I had 2x512MB of cl2 memory in my computer and bought 2x1GB of cl3 memory and now my system reboots. Why?

Question

Kingston (2x512BM) PC3200 DDR400 - cl2
Generic (2x1GB) PC3200 DDR400 - cl3
ABIT - AI7 motherboard

Answer 1

Did you try to mix them together? If you did then try to just install the new CL3 memory on the same slot where the CL2 is installed and see if it still gives you the same problem.

1. If your computer still reboot after removing the old memory then check your BIOS setting and play with the CAS setting. If it still reboots after changing the CAS Latency setting then the memory that you purchased might be defective and needs replacement.

2. If computer becomes stable after removing the cl2 RAM's then the problem might be with the positioning, try installing the cl2 RAMS in the second bank.

I've tried to check your motherboard manual online but the Abit website has a broken link. I always use MSI board and it has an option to change the CAS Latency, I'm sure that abit have this option also. You can set it to Auto or use the CL3 memory setting as every component will always run at the slowest speed.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

That may be a compatibility issue. Check with your computer maker, ask if there might be an issue with the upgrade of that chip from a kingston chip. Some computers will only take a certain brand or make of chip. Also your system may not be set up to accept the 2x1gb. Always check your specs, before upgrading or making changes to your system.

Answer 3

This may seem obvious but does you mother board support 2gb of memory will each slot take 1gb or is the max per slot 512 check the motherboard booklet
Try different combinations of your old and new memory until you find it, it could be faulty new ram
is it ddr2 you've bought when it should be ddr1
these are just a few things to check hope they're of some help to you

Answer 4

Sounds like a bad memory module. Try removing one stick of ram at a time and try to load the memory as much as possible. Im betting with one of the sticks of ram you will get a reboot, and the other will work fine......If both cause a reboot, then its not the ram, try bios next....
With one stick installed at a time, try running this test and see what you get.......

http://www.download.com/Memory-Diagnostic/3000-2094_4-10629428.html?tag=lst-0-3

Good luck, hope its nothin bad........

Answer 5

check the manual for m/board there might be certain slots to put each module try putting in one at a time but you're gonna have to use either or I'll bet if there's 4 slots try the same module in the same color slot you know you have 2 white and 2 green let say put 1gb in the first slot and if it's white put the other in the other white slot and so on

Answer 6

Hmmm... I would be willing to bet it's the fact that you bought generic memory.

Try one stick by itself and see if it reboots. If it does, then try the other stick. If they both cause the computer to reboot, then return the darn things and get some better memory.

Kingston is ok, PNY is ok, Corsair rocks, Ocz rocks, Mushkin rocks.

Answer 7

Reboots?
Like it never finish the boot process?
If gthats the case you have some incompatibility issue with the memory you just installed.
By process of elimination you may figure out if it's a defective set of memory or something else.

Answer 8

go to BIOS and check the timing of the memory. the Generic memory is not supposed to work at cl2. set the memory timings at cl 3 in your BIOS.

Answer 9

If you manually set the cl2 in the BIOS , you will have to increase it to cl3, for your new memory to work.