PC Hardware Annoyances

MEMORY ANNOYANCES

SHUFFLING RAM IN AN UPGRADE

The Annoyance:

I want to increase the RAM in my system (two 256MB DIMMs) to 1GB. I know the system will take the extra memory, but I only see two DIMM slots on the motherboard.

The Fix:

When a manufacturer fills the only two DIMM slots in the system, you either learn to live with the existing RAM or dump the old RAM in favor of new modules. In your situation, remove the two old 256MB DIMMs and install two new 512MB DIMMs to get your 1GB RAM total. You can use the old DIMMs in another system (maybe the kids’ computer), or sell the old RAM to your friends or neighbors.

Clip It Tight

Little plastic clips lock into notches on either side of the memory module and hold it in place. If the clips loosen, it can cause memory problems. In some cases, the module may actually fall out of its slot.

HANDLING AGGRESSIVE MEMORY TIMING

The Annoyance:

I upgraded the memory in my system, and now it just sits there and beeps. I called a technician who says the new memory is “too aggressive” for my system.

The Fix:

This type of problem occurs with certain combinations of memory and motherboard chipsets. The memory module itself may be fine. For example, Kingston KHX3200/256 and KHX3200/512 modules won’t work in PCs with Intel i865PE, i865G, and i875 chipsets.

So what can you do? Remove the new DIMM first and retest the system (this tells you whether the rest of the system works). Check the DIMM’s characteristics against your system’s requirements. For example, a high-density ...