Princezz111

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Just received my supposedly two 256mb sdram pc133 from a buyer on "Ebay" who said it was brand new.

After I installed it, the computer ran fine until I checked "dxdiag," "Crucial scan," and "system information for Windows." which all said that the installed memories are only 128mb of ram each.

The stickers on the ram all say "Crucial Technology 256mb 168-PIN DIMM 32MX64 SDRAM UNBUFF P CL2"

Could this be a system error in reading the ram or did the seller somehow sell us the wrong ram?

Thanks in advance!!

By the way my Desktop computer is a Sony PCV-RX260DS P3 800EBmhz.

The motherboard is:

Manufacturer ASUSTeK Computer INC.
Model MEW
Version REV 1.06

North Bridge Intel i810E Revision A3
South Bridge Intel 82801AA (ICH) Revision A3

CPU Intel Pentium III EB
Cpu Socket Socket 370 FC-PGA

System Slots 4 PCI

Memory Summary
Maximum Capacity 512 MBytes
Maximum Memory Module Size 512 MBytes
Memory Slots 2
Error Correction None

 
Solution
The 128MB module with four chips on each side is built with Mx16 components. This type cannot be used with 256MB modules on the Intel 810 chipset, AFAIK.

You are really limited to just one type of module with this chipset when populating 2 x 256MB DIMMS. 16Mx8 DRAM, sixteen chips total (eight on each side), a.k.a. "low density"

I don't know where you are located but here are some examples of what you need:

Super Talent PC133 256MB 16x8

Super Talent PC100 256MB 16x8

512MB (2x 256MB)168pin DIMM PC133 SDRAM

512MB (2 x 256MB) PC100 SDRAM Memory 168-pin

In addition to checking compatibility with Intel 440BX, another way is to make sure its compatible with Mac. I couldn't find any BIOS updates from Sony, so...

Princezz111

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Hi,

The link you gave me does not work. My two sticks of ram both have 8 chips all on one side.

There are two stickers on each of the ram.

The first one says:

MT8LSDT3264AY-13ED2 200708 CBNCGH2004
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN SINGAPORE LEA FREE
PC133U-222-542-2
256MB, SYNCH, 133MHZ, CL2

The second sticker says:

Crucial Techonology BP112FY.9N
CT32M64S8D7E.8LTDY
256MB 168-PIN DIMM 32MX64 SDRAM UNBUFF P

However when running Crucial's app, it comes up as saying that it is a 128mb stick of ram.

Do you by any chance know if they still make new sticks of pc133 SDram?

Thanks Again
 

tcsenter

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Everything looks fine, all those part numbers indicate 256MB module (32Mx64). Don't think you got swindled, you just don't know what you're doing (no offense).

Most likely they aren't compatible or there is a BIOS issue. That's an OLD OEM system and OEMs are not known for providing great BIOS refinement or regular updates. Check for a BIOS update.

Otherwise, try modules that have eight chips on EACH side (16 chips total), but not the modules that are built using x4 DRAM components (e.g. 32Mx4). You want modules built using 16Mx8 components.

As a way to be sure, look for modules that are compatible with Intel 440BX chipset.
 

Princezz111

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Hi

Thanks for the great information! I admit I really don't know what I am doing... but per your suggestion, I checked out my old ram which are two sticks of 128mb ram.

One of them has 8 chips on one side and the other old stick of 128mb ram has 4 chips on each side.

So does that mean my computer's motherboard is capable of handling high density ram as well as low density ram (8 chips on one side and 4 chips on front and back?)

Also I was wondering if anyone knows how I would find out what my bios is and how I could upgrade it.

Once again you guys have all been very helpful and I am learning a lot about computers this past few weeks lol. :love:
 

tcsenter

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The 128MB module with four chips on each side is built with Mx16 components. This type cannot be used with 256MB modules on the Intel 810 chipset, AFAIK.

