

Post by mwkirchner »

Originally posted by LoopeD
Short story is:

Original system:

Dell Dimension 4100 @866 mhZ
30 GB HD
nVidia TNT2 RIVA 32 MB
128 RAM


Bought a 256 RAM stick a year ago, installed in slot 0, put 128 stick in slot 1, no problems.

Reformatted and installed Win 98 SE, same OS I've been running for 2 years with no problems.

Suddenly the RAM startup test fails at 132 MB! Gets up to 132 MB then beeps 4 times............. :(

Oh, also I flashed the BIOS from A01 to A04, then A04 to A07. However, it failed the RAM test even before I flashed it..........

I have a BIOS flash that will bring it up to A10, then to A11 (I got all upgrades from Dell tech). Should I flash it till its the latest?

Help! I didn't touch the RAM or any memory settings. It recognizes the 384 in the BIOS and in Windows.

One more thing: It says while checking that its checking NVRAM, but its SDRAM. What the heck is going on? All kinds of wierd things are happening and I guarantee its cause of the memory problems...........


:)


May want to take a look at the link below:

Definitions and Solutions for BIOS Error Beeps and Messages/Codes
Antec Nine Hundred case, 4GB A-Data DDR2 800 RAM, Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz, ASUS P5K-E/WIFI-AP MB, XFX GeForce 8600GT XXX 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 video card, ZALMAN CNPS9500 AT 2 Ball CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink, Seagate Barracuda 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s HDD, Aerocool FP-01 Multifunction panel w/card reader, Zerodba 620W PSU, LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD with LightScribe SATA, Samsung CDDVDW SH-S203B SATA, Acer P241W 24" w/s monitor, Canon CanoScan LiDE 35 scanner, Klipsch ProMedia 2.1.
Top
LT-73
Posts: 10543
Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2002 2:34 pm
Location: New York The Empire State

Post by LT-73 »

Take one stick of ram out and boot up. If that ram fails, try the other stick.

Work with one stick at a time in each slot. You might have a bum stick that went bad.
Top
SLK
Posts: 2394
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2002 9:48 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Post by SLK »

Originally posted by LT-73
Take one stick of ram out and boot up. If that ram fails, try the other stick.

Work with one stick at a time in each slot. You might have a bum stick that went bad.


YEP YEP :D :D
Rob
Top
User avatar
LoopeD
Regular Member
Posts: 166
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2000 12:00 am
Location: Toronto, Ontario,Canada

Post by LoopeD »

Oh My God.

You dont understand what just happened.


Opened up my computer to switch the RAM sticks around. Suddenly notice a twisted pair cable hanging in midair not connected to anything. Look on the motherboard, theres a 3 pin connector labelled FAN. Said NO WAY and plugged it in.

Started her up, heard a fan start I've never heard before. Its the PROCESSOR fan from the heat sink - its been disconnected the ENTIRE TIME. My comp was running OK - occasionally I'd get a strange restart. Now I know why.

THE DELL IDIOTS LEFT THE PROCESSOR FAN DISCONNECTED.

ANything else goes wrong I'm sending the entire unit in for replacement. That's complete hack.


Anyways, thanks for all your help - BTW, the RAM errors have stopped now too. Weird.


:) d
Top
LT-73
Posts: 10543
Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2002 2:34 pm
Location: New York The Empire State

Post by LT-73 »

Dam! I knew those guyz from D-Hell are from hell ! lol
Glad you did'nt fry the cpu !
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Hardware & Overclocking”