RAM upgrade- what gives?!?
 

My machine origially came with 512k :eek:

I added 2GB quite some time ago and all have been well.
I bought my wife a new machine, so i figured I would scavenge the 2GB card out of hers and use it in mine ( we had identical machines with compatible RAM )

I thought running 4GB of RAM would be nice. Instead it wouldn't boot.
I just beeped at me until I went back with the 512k chip and one 2GB chip.

What's the deal?:


KT

Some machines/motherboards/BIOS can't/won't use all that RAM.

That's what I was afraid of.

Too bad. I just bought the upgrade for my wife's old machine a few weeks ago. :mad:


KT

I'm just guessing here. You may be able to upgrade the BIOS or change some settings/jumpers to accommodate the RAM.

XP can only see 2gb of ram unless you update it in some way. Not sure of the process, i've never done it, but i have read about the limitation in the past.

Actually Xp can use 3.2gb of ram as this was the limit on a 32 bit operating systems. Even if you get 4gb to boot 3.2 is all the operating system will see. You would not really see any speed difference between 2.5 and the 3.2, at least that is noticeable.

You mean 3.2 if XP is upgraded, or 3.2 as Xp comes from the box? I had always read that as delivered XP only recognizes 2.0 gb of RAM.

Is that an internet tall tale or something?

His issue is not XP.... It does limit to 3.2 gig with a 32bit OS though..... His RAM issues are most likely to do with different speed chips and only a 2channel MB....