New memory in an older motherboard

[joshfourie]

Specs:
Q45 Intel express chipset with a Core 2 Duo E7600 CPU
Running 2 x 1 gig DDR3 1066Mhz modules
In total 4 slots ( 2 open)

I have 1 x 8gig 1600Mhz DDR3 module and 1 x 4gig 1600Mhz module that I wanted to use in this motherboard. In both cases the motherboard just beeps and nothing happens further. tried a variety of different combinations.

Memory works perfectly in another PC so nothing wrong with it.
Updated BIOS to latest version I could find from the suppliers website (Dell)
Reset BIOS as well but still the same problem persists.

I heard that you can put higher spec memory on a motherboards but that the motherboard will downclock it to its own maximum. In this case 1066Mhz.

Can someone please help in this regard?

 

[Tradesman1]

Would need the mobo model, but believe the chipset only supports up to 4GB sticks, also newer lines of DRAM only use 4Gb memory chips(high density) wherethe socket 775 mobos use the DRAM with the older low density memory chips, if you let us know the mobo , can make some suggestions for DRAM

 

[Bassblaster505]

Alright lemme think aloud, a C2D E7600, which is in the LGA775 Socket, most 775 chipsets don't support past 4GB PER STICK, and with a 1066 max speed any ram will run at its max speed OR the MOBO will slow it down to match its 1066 max speed, so yes any DDR2 RAM would work, but to be safe we need the model number of the MOBO, but that DDR3 dim wont fit because LGA775 chipset doesn't support it UNLESS its a X48 or P45

 

[joshfourie]

Would need the mobo model, but believe the chipset only supports up to 4GB sticks, also newer lines of DRAM only use 4Gb memory chips(high density) wherethe socket 775 mobos use the DRAM with the older low density memory chips, if you let us know the mobo , can make some suggestions for DRAM

It is a Q45/Q43 Intel chipset Version 3 (CPU-Z)
Running BIOS version A15 ( did latest update)

Running 2 x 1 GB 1333Mhz DDR3 DIMM modules according to CPU-Z and 2 x 1GB 1066Mhz DDR3 DIMM modules according to the BIOS. A little confused