Question Correct way To install RAM In an old motherboard ?

[michael diemer]

I have a very old Gateway GT5656 Desktop PC with an Elite MCP61PM-AM motherboard.

Max RAM is 4GB. It came with 3GB in the form of 2 x 1GB, and 2 x 500MB, for a total of 3 GB.
I have some compatible 2GB sticks, same exact specs, and need to know:

1) Can I use them on this board ?

and

2) if so, how to place them in the correct slots. Two of the slots are orange, and two are purple. These are dual channel sticks. The originals also are dual channel.

I can't seem to find out if I can put a 2 GB stick into these slots, or if they will only take a 1 GB stick. I have experimented, and putting two of the 2 GB sticks in to the first two slots, results in my system specs reading that I have 4 GB ram. But if the slots can only utilize 1 GB, then it should say I have only 2 GB of ram, right? But since it says I have 4 GB ram, can I assume that is accurate?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Just make sure you put one pair in the A2 and B2 slots, which should be the 2nd and 4th slots over from the CPU socket, and the other matched pair in the A1 and B1 slots, which are the 1st and 3rd slots over from the CPU socket for 99% of consumer motherboards. Aside from that, there is seldom much information available about revised capacities on most hardware because after the manufacturer originally releases that information, they rarely revisit it later when other hardware that very well may be compatible but wasn't available when the hardware was first released, comes out, but often it works. So, just install them and see. I'd recommend after installing that you immediately do a hard reset and go from there.


BIOS Hard Reset procedure

Power off the unit, switch the PSU off and unplug the PSU cord from either the wall or the power supply.

Remove the motherboard CMOS battery for about three to five minutes. In some cases it may be necessary to remove the graphics card to access the CMOS battery.

During that five minutes while the CMOS battery is out of the motherboard, press the power button on the case, continuously, for 15-30 seconds, in order to deplete any residual charge that might be present in the CMOS circuit. After the five minutes is up, reinstall the CMOS battery making sure to insert it with the correct side up just as it came out.

If you had to remove the graphics card you can now reinstall it, but remember to reconnect your power cables if there were any attached to it as well as your display cable.

Now, plug the power supply cable back in, switch the PSU back on and power up the system. It should display the POST screen and the options to enter CMOS/BIOS setup. Enter the bios setup program and reconfigure the boot settings for either the Windows boot manager or for legacy systems, the drive your OS is installed on if necessary.

Save settings and exit. If the system will POST and boot then you can move forward from there including going back into the bios and configuring any other custom settings you may need to configure such as Memory XMP, A-XMP or D.O.C.P profile settings, custom fan profile settings or other specific settings you may have previously had configured that were wiped out by resetting the CMOS.

In some cases it may be necessary when you go into the BIOS after a reset, to load the Optimal default or Default values and then save settings, to actually get the hardware tables to reset in the boot manager.

It is probably also worth mentioning that for anything that might require an attempt to DO a hard reset in the first place, IF the problem is related to a lack of video signal, it is a GOOD IDEA to try a different type of display as many systems will not work properly for some reason with displayport configurations. It is worth trying HDMI if you are having no display or lack of visual ability to enter the BIOS, or no signal messages.

Trying a different monitor as well, if possible, is also a good idea if there is a lack of display. It happens.

 

[TerryLaze]

the mobo is an Elite MCP61PM-AM.
Max ram is 4 GB.
...
and putting two of the 2 GB sticks in to the first two slots, results in my system specs reading that I have 4 GB ram.

What is it you want to us to tell you?!
Because it seems you already did what you wanted.
You maxed out the mobo to 4Gb, what am I missing?!

The reading of the bios is correct but that doesn't mean that the OS can use 4Gb, 32bit windows XP was limited to 3Gb.

 

[michael diemer]

What is it you want to us to tell you?!
Because it seems you already did what you wanted.
You maxed out the mobo to 4Gb, what am I missing?!

The reading of the bios is correct but that doesn't mean that the OS can use 4Gb, 32bit windows XP was limited to 3Gb.

My confusion was about what slots to put them in. I must have looked at 5 different articles, but still came away confused. I guess I just never found the right article.

The machine came with Vista, but was upgraded to W7. Recently, I reinstalled W7 to a new SSD, as the hard drive with the old W7 had problems (rated "Caution" on Crystal Disk). I didn't know if the problems were related to the drive, or were issues with the OS. So I thought it best to do a clean install.

It seems to be working fine, except that sometimes when I do a restart, the monitor won't come on, and I have to do a forced shutdown, after which it starts fine. I may need to consider DarkBreeze's Hard Reset option.

 

[michael diemer]

Just make sure you put one pair in the A2 and B2 slots, which should be the 2nd and 4th slots over from the CPU socket, and the other matched pair in the A1 and B1 slots, which are the 1st and 3rd slots over from the CPU socket for 99% of consumer motherboards. Aside from that, there is seldom much information available about revised capacities on most hardware because after the manufacturer originally releases that information, they rarely revisit it later when other hardware that very well may be compatible but wasn't available when the hardware was first released, comes out, but often it works. So, just install them and see. I'd recommend after installing that you immediately do a hard reset and go from there.


BIOS Hard Reset procedure

Power off the unit, switch the PSU off and unplug the PSU cord from either the wall or the power supply.

Remove the motherboard CMOS battery for about three to five minutes. In some cases it may be necessary to remove the graphics card to access the CMOS battery.

