Topic: SD RAM Upgrades

[Sandra]

Hi folks,I am having problems getting a 256K stick of ram to work in an MSI 6191 motherboard.It already has a stick of 128K in and we want to replace it with the 256K and use the 128K in another PC with a Gigabyte board. The MSI refuses to even work at all if its in by itself or in addition to the 128K even though it has 2 slots and the manufacturers info says it supports up to 256K in each slot.We exchanged it at the local shop for a different make,(both unbranded) and it still wont work in the MSI board?
Both makes of ram work in the gigabyte and in my FIC but both only see them as 128K not 256K even though my FIC info says its supports 256K in each slot too but wasnt tested ?
The ram we have tried is 133 even though all 3 PCs seem to have a front bus speed of 100 but the Gigabyte and my FIC run happily with 100 and/or 133,the MSI came with 128K 133 installed?
I did notice in the BIOS settings of my PC that there is somewhere to alter cycle speeds and timing,is this anything to dowith the reason that mine only sees 128K out of the 256K?
A speedy reply would be appreciated guys as I need to go back to the shop and sort out what I need before it closes at 6pm  


Sorry folks for 128K and 256K please read 128MBs and 256MBs ( I had had a hard night/day and got my Ks and Ms mixed up )  

[Adept]

Sorry I'm late Sandra, I've been out all day

You are right, the PC133 memory should work even though MSI states that you should use PC100 SDRAM.

I'm guessing here, but this may be a single sided/double sided issue. Have a look at the original memory SIMM; does it have chips on both sides or just the one side? Is this different from the new SIMM?

[Sandra]

Actually Adept its Dimm  
The first one I tried was all enclosed so I am assuming it was chipped on both sides.The guy in the shop exchanged it for the second stick which was single sided as all the other sticks in all 3 machines I have been trying them in are.
I tried it again in my FIC board after sorting the drive problem out (mentionedin another post)and it still says its 128  

[Sandra]

Its just been pointed out to me that I put 128K and 256K and not 128MBs and 256MBs originally Adept :-[
Also the one I have now is double sided not single.
( Sorry about the confusion as I was up until 4-30am this morning after getting what now appears to have been a hard drive failure and was up again and trying to sort it at 10-30am )
I wondered why you were asking me about SIMMS  

[Simon]

Can't help you with the tech part, Sandra, but if you go to Crucial.com, you should be able to at least find out what memory your motherboard is supposed to take.

Hope that helps before a techie person stops by!  

[Adept]

Not your fault Sandra I had my silly head on last night. I've been battling with PC problems too. Of course I meant to say DIMMs. Perhaps I'm just stuck in a time-warp (cue Clive )

According to Kingston:-

MSI MS-6191 (MS-6191)

Part Number Description Buy  
KVR100X64C2/64 64MB PC100 DIMM CL2 Add  
KVR100X64C2/128 128MB PC100 DIMM CL2 Add  
KVR100X64C2/256 256MB PC100 DIMM CL2 Add  


System Memory Configuration  
Standard Memory:   0MB (Removable)  
 
Maximum Memory:   512MB  
 
Expansion:   2 Sockets  
 
Central Processor:   Intel Pentium III 500 MHz  
 Intel Pentium III 1 GHz  
 
Bus Architecture:  PCI  
Mfgr's System P/N's:  N/A  


Virtually any configuration up to 512MB can be reached using any combination of Kingston's 32, 64, 128, and 256MB modules.
Memory Installation Guide

Maybe it's just a simple incompatibility. Try changing the DIMM for another one from a different manufacturer.

[bat69]

Do you have the latest BIOS for the mobo?

[Sandra]

Thanks all,the problem is I think with the MSI one that it doesnt like generic memory and may have to be a specific make ,I will check and see what make is already in.
I havent updated the BIOS on my FIC as I was advised that with BIOS updates that if it aint broke dont fix it  
I will go back to shop and see if they'll exchange for 2 x 128mb plus cash difference then at least I can get the gigabyte one away and if it still wont work in the MSI one will at least be able to use one in mine  

[Sandra]

Update on RAM :
I exchanged the second stick of 256mb ram plus two more pounds for 2 sticks of 128 x 133 ram.
As my house and therefore my PC was nearer,I went home and tried it in mine first.Imagine my surprise when it said they were both 64mbs  
Ended up taking them back and have got my cash back  
I can only think that it was some dodgy kind of ram all along but at £24 for 256mbs it seemed like a good idea at the time  

[Simon]

Check out Crucial, Sandra - you can't go wrong, because they guarantee compatability or refund.  

[Sandra]

Probably will do later Simon if I upgrade mine but at the moment I need to get some locally as my friend has promised his friend that it will be ready to be picked up on Friday