RAM Speed Question.

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!

I don't mean to ask an obvious question, but what type of RAM was in it? PC2-4200 or PC2-5300?

It sounds like the system is hard wired to use PC2-5300....

S-

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, I don't mean to be repetitive, but what type of RAM was in it? PC2-4200 or PC2-5300? Assuming doesn't help troubleshoot the problem.

Again: It sounds like the system is hard wired to use PC2-5300. If it is, PC2-4200 isn't going to work.

If the old RAM was PC2-5300 and it works, that tells us the problem is the memory speed. Regardless of what the HP web site says.

Did you leave the old ram in the system? Did you put the new RAM in the black or blue slots? What about the old RAM?

S-

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 specs may be wrong....what speed was the old RAM???????

Did you leave the old ram in the system? Did you put the new RAM in the black or blue slots? What about the old RAM?

S-

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

No, I am not kidding you.....motherboard specs do change. Especially when the company that buys them from the OEM wants to change them.

I looked here:

Motherboard Specifications, A8M2N-LA (NodusM3) 

Notice this text:

NOTE: Motherboard specifications are subject to change without notice.

Anyway, what was the speed of the old RAM? If you won't get that answer, It's pointless to continue....

S-

the old ram was pc2-4200.. I said that in the above post..

The original ram is samsung PC2-4200
I bought PNY PC2-4200

It shows up in BIOS as PC2-5300

The Motherboard says it supports Both.. but even if it changed and supports only 5300 like the BIOS is recognizing mine as, then the original RAM would never have worked.. so thats why I don't know whats going on.

Well, I took the new RAM out, and put the old back in. and NO problems at all.

Even tho the new RAM passed Memtest86 doesn't mean it's good ram. memtest tested it at 667 MHz, and not 533. so maybe it's faulty at 533. I don't know. one thing I do know is that PNY was the cheapest RAM they had other than the valueram, so I'm probably just going to return it for something I trust like G-skill or Corsair

hi xguntherc...

download this & post the memory tab....
cpuz

this will give sidewinder the relevant ram info & clear up this 4200 5300 mess

How many dimm slots does it have? OEM's are funny... sometimes they insist at least one stick of their RAM stays in the machine if you upgrade.

lol... I have CPU-Z. and it's indeed running at 667 MHz, but still that doesn't do me any good. cuz the Board MFG site says it can take both 553 and 667.. so i bought 553, and it's running at 667. but either way it's getting BSOD's.. so thats why I'm so stumped.

and I don't think sidewinder read half my posts cuz I said the same thing about 4 times.. that the old RAM was not in there and he kept asking. so i'm not sure what all he read or not anyways.

and to Fumz, it has 4 slots.. It's the SAME Mobo that was in my HP i just sold.. it is a different model, but same Mobo and exact same specs.. same CPU, same HD, same everything, different case, and it's called a media edition. mines not. but I was able to take the old out of mine and change for new.. so I'm not sure thats it.. I was thinkin of tryin both the old and the new at the same time, cuz from what I've read it would lower all of it to the lowest module, and run at that. even tho people don't recommend mixing RAM. I was going to try it, but instead I tried each new stick one at a time. they both passed memtest.. but gave me BSOD's. so I took it out and put the old RAM back in.. system is running fine., and I'm just going to RMA the crap!

If you know the old memory is 533, then stick a stick in and the machine will run at 533.

I do know the old stuff is 533.. for sure.

So you saying I should put all 4 in.. the 2x1 GB 667 sticks.. plus leave in the original 2x512 Samsung 553 sticks.. I wonder if that would work. I almost tried it, but I decided against it. I could try tomorrow before I decide to box em and ship back.

We know the old sticks worked, so I would put them back in their original slots and just add the new sticks into the black slots. Doing so would at least let the system run at 533 again since it seems to have issues at 667. It's probably just a messed up HP bios getting in the way.

ya thats what I figured it was.. maybe I'l try that before I send them back, since the system is supposed to match all of the modules to the slowest one. So default they'd run at the slower speed.. and SHOULD work.

I'll give her a try.

Thanks!

If the PNY says it is PC4200 and yet is hardwired for PC5300, something is wrong. I'd return that on principle, in your situation.