New RAM won't get past POST

[amiabledwarf]

Hi all,

I've just bought some new RAM for my sister's PC as it is very slow. She has an Emachines E4056 which uses a ATI Radeon 200 Xpress Chipset requiring DDR PC3200 400Mhz RAM.

The computer originally came with just 512Mb RAM so I decided to buy two identical sticks of I Gig DDR PC 3200 400Mhz which I thought would speed things up considerably. I have checked and found that the mobo is able to take a maximum of 1 gig in each slot of it's 2 slots.

When I try to start the computer now with the new memory in it will not get past POST to load windows. The windows screen comes up as though it's about to load but then the PC restarts itself and keeps going round in circles.

I have checked the BIOS and it is definitely reading the new memory in each slot. I have also tried putting in one stick at a time to check whether one might be faulty but this makes no difference.

Can anyone help please?

[Majinvash]

Take out one of the pieces of Ram and reboot.. see if it posts

Then try it with the other ram see if that posts.. if on one it doesnt then you have some duff ram.. Get it replaced..

Thats the simplest test.. after that it gets tricky :P

It could be a simple incompatability with your ram and chipset.. I have seen it a couple of times..

Did you get some generic ram or some branded?

Majin

[amiabledwarf]

I just bought some generic RAM as it was only for my sister's older computer. I thought that it would be sufficient for what I was trying to achieve as she doesn't use it for high end gaming or anything. If it had been my own computer I'd make sure I bought some decent stuff.

I've done what you suggested with the RAM trying them individually and in diferent slots and it makes no difference. It will not get past POST no matter what combination I try.

I guess I'll just have to cut my losses and buy her some better RAM.

[matz]

could be a problem that your motherboard dosent except double sided ram sticks or is it single?

[amiabledwarf]

Just a quick update, if anyone's interested.

I found out that I had been sold inferior high density RAM instead of the required low density stuff. I now know that very few mobos accept high density RAM.

Hence to say that it will be the last time I buy RAM on Ebay. (Although I did manage to sell it on for a fiver profit!)

Thanks to those who tried to help.