OK Guys, I have a question. It has nothing to do with Vista, so hopefully it's ok I'm posting it. This is my favorite site to ask questions and what not. thats why I'm askin here.

So, my mother has a Decent.... well crappy computer. a HP a1600n Desktop Computer. It has a Windows XP SP2 on it, with a AMD X2 3800+ 2.0 GHz CPU. (How can I disable Cool 'n Quiet. or whatever. It downclocks to 1 GHz. and it's slow) This is not my main problem though.

Her computer has never been that great. and it's getting slower and slower. so today I did a virus scan, a Defrag, a CCleaner. and just some everyday other things. I opened it up and Sprayed it out. had an inch of dust.

She only has 1GB of Ram in there, so I went ahead and bought some new RAM off newegg.com. Her computer says it takes pc2-4200 RAM. one place said it took 5300, but the actual HP site says it takes pc2-4200 RAM.
So I ordered this.
Newegg.com - PNY Optima 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 533 (PC2 4200) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

It was decent, and fairly cheap. She doesn't need anything amazing. So the box says this. 2x1GB PC2-4200 533 MHz / 400 MHz. her computer can handle the 533. but can it handle the 667???

So I installed this RAM and I got BSOD
I restarted and entered BIOS, it's showing up as pc2-5300 WHY??
Restarted again and BSOD, it says DRIVER_CORRUPTED_MMPOOL
Restarted and It worked.. XP loaded and all was good. I loaded CPU-Z from Flash drive and it says I'm running at 200. (Dual Channel, but when I'd do something it would Pump up to something higher. like 334 and that = 667

It's running to fast. and I can't change it in the BIOS. HP sucks completely and they disable these area's. I can change stuff, but the RAM, and CPU settings are all Greyed out and I can't adjust. So HOW can I lower this RAM down to the right speed? So far it's ran for about 20 minutes, then BSOD again, then again, then started and worked a while. then I got a BSOD with a different error. Right now I'm running Memtest.

Any Idea's as what I should do Guys..??



Thanks!

Well as far as I know the previous RAM was 4200.. thats what is supposed to come with it, and thats the speed they say to get on HP website. look for yourself.

It's an HP Pavilion a1600n.

Plus if it was 5300 previously, and I threw 4200 in there, it would be fine, just slower than it could Run, slower than it can handle is ok, but when it's faster than it can handle. thats no good. right??

Why would this not be working, other than maybe it's 5300, and the computer can only use 4200. I don't know. I was hoping someone had some idea's in here, cuz even if it's to fast for the computer. Can't I just underclock it.. or no cuz HP disabled those things in the BIOS. and it's greyed out so I can't actually go to that part of the BIOS..

idk

Here is the specs from the hp website.

The computer was purchased new, so I'm assuming it had what they sold it with, inside it. I don't see why it would have anything different. and if there was faster memory in it and it had 5300.. I'd still be fine to use this 4200 cuz slower is ok, just slower. So why is this happening. I passed Memtest. so now I don't know what I'm giong to do, it's up and turned on, but I'm sure it will crash shortly.

Product Specifications*

Well if the computer was MADE to run pc2-4200.. why would it even have, or be hard wired to run with 5300?? that makes no sense.. why would HP sell the computer with one speed. and then me get it with another.??

And unless hard wiring is something I've not heard of. as far as I'm informed of. you can use slower RAM than your computer can take, just not faster.. like my current machine Motherboard calls for 1066. but I bought 1000. and I'm running it at 800.. so why wouldn't "IF" this computer is sopposed to run 5300, why couldn't I use 4200..

and I see what your saying, but the computer was purchased new From Costco and it's supposed to have 4200 in it. thats what every web site on the web I went to had it listed with, so i don't know why mine would have any different.

Right now it has ONLY the new ram, and I put it in the first 2 slots. the 2 blue ones, same place the old ram was. I'm thinkin even tho people don't recommend mixing Ram modules, I'm thinkin I'll leave it in, and add the old. because "technically" the PC should then run all the ram at the lower modules speed.. thus being ok. right????

or should I add only the old, and check what it says in CPU-Z...?

Ya, so I just looked up the Actual Motherboard and it supports both PC 4200 (533) and 5300 (667) DDR2 DIMMS.

so if it supports both of those.. then I should be having no problems.. right?
unless it's ONLY allowed for some reason to run the faster only, but how would that work, when the Motherboard supports both.??

Motherboard Specifications, A8M2N-LA (NodusM)*


oh and one more thing, I am looking at the old RAM.. it is pc2-4200 also.. so either something weird is messed up, or the RAM I got is running at 667 instead of what I thought I bought.. and thats 533.. but either way they both should work according to the Motherboard Specs.. so I'm pretty stumped about now. lol. I've added RAM to more than a few computers never once having this sort of issue, so I'm not sure.

the new ram is the ONLY ram in the system.. it's where the old was.

and the maker of the motherboards specs are wrong.. are you kidding me???

the old ram is pc2-4200.. the SAME as what I ordered.. so I'm thinkin either the new ram i bought is 667 in a 533 box. other then that I'm lost.

and even if it is 667.. according to the Manufactures specs it supports both. so this should work "Either" way.

lol