Win98 stops responding after RAM upgrade

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Mike Parker - 30 Jun 2003 09:32 GMT

Having just upgraded my 750MHz Athlon system from 256MB
PC100 CL2 to 1GB PC133 CL2 RAM (verified compatible with
m/board by Crucial.com and m/board manuf.), I now find
that the system periodically locks up (no keyboard or
mouse response, frozen display etc.). The lockups seem to
happen more frequently when dialled up via the internal
56k modem, but I have experienced lockups with no network
activity (during "normal" use and during gameplay).

Upon installing the new RAM, I modified my vcache settings
to the recommended 512MB (524288KB). Since then, I've
reduced the MaxFileCache size to 457728 to take account of
the 64MB occupied by the AGP graphics card (dubious
benefit?). Lockups still persist.

Because of the seeming dependency upon modem use (and
hence IE6/OE usage) I've repaired by IE installation,
reinstalled DUN, installed the latest m/board drivers and
removed some of the less robust utilites run during start
up. Numerous SFC runs have led to the reinstallation of a
corrupted IE4.dll and the replacement of an old scrrun.dll.
No change in the locking up behaviour has been noticed.

Before uninstalling 512MB of the new RAM (or even
reinstalling the "old" 256MB) I want to make sure I've
covered everything that could be causing these lockups.
The possbility of a cable being unseated during the RAM
installation hasn't been discounted, but the system can
run in a stable state for several hours - only use seems
to bring on the lockups.

All ideas gratefully received - I'm running out of ideas.

Many thanks,

Mike

Reply to this Message

Jim Eshelman - 30 Jun 2003 10:48 GMT

Mike, did you fully replace the old RAM, or did you add to it? If you added
to it, try one piece at a time -- since, no matter how good it looks on
paper, RAM incompatibility is a frequent cause of this sort of thing.

If you rule that out, then the next thing I would check isn't related to the
RAM at all, unless the RAM has just sped up your computer too much! The
thing to check is a video issue. Freezes with no mouse and keyboard response
are most commonly video card lockups because the card can't process data
coming to it fast enough. To into System Properties and crank Graphic
Acceleration back one or (to make this go faster) two notches. If this
resolves or seriously reduces the problem, then either you need a new video
card, or a drive update for the current one.

Signature

Jim Eshelman
MS-MVP, Windows Shell/User
http://aumha.org/
http://WinSupportCenter.com/

> Having just upgraded my 750MHz Athlon system from 256MB
> PC100 CL2 to 1GB PC133 CL2 RAM (verified compatible with
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
>
> Mike

Reply to this Message

Mike Parker - 30 Jun 2003 12:00 GMT

Jim, Thanks for the reply.

>Mike, did you fully replace the old RAM, or did you add to it?

RAM was fully replaced.

>If you rule that out, then the next thing I would check isn't related to the
>RAM at all, unless the RAM has just sped up your computer too much! The
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>resolves or seriously reduces the problem, then either you need a new video
>card, or a drive update for the current one.

Interesting idea. I'll give it a try. Not being a great
believer in co-incidence (esp. when it comes to PC's),
have you any idea how the RAM installation could have
brought about such a problem? The card is GeForce256, so
not _that_ old.....

Interesting aside: Windows is not reporting the about of
installed RAM correctly, giving a figure a 1012MB rather
than the expected (and reported by BIOS) figure of 1024MB.
I've looked at the KB article relating to this issue and
will try some of the solutions suggested. Anyone care to
say whether these two things could be linked?

Thanks,

Mike

Reply to this Message

Ron Reddon INVALID EMAIL - 30 Jun 2003 14:04 GMT

Mike Parker wrote the following message:

> Having just upgraded my 750MHz Athlon system from 256MB
> PC100 CL2 to 1GB PC133 CL2 RAM (verified compatible with
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> 56k modem, but I have experienced lockups with no network
> activity (during "normal" use and during gameplay).

Try here for some more ideas to ponder:
http://aumha.org/win4/a/memmgmt.htm
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=184447

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