Member Avatar for Narcisse

Hi, thank you in advance for your help

I have just bought a new 512 MB RAM stick for. The manufacturer is Kingston, model is KTM0055/512.

This is PC133 SDRAM.

My motherboard is a Asus CUV4X. It has 3 RAM slots. Each RAM slot can contain 512 MB max RAM. One slot has 256 MB, one slot has 256 MB, and the new slot contains 512 MB.

Here are the specs of the motherboard concerning the RAM:

DIMM
3.3V
168-pin
Unbuffered

Now the stick I bought is compatible with these standards.

When I put the new stick in the machine, the memory stick reads the correct amount of RAM (1024 MB = 256 + 256 + the new 512)

The BIOS reads "Installed Memory 1024 MB".

But when I try to start Windows, it impossible, even in Safe Mode, it just reboots

What can I do ?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by lostandfound

Dani AI

Generated

— the symptoms point to either a compatibility/timing conflict or a defective module/slot rather than a simple capacity limit. and were right to flag those possibilities; here is a focused, practical checklist to isolate the cause and fix it.

  • Test each stick alone. Remove all DIMMs and boot the machine with only one module at a time (each 256MB and the new 512MB). Note whether the system reaches BIOS and whether Windows starts. If one stick fails alone, it is likely bad or incompatible.
  • Test slots. Use a known-good stick in each motherboard slot to rule out a bad DIMM socket.
  • Try pairings. Boot with the new 512 + one 256, then with the other 256, and with both old 256s only. A problem that appears only with a particular pairing suggests a timing or density incompatibility between those modules.
  • Run a burn-in memory test (bootable MemTest86 or similar) for several passes on any configuration that will start. Errors point to faulty RAM or an addressing incompatibility.
  • Check BIOS options. If available, lower/force the memory speed, relax timings, or set voltage to the value printed on the DIMMs. If a BIOS update specifically mentions improved RAM compatibility, consider it — but follow the vendor flashing procedure exactly and back up current settings.
  • Consider power and module organization. Adding a stick increases current draw; a marginal PSU can cause reboots. Also, some older boards cannot address certain high-density 512MB modules; if testing shows the new stick fails only when mixed, try a matched kit (all same size/type) or exchange the module for one with a different chip organization.

If the new DIMM fails standalone or shows errors in MemTest, return/RMA it. If all tests pass except the mixed configuration, the practical solution is matching modules (replace with a set the board is known to accept) or updating BIOS if a vendor note confirms a fix.

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Member Avatar for jbennet

your machine may have a max. My dads pc takes pc133 (its from ~2002) and it has a max of 768mb ram.

Member Avatar for lostandfound

Your motherboard will run PC100 and PC133 RAM. Check that all your RAM are the same standard.

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