During that five minutes while the CMOS battery is out of the motherboard, press the power button on the case, continuously, for 15-30 seconds, in order to deplete any residual charge that might be present in the CMOS circuit. After the five minutes is up, reinstall the CMOS battery making sure to insert it with the correct side up just as it came out.

If you had to remove the graphics card you can now reinstall it, but remember to reconnect your power cables if there were any attached to it as well as your display cable.

Now, plug the power supply cable back in, switch the PSU back on and power up the system. It should display the POST screen and the options to enter CMOS/BIOS setup. Enter the bios setup program and reconfigure the boot settings for either the Windows boot manager or for legacy systems, the drive your OS is installed on if necessary.

Save settings and exit. If the system will POST and boot then you can move forward from there including going back into the bios and configuring any other custom settings you may need to configure such as Memory XMP, A-XMP or D.O.C.P profile settings, custom fan profile settings or other specific settings you may have previously had configured that were wiped out by resetting the CMOS.

In some cases it may be necessary when you go into the BIOS after a reset, to load the Optimal default or Default values and then save settings, to actually get the hardware tables to reset in the boot manager.

It is probably also worth mentioning that for anything that might require an attempt to DO a hard reset in the first place, IF the problem is related to a lack of video signal, it is a GOOD IDEA to try a different type of display as many systems will not work properly for some reason with displayport configurations. It is worth trying HDMI if you are having no display or lack of visual ability to enter the BIOS, or no signal messages.

Trying a different monitor as well, if possible, is also a good idea if there is a lack of display. It happens.

I'll respond here to the first part of your reply. What I did was to put one 2GB stick in the first slot, and one 2GB stick in the second slot. So I did not do it correctly, as far as I can see, based on your description of the correct procedure.

If I use all 4 2GB sticks, that exceeds the max ram for the mobo. I am trying to properly install 4 GB ram. I could use two 2 GB sticks, or even one 2GB stick, plus two 1 GB sticks. But that leaves one slot open. With the first option, two slots would be open; I just need to know which two to put the 2GB sticks in. I think I did it incorrectly, as I put them in the first two slots, and I should have done the first and third, or second and fourth (?)

 

[stonecarver]

Is this your motherboard.

MCP61PM-AM V.1.0A GF6150 | Ecs MCP61PM-AM Dual Core AM2 Motherboard

Lowest price on Ecs MCP61PM-AM Dual Core AM2 Motherboard Model: MCP61PM-AM V.1.0A GF6150.

www.ascendtech.us

 

[Pimpom]

I just need to know which two to put the 2GB sticks in. I think I did it incorrectly, as I put them in the first two slots, and I should have done the first and third, or second and fourth (?)

Correct. Putting two sticks in adjacent slots will not harm the motherboard or the RAMs. It's just not optimal. Putting them in alternate slots will enable them to operate in dual channel mode and provide a small boost in performance.

 

[TerryLaze]

Correct. Putting two sticks in adjacent slots will not harm the motherboard or the RAMs. It's just not optimal. Putting them in alternate slots will enable them to operate in dual channel mode and provide a small boost in performance.

Yup, this is the only downside but it would be so marginal that it's not worth worrying about.
If all the ram shows up then you are ok.

 

[michael diemer]

Is this your motherboard.

MCP61PM-AM V.1.0A GF6150 | Ecs MCP61PM-AM Dual Core AM2 Motherboard

Lowest price on Ecs MCP61PM-AM Dual Core AM2 Motherboard Model: MCP61PM-AM V.1.0A GF6150.

www.ascendtech.us

Yep, that's it. The only difference is that the chipset is technically 6150se, n 450.

 

[michael diemer]

Correct. Putting two sticks in adjacent slots will not harm the motherboard or the RAMs. It's just not optimal. Putting them in alternate slots will enable them to operate in dual channel mode and provide a small boost in performance.

I'm wondering at this point if it would be better to just go with the original memory, putting the 1GB sticks in slots 1 and 3, and the 500MB sticks in slots 2 and 4? I know that would add up to only 3 GB, but might that be better, as all 4 slots would be filled?

Or maybe this: buy two 1 GB sticks, and then just have 4 four 1 GB sticks right across, thus filling all the slots? I already have two 1GB sticks, so two more would be very cheap.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Generally, having more memory capacity trumps having all slots filled or even dual channel operation. Generally.

 

[Bob.B]

I'm wondering at this point if it would be better to just go with the original memory, putting the 1GB sticks in slots 1 and 3, and the 500MB sticks in slots 2 and 4? I know that would add up to only 3 GB, but might that be better, as all 4 slots would be filled?

Or maybe this: buy two 1 GB sticks, and then just have 4 four 1 GB sticks right across, thus filling all the slots? I already have two 1GB sticks, so two more would be very cheap.

Put the 2x2GB in the proper slots.
Verify all the ram is seen at the proper speed.
If everything looks good leave it alone.

 

[michael diemer]

Generally, having more memory capacity trumps having all slots filled or even dual channel operation. Generally.

Ok, I'll do that. Last night I did put the original memory back in, in the correct slots, and everything seemed fine. however, I still had a blank screen on restart, a problem that has been plaguing this computer lately. (Actually, the monitor itself fails to turn on). I rolled back the display driver, and so far that seems to have taken care of it. So far...

 

[michael diemer]

Put the 2x2GB in the proper slots.
Verify all the ram is seen at the proper speed.
If everything looks good leave it alone.

OK, I'll put a 2GB stick in slot 1, and another in slot 3. Assuming that's the correct procedure.