Memory upgrade

[NoDakDave]

Hello and Help,

This is my first posting to a forum, so if I've done something wrong or picked the wrong forum, please forgive me. I am using an ASUS A7M266 Socket A motherboard with AMD 761 Chipset and an Athalon 750 MHz CPU. Presently I have one stick of DDR memory installed.

I recently purchased two sticks of memory for upgrading; ELIXIR, 256MB DDR-266MHz-CL2.5 PC2100.

When booting up after the initial install of the two memory sticks, I heard beeping and there was no output to the monitor, i.e. a blank black screen. I removed the 2 new sticks and replaced the old one. On boot-up I recieved an error msg about "hanging for an improper CPU external speed setting, and the system was working in safe mode."

How do I get this new memory to work? I checked the manual for the motherboard and the only information I could get under the chapter: GENERAL DIMM NOTES is, "For the system CPU bus to operate at 200MHz/266Mhz use only PC1600/PC2100 compliant DIMMS." Now how do I change the CPU bus?

Any help for this newbee would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Dave

[Peter M]

Those new DIMMs are unbuffered, aren't they? If so, then they should be working in there. If they don't, then put the old stick back in, make sure you got the latest BIOS in that board, and try again. If still no go, not even with a single DIMM in, return them.

[NoDakDave]

Hello Peter, thanks for your reply. I wish I could actually say that they are unbuffered but, I bought this memory used, and I'm not much of a computer person. I believe I am currently running the latest BIOS (BIOS: Award Software, Inc. ASUS A7M266 ACPI BIOS Revision 1007 04/29/2002)

I have not been able to find the Elixir site, to check the serial number for them, to see exactlly what it is I bought. I have this horrible feeling that "this newbee" is in the process of learning a valuable lesson. If I can find the information about the DIMMS I'll post an update.

Regards, Dave

[Ryanoffski]

Isn't the A7M266 a dual cpu motherboard?

hanging for an improper CPU external speed setting

It sounds like there might be a problem with the older cpu not being able to handle the new ram. But I don't know much about that kind of stuff.

Here's their site.
It doesn't look like the "do" buffered.

Have you tried just one of the sticks at a time? Also, try resetting the CMOS and then going back in and setting it up for your CPU.

[Ryanoffski]

what's the difference between buffered/unbuffered?

[NoDakDave]

I see how you picked the handle.....LOL You are"EVIL" Rick, to suggest that I would even know what CMOS is, much less how to clear it. I'll check the motherboard manual and look for instructions. Thanks for the link to the Elixir site ... you're right it doesn't look they make buffered.

Regards

[NoDakDave]

Ok, the newbee learned a lesson, "check all things out before you actually ask for help and make a fool of yourself."

I guess I just didn't have one side of the memory seated correctly at one end of the slot. Thanks for the help, to all that responded, and accept my apology for not catching it sooner and waisting your time.

On the other hand, I'm glad I posted, now if I REALLY do need help and I've checked my actions couple times first, I know that I can find it here.

Regards
A very red-faced Dave