You are really limited to just one type of module with this chipset when populating 2 x 256MB DIMMS. 16Mx8 DRAM, sixteen chips total (eight on each side), a.k.a. "low density"

I don't know where you are located but here are some examples of what you need:

Super Talent PC133 256MB 16x8

Super Talent PC100 256MB 16x8

512MB (2x 256MB)168pin DIMM PC133 SDRAM

512MB (2 x 256MB) PC100 SDRAM Memory 168-pin

In addition to checking compatibility with Intel 440BX, another way is to make sure its compatible with Mac. I couldn't find any BIOS updates from Sony, so whatever you have appears to be it.
 
Solution

Princezz111

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Yeah actually my board can support up to max 256mb ram for each slot. I doubled check that...

Sorry can you explain to me what 32mx4 dram means exactly?

One more thing, is it weird that my board apparently supports low density, but it can still use the high density ram albeit at half its intended speed?

I always thought it just wouldn't register.

 

tcsenter

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32Mx4 refers to the internal configuration or organization of the DRAM chip (a.k.a. component). A 32Mx4 DRAM chip is 16,777,216 words deep x four bits wide x four banks (internal). Only software coders and computer engineers need to deal in terms of "word" units, the rest of us can just use bit/byte units instead. e.g. 32Mx4 means 32Mbits deep x 4 bits wide, or a total of 128Mbits (megabits).

128Mbit chip = 16MBytes

Note: the word to bits conversion will differ depending on the technology being discussed. Some things deal in single-words, double-words, quad-words, blah blah. So just know that words to bits can be different depending on what is being discussed.

PC DRAM chips typically come in x4, x8, and x16 widths (these are the only widths sanctioned by JEDEC, the organization that develops PC memory standards). You multiply the total depth by the total width (in bits) to reach the total density (capacity) of the DRAM chip.

16Mx4 = 64Mbits (8 MBytes)
16Mx8 = 128Mbits (16 MBytes)
16Mx16 = 256Mbits (32 MBytes)

So on and so forth. As a practical matter, the bit-width of the chip corresponds to how many DATA pins each chip has. e.g. a 4-bit wide (x4) chip has four data pins. An 8-bit wide (x8) chip has eight data pins. A 16-bit wide (x16) chip has 16 data pins.

Because PC memory bus is 64-bits wide, we need to have a total of 64 data pins in order to create one functional 64-bit DIMM (a.k.a. rank). So a module that is built with 4-bit wide (x4) DRAM will need to use sixteen chips in order to create a functional DIMM. 16 chips x 4 data pins = 64 data pins. A module that is built with 8-bit wide (x8) DRAM will need to use eight chips in order to create a functional DIMM. 8 chips x 8 data pins = 64 data pins. A module built with 16-bit wide (x16) DRAM will need to use four chips. Four chips x 16 data pins = 64 data pins.

This assumes a module that has only a single 64-bit rank (previously called bank). A module can actually have one, two, or four ranks (four rank modules are exclusively for servers at present). Basically, a double-rank module is just two single-rank modules put together. So a double-rank module built with x8 DRAM will have a total of sixteen chips. A double-rank module built with x16 DRAM will have a total of eight chips. Rank is also sometimes synonymous with side. e.g. single or double sided.

Note this is different from the module organization or configuration, which is a higher-level organization. Module organization is expressed as:

16Mx64 = 128MBytes
32Mx64 = 256MBytes
64Mx64 = 512MBytes
128Mx64 = 1024MBytes
256Mx64 = 2048MBytes

Module organization is always expressed as 'M-something' by 64 no matter which chips are used, the 64 referring to its design for a 64-bit memory bus. All 128MByte PC modules are 16Mx64. All 256MByte PC modules are 32Mx64. So on and so forth. The exception to this is ECC modules, which are organized as 'M-something' by 72 because ECC adds eight bits for error correction (64 + 8 = 72), but we aren't discussing those here.
 

Princezz111

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Ok thanks!

I understand much more about how ram works, and the short of it is that my computer can only handle low density ram.

Thanks for the links to where I can purchase some ram, once I get my old purchase returned I'll go ahead and order from there.

Oh! Is it any concern, after installing the purchased ram I noticed a crackling sound in my computer. I sometimes here it now too after reinstalling my old ram.

You have been very helpful!!