Question Memory upgrade issue

Aug 1, 2022
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HP desktop model: HPE-501F, Windows 10 home 21H2 build.
CPU:AMD Phenom II X4 955
Motherboard: FOXCONN 2A92 with AMD RS880 + SB750/SB710 chipset
current RAM: 2x2GB Samsung M378B5773CH0-CH9 DDR3-1333 at 1.5v

thinking to upgrade the RAM. bought 2x4GB Kingston DDR3-1600, and put them in the empty slots, not working, machine won't boot at all, not even to BIOS.

put these 2x4GB Kingston DDR3-1600 to my other whitebox desktop with Asus motherboard, works fine. then use the working 2x2GB Kingston DDR3-1333 pulled from the whitebox desktop to the HP. it
boots into windows, but not stable, whenever starting application, like web browser, windows will go into bluescreen crash. run the windows memory test for couple times, no problem. (haven't use memtest86, since I don't think there is memory hardware issue). pull out the 2x2GB Kingston sticks, windows is back to normal stableness.

I know ideally it would be better to get the same Samsung sticks with higher capacity, but it would drive up the cost of upgrade and hard to find.
The only different between the Samsung 2GB and Kingston 2G sticks are Samsung has chips on one side only, and Kingston has chips on both sides. Having lost track of PC technology for a while, any suggestion to find the compatible upgrade ram?
 

Lutfij

Titan
Moderator
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

put these 2x4GB Kingston DDR3-1600 to my other whitebox desktop with Asus motherboard, works fine. then use the working 2x2GB Kingston DDR3-1333 pulled from the whitebox desktop to the HP. it
They are the same socket/platform? If not, then that test only proves that the rams are in working order. This doesn't dispel the fact that the motherboard you originally intended the rams to go on are compatible with said motherboard.

FYI, mixing and matching sticks of ram are like wearing two different sized and colored shoes. They only make you look silly. You're advised on investing on identical sticks of ram or at best, investing on a matched ram kit, one where the board will work with. Since your board supports a max of DDR3-1333MHz, you should look into a 4x4GB DDR3-1333MHz 1.65v(or 1.5v if the Samsung's weren't an issue) ram kit, while also making sure that your motherboard is on the latest BIOS version, prior to the ram upgrade.

Last bit of info, please note that adding ram to the max supported for the motherboard can and will make the North Bridge(memory controller) run hot, make sure your airflow is proper.
 
Aug 1, 2022
4
0
10
Let me clarify:
my whitebox desktop had 2x2GB Kingston DDR3-1333 only, it's Intel i3 with Asus motherboard. it works with mixing 2x2GB Kingston DDR3-1333 and the 2x4GB DDR3-1600 originally bought for the HPE-501F. I know those brand name desktop usually are picky on RAM type. so I left the 2x4GB DDR3-1600 in the whitebox, then pulled out the 2x2GB Kingston DDR3-1333 and put in the HP desktop. the 2x2GB Kingston DDR3-1333 have the same specification as the Samsung 2x2GB, only different is: Kingston is double side chips stick and Samsung is half side chips.

HP support website is really suck, I couldn't even find the model of my desktop. BIOS is date on May 2011 and on HP forum, someone posted a link for the May 2013 BIOS update, but that link not working anymore.
 
HP desktop model: HPE-501F, Windows 10 home 21H2 build.
CPU:AMD Phenom II X4 955
Motherboard: FOXCONN 2A92 with AMD RS880 + SB750/SB710 chipset
current RAM: 2x2GB Samsung M378B5773CH0-CH9 DDR3-1333 at 1.5v

thinking to upgrade the RAM. bought 2x4GB Kingston DDR3-1600, and put them in the empty slots, not working, machine won't boot at all, not even to BIOS.

put these 2x4GB Kingston DDR3-1600 to my other whitebox desktop with Asus motherboard, works fine. then use the working 2x2GB Kingston DDR3-1333 pulled from the whitebox desktop to the HP. it
boots into windows, but not stable, whenever starting application, like web browser, windows will go into bluescreen crash. run the windows memory test for couple times, no problem. (haven't use memtest86, since I don't think there is memory hardware issue). pull out the 2x2GB Kingston sticks, windows is back to normal stableness.

I know ideally it would be better to get the same Samsung sticks with higher capacity, but it would drive up the cost of upgrade and hard to find.
The only different between the Samsung 2GB and Kingston 2G sticks are Samsung has chips on one side only, and Kingston has chips on both sides. Having lost track of PC technology for a while, any suggestion to find the compatible upgrade ram?
Remove the 2x2 from the 501.
Install the 2x4 in the 501.
Test.
 
Aug 1, 2022
4
0
10
Already tried that. HP didnt boot with only 2x4GB ddr3-1600. I guess the MB probably doesn't support ddr3-1600 or maybe need a BIOS upgrade. Problem is HP website doesnt list this model of desktop at all, couldn't find manual and BIOS update.
 
Aug 1, 2022
4
0
10
Clear the bios and try again with just the 2x4.

If that does not work try each 4GB stick alone.
Not sure what you mean about clearing the bios, but I did try reset the BIOS to default and try dual 4GB, not working. also tried single 4GB before and after resetting BIOS, none works.