Hi,

I have some RAM difficulties with my IBM NetVista 2257 computer. Initially, there's 64MB SDRAM PC133... I wanted a serious upgrade so I bought the 256MB SDRAM PC133. I did my research before hand and found that this would be suitable. But the thing is, I installed it properly (clips clicked and all) yet everytime I tried to boot it, it would give me the good ol' beeping sound! Taking out the 256 module made everything normal.

I don't understand what the problem is so I was wondering if anyone else had any input?

Your new ram must either be bad or incompatible. Most of the time those problems are due to the newer sticks of ram using higher density chips that older chipsets can't deal with. In general, the more chips on a stick of ram the lower the density they are.

You can check at www.crucial.com for compatible ram. You can check ebay too. If you find a stick with 8 chips on each side it will almost certainly be compatible.

I checked... the module is most definitely compatible, I'm sure of it. 8 chips on both sides. I have yet to contact IBM about it, since the computer is about 7 years old as it is.

Surely there must be an answer out there!?

The memory might well be the right memory, but if you need a later BIOS flash to utilize it, then that's what it needs. Whether you can find the last BIOS update for the machine is another matter though.

I take it you've put it in the right slot?

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/s...

That's the page you want, you'll have to check what release you are on and then go through the text files on each BIOS update on the page to see what changes were made to see if there was a memory timings fix or something.

Details of how to flash should also be on there.

Where did you get the ram stick? Was it new or used? Also, make sure the memory slot is clean.

Just to go back to the BIOS a second, if you check the .txt for:

Version: 21KT32A
Release Date: 2005/03/24

21JT32A

21KT16A/21JT16A
- Updates memory settings <<

"8 chips on both sides" hardly designates compatible.

Life's more painless for the brainless.

Interesting comments! I will follow up on the BIOS lead, since that's something!

Also, I should point out I did upgrade my ME to XP Prof. Ed. a while ago... that's not important, is it? It shouldn't be.

You successfully upgraded to XP with only 64 ram?

Have you tried the 256 stick in both slots?

And are you sure it's a good one?

Yes, start checking the simple stuff before looking at the BIOS and a flash. You only flash the BIOS if you need to.

...I'd also like to know how you managed to get XP Pro installed with 64 MB RAM. :)

Yes. I cannot stress this enough, I'm 100% positive that the RAM module I bought is the one I need and it's definitely good! I haven't tried 256 in both slots since I wanted to try a combination of both 64+256 (320MB). I dusted the RAM slots clean... made sure I didn't touch the 'volatile' parts of the RAM module... fitted everything securely... there's not a thing I didn't do. The maximum is 512MB, as stated before.

And since the computer is 7 years old, (bought in 2001), a BIOS update would be good, no?

Anywho, as for the XP Pro and 64MB RAM, that one is a mystery. My ME ran into serious problems and it required me to constantly reformat the damn thing. I did try installing XP Pro (and Windows 2000) at one point, but it didn't work. Then one day my ME ran into problems AGAIN, so I popped in the XP Pro disc to see the outcome and it just went away and installed. I'm not sure what happened, but that's as close as it gets. I know it doesn't really help or answer the question, but there's definitely a way to do it... a possible Google search may bring up similar results :P

Mind you, running XP Pro on 64MB is truly a b---h.

If it were my machine, a BIOS upgrade would be the first thing I'd do, but then again I'm anal about such things.

And it would also be the first port of call if you've done the basics and are sure you are still on the first BIOS release. I don't see you have much option, just pay close attention to the flash procedure detail.

Damnit! I updated the BIOS thanks to Viking's link and yet it still doesn't work. Here's the beeping sequence:

1-3-1 = Memory refresh failure.

*sigh*... I'm at a loss as to what to do now

Then I would run memtest on the stick to see if it's good or not.

Also, I'd like to point out... the RAM I bought is double-sided. The RAM in the computer is single-sided... does that matter at all?

"Also, I'd like to point out... the RAM I bought is double-sided. The RAM in the computer is single-sided... does that matter at all?"

I thought you were 100% positive? It could be a density issue with the new RAM or it could be that you've exceeded the allowable number of banks.

According to Crucial, your system has 2 slots & can accept a max of 256MB per slot, but it also states "2 banks of 1". Banks doesn't necessarily refer to single or double sided, but my guess is you're exceeding the limit with your 2 sticks. Have you tried the 256MB stick by itself?

http://www.crucial.com/store/listpa...

You need to try the 256 stick in the other slot to verify the problem is not with the slot itself.

I think not all sticks with chips on both sides are 'double sided'. (Double-sided in this case having a specific definition beyond just physically describing the stick.) I believe the double-sided stick you need is one in which the bios sees it as 2-128 sticks instead of 1-256. I think that's what Jam's crucial link refers to.

I don't think the density of the chips is the problem since the stick is already loaded up with 16 chips. It's probably either a bad slot or the 'double-sided' issue.

To everyone who replied:

Thanks a lot for the help guys + gals! I went back to the store and traded in the 256 PC133 for a 128 PC100... now I don't know what exactly happened or whether or not Crucial.com could've been inaccurate, but the 128 RAM module works fine! The XP's speed is running better than ever. Probably gonna head back to the store to buy another one, and have the baby running at 256 and finally upgrade to SP2.

Once again - thanks for the help!

Your PC specs say it originally came with PC133 ram but it looked like the FSB was 100 mhz so PC100 should be OK. Generally ram will run slower than it's rated speed so normally PC133 would be OK. But I have noticed some PC133 sticks with a label saying they can only be run at 133 mhz. I don't know if they just haven't been tested as slower speeds or if they actually won't work at all. Anyway, that's another possiblity. But probably best to stick with the 128's for now.

The problem is/was that you bought incompatible RAM. If you're running a 400MHz FSB P4 (or Celeron), you *should* be running PC133, but it's gotta be the right stuff. PC100 will work, but performance will suffer slightly. Too late now.

I don't know if the ram on that can be clocked separately but it's just a celeron in the 1 ghz range on a socket 370 and the intel 810 chipset (which I think only runs at 100 mhz anyway).