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View Full Version : Mesh Matrix RAM Upgrade problem



dansleeth
01-08-2008, 12:01 AM
Hi all,

I am doing this on behalf of a friend, so my replies might be slow! She has a Mesh Matrix machine (not sure on the model number) which is 2GHz with 224MB RAM?? Running XP! It is 5 years old now and she says it is really sluggish, so obviously I recommended an upgrade on the RAM. After looking through the books that came with it, she told me that it takes '2700 333'. I linked her to the Novatech RAM [http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/products/a539x1y0z1p0s0n0m0] from which she bought a 1 gig module. I met up with her today to install it and when she got home to boot it up, she had a 'no signal' messsage on the monitor. Over the phone I went thru all the usual wire checking, making sure the gpu was seated etc but no joy. I then told her to take the new RAM out and just run it on the old RAM to see if it messed up when I installed it. It booted fine as usual. I then suggested she took the old RAM out completely and just use the gig module in case the machine was limited to a gig memory. It booted, but eveything on the screen looked psychadelic (purples, greens etc).

Basically whenever the new RAM is in the machine, it doesn't run properly (but will kinda boot but looks crazy when used on its own).

Do you think this is most likely because it is too large (should I suggest changing it for a 512MB) or is this a dodgy RAM stick and suggest she get a straight replacement? It would seem a shame to only upgrade by 512MB, but that will still be a lot considering that is XPs minimum requirement!! Any other suggestions welcome!

THANKS!

system7
01-08-2008, 10:37 AM
The problem is she has bought some highly dubious unbranded high density memory, I reckon... :roll:

No reputable company will put their name in the DIMMS' SPD chips since it doesn't meet JEDEC specifications. It is made from 16 cheap 128MX4 server chips that are designed to be fitted in buffered DIMMS, and overloads the memory controller on most machines. Laptop memory is plagued by similar issues, and Elpida is the only brand that seems to work consistently well on older AMD laptops.

This poor man knows all about this scandalous issue: http://forum.novatech.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=26329

Her best bet is to exchange for two sticks of this splendid highly compatible Corsair branded 512MB DDR-400 at £27.28 total for 1 GB in dual channel.
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?CSR-VS4051
Hopefully, although it is not a matched pair, they will be from the same batch and work well together. :P

dansleeth
01-08-2008, 02:10 PM
Okay, that's a shame. Even tho the machine wants 2700, will the 3200 RAM still work, just at a reduced speed?

system7
01-08-2008, 04:20 PM
Yeah, should just downclock.

That Corsair is actually 2.6V memory, at CL2.5, but I expect it will be stable.