Memory woes...

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I've been having problems for a little while whilst trying to increase the RAM in mywindows 98 machine. I've bought several modules but none of them work - I get a long beep on start up, there's no display and the system doesn't POST.

Can anyone help advise where I might be going wrong please?

This is the working RAM (2 x 32MB): http://imgur.com/a/SqMZ523


And these are the modules I've bought in an attempt to bump up to 128MB - so far none of them work.

http://imgur.com/a/MFTqXaG
http://imgur.com/a/tqluWKt
http://imgur.com/a/yQOkTYH
 
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I would probably buy 2x 128 or 256mb, 133MHz RAM module off eBay and use only one of them to rule out any slot issues or chipset limitations. They're less than a fiver. It at least removes the potential for your 3 sticks (or the slots) not working together
 
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What cpu / motherboard?

Some of the forum members here helped me to try and narrow it down and we think it's probably this - http://www.uncreativelabs.de/th99/m/I-L/34285.htm

It's in a Gateway 2000 system so there isn't much in the way of identifying marks in there.

I would probably buy 2x 128 or 256mb, 133MHz RAM module off eBay and use only one of them to rule out any slot issues or chipset limitations. They're less than a fiver. It at least removes the potential for your 3 sticks (or the slots) not working together

I've bought a bunch of modules now off Ebay and I've tried them individually as well as in pairs, however and the only ones that work are the 2 x 32MB ones that I mentioned in the OP :(
 
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1 Beep: DRAM refresh failure

Explanation: The system is having a problem accessing the system memory to refresh it. Refreshing is done on all system memory to keep its contents active.

Diagnosis: This code usually means a problem either with the system memory or with the motherboard itself.
 
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What type of bios is it?

do you have another machine you can test the other sticks in to 100% rule out that they are not dead?

The BIOS is - AMIBIOS version 1.00.07.DQ0T UAV
Unfortunately this is the only machine I can test on - although I'm thinking it would be seriously bad luck to have bought 3 lots of (allegedly) "tested" memory from 3 different sellers and to find that all 3 are faulty
 
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Just a quick question - Any reason for wanting so much ram? The Intel TX chipset can only cache 64mb of ram, anything else will slow the system down. This being a Socket 7 machine i would say 64mb is plenty. What CPU do you have installed?
 
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Just a quick question - Any reason for wanting so much ram? The Intel TX chipset can only cache 64mb of ram, anything else will slow the system down. This being a Socket 7 machine i would say 64mb is plenty. What CPU do you have installed?

I was hoping it might help a little with some of the more demanding games. For example, I play Diablo II and even though the machine is below the minimum spec it runs ok, but frame rates do drop a bit at times. I was holding out a little bit of hope that adding some more RAM might help with situations like that.

The CPU is a P200 MMX and has a Voodoo 1 card in there if that makes any difference.
 
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I don't think ram will help much with Diablo 2. I have a similar machine P233 MMX, Riva 128 + Voodoo 1 with 64mb ram and Win95 OSR 2.5. As i said, adding more ram over 64mb will actually slow the system down unfortunately.
 
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Ok your timing could not be anymore perfect. You have an Intel "Mailman" motherboard made specifically for Gateway 2000 but which is heavily based on an Intel Advanced/EV standard motherboard. Its similar sister models are "Tiger Eye" and "Hitman". I also have the same motherboard and desperately need a copy of the bios from your motherboard. I have the 1.00.05.DQ0T bios, and you have the last made bios 1.00.07.DQ0T which I need. If I tell you exactly how to copy it off your machine, and e-mail it to me, that would really help me out. Although the "Wayback When Machine" has kept copies of almost all of the Gateway website the BIOS for our motherboard was stored on an FTP site, and hence was not saved for prosterity. However the specifications of the RAM required is still visible at:
http://web.archive.org/web/19961219222522/http://www.gateway2000.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/2003102....gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/shared/dimclock.shtml
You need "2-clock" DIMMs that are no greater than 32Mb in size, and which have the correct stuff in the SPD chip so that the motherboard can recognise it properly.
 
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Whats the MBD number on your motherboard, its in black writing on a yellow background on the edge of the motherboard? Mine is for example MBDSAC051AAWW
 
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Actually I lied, my motherboard, and probably your motherboard as well, can take either 2-clock or 4-clock DIMMs. See the chart on the second link. Most old DIMMs I had lying around worked fine in the motherboard. Max total RAM is 64Mb with both banks populated.
 
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I think mine has a 256Kb COAST (Cache-on-a-stick), intergrated Creative Vibra 16C sound card, integrated ATI Rage II graphics card, but no VRE fitted although there is space for it on the motherboard, So without elaborate expensive Powerleap type adapters the fastest CPU you can put in it is an Intel Pentium 200, not even a 200 MMX will work in it, let alone anything spicy from AMD.
 
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