Hello all
I need some advice on RAM upgrading. I have a Compaq Presario 12XL 414 laptop, with 128 MB of RAM which is upgradable, according to the official documentation, to 320MB max.
I have purchased a 256MB PC100 SODIMM 144-pin SDRAM stick as recommended by Compaq and a number of sites which help you identify the correct RAM upgrade. I have one bay (if that is the correct term) for the RAM stick. The computer has two sources of RAM installed, a permanent 64MB which is unchangeable, and a further 64Mb (the above) which can be changed. So to perform the upgrade I have removed the pre-installed 64Mb stick, and replace it with the 256Mb stick I have bought, and this in addition to the built-in 64Mb takes me up to my 320Mb limit. Hope everyone's still following!
The 64Mb stick appears to have been working fine, except my laptop is sometimes very slow running XP, which is I guess normal.
The new 256 stick sends the computer crazy on startup: I get flashing letters and coloured vertical lines on the screen, and the message "0232: Extended RAM failed at offset: 1C".
It then gives me the option to BOOT (F1) or ENTER SETUP (F10).
On just one of my numerous attempts, the F1 boot option started the machine properly, and under My Computer-Help-About Windows, the computer reported 318Mb of RAM installed. For a few minutes, it ran correctly, but then cut to a dreaded blue screen with a message that I didn't take in, I must admit.
Can anyone advise me at all?
Is the RAM stick likely to be damaged in some way, or not functioning? Or is it something within my BIOS (I have gone into this, but it gives me no options as far as RAM configurations are concerned.)
All help and advice gratefully received.
Regards
Jeremy
