PROBLEM - New RAM, vista fails to boot

[alexxx]

Hi, since 'tis the season to buy new computer bits, my mum got some more RAM for her computer.

Old Spec:
Socket 775 P4 3Ghz
1GB DDR2 533MHz (2 x 512Mb DIMMs) (thats right, she was running vista with 1GB :!: )
Some rubbish intel integrated graphics
Foxconn 945G7MC mobo
Vista Home Premium 32bit

New RAM is DDR2 533MHz, same timings
2 x 2GB Kingston

The problem is that vista fails to boot with the new RAM installed.
It boots with the old RAM, both sticks or one or the other, and it boots with one stick of the new RAM and the other.
However it does not boot up with both new DIMMs, or with one new and one old.
The DIMMs themselves are not the problem as they do start up individually like I said and when both are installed the BIOS recognises 4GB of memory.

Ive checked the Foxconn website and it says the mobo supports 4GB so thats not the problem, I know Vista had problems before SP1 but thats installed and so are all updates so I don't see where the problem could be.

When booting up the computer, BIOS post screen appears and then some self-diagnostic stuff comes up including info on the HDDs, and it does state that both RAM banks are installed.

At the bottom of this screen is where it gets stuck, there is a line saying

"Verifying DMI pool data.................. Update Success"

and then nothing after that. The cursor blinks on screen, DOS style, and Capslock still turns on and off, so the computer hasn't frozen. Its just not doing anything.


Does anyone have any ideas? I've tried to be as clear as possible here, I don't know what else to do myself other than suggest she sends it back.

Thanks in advance,
alexxx

[system7]

Hey alexxx, what happened with that dodgy 1601 bios update on your Asus P5N32-E SLI? Seems the fix is you have to remove a graphic card and put the older bios back on.

This issue with 4GB of memory on Foxconn 945G7MC-KRS2H looks like another bios update to cure:
http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_spec.aspx?ID=en-us0000199

Let's hope it works better than the Asus update. You get support for Core2Duo as well. :P

[alexxx]

Hey system, I got a replacement mobo, thanks for asking.

I did think of updating the BIOS, but I am a bit wary of doing that due to what happened before lol.

It does look like the step to take though, I'll do that either tonight or tomorrow, and then I'll post back with results.

Cheers system :D

[alexxx]

Hi again, I've updated the BIOS successfully!

It was a tense moment lol. After system restart after BIOS post is said there was a bad CMOS checksum so I selected to load defaults. I guess this is normal?

Small problem now with there being no sound on the system. I've checked the BIOS options and there isn't much you can chance concerning the sound. There is no sound coming from the speakers (yes they are plugged in :) ) and in Vista the only playback device listed is is the SPDIF Digital Output Device. Does this mean I have to install some new sound drivers to get it to recognise speakers?

[Chewie]

It should recognise the sound card chipset, eg REALTEK ALC880 or whichever is fitted. Assuming it somehow has not been disabled in the bios (stranger things have happened following a bios update), reinstall the drivers for it and let us know the results.

[alexxx]

New Realtek sound drivers from the Foxconn website installed and now everything works.

Sound is working and recognises all devices, and 4GB of RAM is in and working.

Thanks for the help :D