Laptop memory issue

[Trevhib]

Guys,

Anyone have any advice on this:

Bought some SO-DIMM laptop memory for my Vaio. Crucial and the Ebay vendor agreed that what I was buying (checking all the minor details) was compatible and was the accepted upgrade for my model (cost £26).

Existing = 2 x 256mb (512mb total)
New = 2 x 512mb (1024mb total)

The supported max for my machine according to all websites is 1024mb, so all good there.

Problem - Both 512mb sticks work individually, in either slot, and both will work in conjunction with one of my existing 256mb sticks (so 768mb total). But no matter what I do, I can't get both 512mb sticks to work together. I get a Trap 00000006 exception error after the Vaio screen.

Been into the BIOS and it recognises the 1024mb but I can't get the thing to boot.

This is me currenctly - :scratch:

Any ideas?

[tiff_lee]

Does sound random if either one works alone but not together.

After a quick google that error suggests it could either be ram voltages or faulty ram? can you adjust the dimm voltage in your bios?

You could try running memtest on each 512 stick one at a time or it could just be the laptop is being fussy and just wont have it.

[Trevhib]

Hi Tiff.

I've been all over this. The voltages are all the same (as is everything else), the only difference is the speed. The original was PC2100, the new PC2700. I understand that this is not an issue but the new stuff will only run at 2100.

My bios, as it's a Vaio, doesn't have Ram and CPU settings menus.

I think the BIOS needs updating but I can't find out what make my motherboard is. Next stop is the Sony support site I think. I hope they have a BIOS upgrade that I can complete using some downloadable software (so it doesn't c*ck up). If not, I need help identifying what my motherboard is so I can go search for an update elsewhere on the net.

It is weird that both new sticks work separately or in conjunction with one of the existing 256s and yet not together.

[Slim]

Are the ram Slots colour coded?

[Trevhib]

No, they are the same Slim.

They have different barcode stickers on the top but they don't appear to signify anything.

The slots sit back to back.

[Slim]

hmmmm how many slots?? 4?

if so... try using the faster rams on slot 1 and 3... and the slower ones on 2 and 4 then report back....

[Trevhib]

There are only two slots mate.

I have original ram - 2 x 256mb sticks
I have new ram to replace the old and that is - 2 x 512mb sticks

2 x 512mb is the recommended upgrade. Sony says this should work.

Given that I can only get two sticks of ram in at any one time I can only have the following combinations:

256 and 256 (OE)
512 ans 512 (desired outcome)
256 and 512 (768 total, how it is atm)
512 and 256 (i.e. same combination as above just swapped slots)

[tiff_lee]

Yeah I doubt you will get a bios update for the laptop and you will probably find the board isn't even manufactured by them anyway, most likely clevo.

[Slim]

js sounds like they are incompatible together... it happens... js send em back..