Name: babeman123 Date: July 12, 2008 at 16:54:13 Pacific Subject: Issuficient memory message OS: XP CPU/Ram: 1.2gb Model/Manufacturer: IBM
Comment:
I have two ram sticks in my computer, a 1gb and a 256, but there both two different speeds, the 1gb is 400mhz and the 256 is 200mhz, I was talking to a friend and he said my machine would be faster if I removed the 256 because its benchmarking my ram speed, so I take it out and gives me a message in a black screen saying "Insufficient Memory". Anyone have any ideas?
Watch the startup screens to see if any RAM is identified there. If not perhaps the 1GB stick is defective, or the slot is defective. You could try moving the 1GB stick to the slot previously occupied by the 256MB stick.
Be sure to uplug the machine and exercise static discharge precautions.
Yea ram is detected, a quick flash of a screen that says Memory: 1320000 or something like that, couldnt record the numbers. Also, I already tried moving the 1gb around, the same result both times. The computer works fine if I put both in, just if I take the 256 out.
You must have RDRAM (rambus) which needs to be installed in pairs or needs a dummy stick in place of the second one. That RAM is really expensive. I think you will need to leave the 256 stick in place.
BTW, tapping the scroll Lock or Pause keys when the startup screens are displayed will freeze the screen. Tap the space bar to let it finish.
Nope, I have DDR ram, and they arent the same type, nor speed, so that wouldn't be the case or my machine wouldn't be able to start with either of them in.
Would help alot if you were specific about the model of IBM computer you have. Or, go to www.crucial.com and find out what memory is compatible and recommended installations/pairings.
"there both two different speeds, the 1gb is 400mhz and the 256 is 200mhz"
Are you sure about that? Some people confuse the actual clock speed & the "effective" clock speed. DDR400 RAM actually runs at 200MHz but the effective speed is 400MHz. Sometimes the numbers are used interchangably when referring to DDR400 (PC3200) RAM.
Download CPUZ, run it & check the memory & SPD tabs to see what's listed about your RAM:
See response 5 in this for some info about ram compatibilty, and some places where you can find out what will work in your mboard for sure: http://www.computing.net/hardware/w... Correction to that: Mushkin www.mushkin.com ....
There's something to be gained by looking at the...
User Manual!!
Copy and paste this link into your browser Address or Location line:
"Fill each memory connector sequentially, starting at DIMM connector 1"
etc.
According to that your mboard does not support any higher than 266mhz DDR ram.
If when you look up which ram you can use in your model for sure on the web, if there are no listings for 400mhz DDR ram, faster modules MIGHT work properly, but there's no way of knowing for sure until you try them. However, since the 1gb module already works in combo with the 256mb module, it probably works fine by itself, if it's in the right slot, but it will only run at 266mhz on your mboard if that's the maximum the mboard supports.
If there are no listings for 400mhz DDR ram for your model, there is no point in removing the 256mb module! In that case, the mboard cannot run ram at a speed faster than 266mz in any case! .........
I have no owners manual, I bought this off of a local classifieds site, like ebay, except for only the city you live in, and I am also not really looking to buy any new ram, at least right now. I was hoping for more of a quick fix, something I don't have to spend money on. If it's not possible, its completely fine, the computer runs fast already, I was just seeking if I could make an even bigger improvement in speed. Also, the 256 is benchmarking my 1gb, since it is faster speed, it has to go slower to match the other stick. My mother board might only be able to run it at 266mhz, but the speed kind of varies (look at response 7).
According to the User Manual, probably all you need to do is install the 1gb module in the other ram slot when it is by itself - remove the AC power to the case when you do so.
Copy and paste the ftp link to your User Manual in Response 17. Once it fully loads, if you want to save it to your hard drive, click on the floppy icon at top left in the pdf's toolbar.
Depending on where I look, I get different results about which ram you can use.
If you go into your bios Setup and make sure the ram detection is set to Auto or by SPD, you will find out for sure if your 1gb PC3200 module is supported at at's full 400mhz speed. You may need to manually change the fsb speed to 200mhz, or to as fast as you can set it.
"the 256 is benchmarking my 1gb, since it is faster speed"
Get your terminology right. "Benchmarking" generally refers to running standardized performance tests for comparison purposes.
That 256MB stick of PC2100 is definitely hurting performance. Most systems perform best when the CPU & RAM run at the same frequency (aka 1:1 ratio). The P4 is the exception - it performs best with the RAM frequency faster than the CPU. Best ratios are either 3:4 (400FSB or 800FSB CPUs) or 4:5 (533FSB CPUs). Ideally, your RAM should be running at PC2700 speed (166MHz). My guess is your BIOS needs to be tweaked but since it's an IBM, the setting options will be minimal.
I hope you didn't pay much for this system? over $75? BTW, Fry's just had 1GB sticks of PC3200 for $19 after rebate w/free shipping.
I looked at the computer manual, I think I do have the 1gb in the wrong slot "Starting with DIMM Connector 1". But then it also says "Fill each system memory connector sequentially" Does that mean each slot needs to be filled? I didn't actually pay much at all for the system, only 130$, came with everything (desktop, speakers, mouse, keyboard) then I upgraded it's video card to e-geforce 2600, and its ram. Plays HL2 and CS source without a hitch. Also how can I tweak my bios?
No. It means if you have only one module installed, it must be in DIMM 1.
If you have two, it doesn't matter which module is in which of the two slots, as long as they are compatible with the mboard's chipset. ....
If you want to use two identical modules of a dual channel set in dual channel mode, you must take additional steps. Go here: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/s... Select Memory See the line starting To detect dual memory mode.... ....
If your computer works fine with the bios set to the way it is, you don't need to mess with it. As I said, you may need to manually set the fsb speed higher when the 1gb module is by itself, and if you can't select anything but 133mhz (and 266mhz for the ram) there's no point in taking out the 256mb module. However, if you are using a video card in a slot, your bios setup should be set to Initialize that video first, or have that as the Primary video, or similar.
If you get confused about the bios settings, and/or aren't sure if you or someone else has set them right, set them to defaults or optimal defaults, and re-set the video Initialize or Primary setting if you need to.
If you are using a parallel cable connected printer or scanner, set the printer port mode in the bios to EPP, ECP, or EPP/ECP - usually EPP or EPP/ECP is fine. ECP mode requires a DMA channel to be available - it may not be, and usually there is no data transfer speed advantage using it vs. EPP mode.
NEVER flash your bios unless you find specific info such as in release notes where you get manufacturer's bios updates that it will definately cure a problem you are having! The mboard's main chipset capabilities almost always cannot be made better by updating the bios version, and that includes the max speed of the ram it supports. Updating the bios version almost always will not make your computer any faster, unless it enables you to use a faster cpu than you are using and you install one.
Whoa great news, it worked! Just putting it in the other slot... I thought something went wrong before but i just had to push resume. There were 2 options when I would go to start it up and it was setup and resume. Since I thought something was wrong I kept clicking setup, thanks a lot for the help!
