Blank screen after boot up ... after new ram installation...

[brianinlfc]

Hello guys,
I'm a newbie here..I seem to have this problem with my computer...
it seems to have a blank screen after I install new Ram, the screen remains blank on boot up. It dosent even load bios or show the XFX logo. I am trying to up grade it form 2gb to 4 gb.
Here are my system specs.

Motherboard : XFX 680i Lite
CPU : Intel Pentium Dual Core @3.0Ghz
O/S : Windows XP SP2 /W media center edition
Ram : 2 GB OCZ Sli ready 6400 DDR2 (I got the exact same thing to upgrade)
ViD : GeForce 8800 GTS
Power Supply: 650watts SLi Ready.

I assembled these my self ... so if any one could help me out on this ...thank you very much.
Brian.

 

[Blind Dragon]

When you remove the new RAM does it boot okay?

If you remove your old RAM and install the new RAM does it boot okay?

 

[brianinlfc]

the system seems to boot fine with 2-3Gb of ram if I insert the 4th one it does not boot :|

 

[pdyckman@comcas]

Windows Can only handle 3/3.5 Gigs of ram. Usually it will boot though...and just not use the overage.

 

[brianinlfc]

is there any other way i can use my extra 1 gig? upgrading it to vista? or anything else? thanks.

 

[Blind Dragon]

I don't think that is the problem, but in order to fully utilize 4GB of RAM you would need a 64 bit operating system

and if all the sticks work but not together that eliminates faulty ram

with 4 GB installed can you enter bios?

 

[brianinlfc]

Great thanks. just a quick question. 32 bit and 64 bits what are the differences? And is that the reason why my computer does not boot up. It does not even goes to the xfx mobo start up spalsh page...just wondering cos if windows was the problem would it not just freeze or be blank after the windows loading screen?

 

[nickc]

could u have possibly put the mem. in the slot backwards? I did that once and it did exactly as your's is doing. We all learn by mistakes.

 

[Blind Dragon]

Try updating your north bridge -> I am almost positive that your memory controller is on your north bridge with intel vs AMD where the put it on the cpu die

Edit: http://www.xfxforce.com/web/support/showSearchDriversSerial.jspa

 

[brianinlfc]

I dont think it would fit backwards..there's a bump in the middle..so it kinda prevents me from inserting it the wrong way.

 

[Blind Dragon]

I am going to bed, see my post above and also you should let everyone know if you have adjusted any timings or voltages

 

[brianinlfc]

I have not adjusted voltages or timings.... North bridge update? :|

 

[captaincranky]

Heretic......! Yo, That Would Be Me.....

Running the risk of burning at the stake for heresy, as you move past 2GB in installed memory, (I assume we're talking about any 32 bit XP) there isn't enough of an improvement to warrant it's installation. If you simply hafta', gotta' have, more then install a 64 bit OS, that would actually control up to 1 TERRABYTE but, most desktop boards quit a 8 GB. Be ready for a possible rash of driver problems.

I tried 3GB in a XP Media Center install. Nero loved it it, ran right up against XP's 2 GB wall and then returned an "out of memory" error, thereby destroying the DVD. You have to modify Windows XP to allow any program access to more than 2GB of RAM. It's called the 3 Gigabyte Switch. Know what, I took out a Gig, now the Nero works perfectly.

 

[brianinlfc]

I thought windows XP 32 bit could support up to 4gb of ram?
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/overview.mspx
??

 

[Blind Dragon]

North bridge update? :|

http://www.xfxforce.com/web/support/searchDriversProductCode.jspa

put in your product number which i think is MB-N680-ILT9

 

[brianinlfc]

btw i just checked to see if it was a bad ram slot. it was not, the computer ran fine with rams in different slots. let me check that site out.

 

[brianinlfc]

umm..what am I looking for here? so sorry but I am at a loss...

 

[Blind Dragon]

Your chipset drivers -> the reason is because your memory controller is located on your north bridge. I'm not going to promise this will work but it won't hurt to have up to date chipset drivers

Windows XP32 Nforce 680i SLI English WHQL

Version :9.53 (Size: 37.89MB)

This may be a better link, http://www.nvidia.com/object/nforce_680i_winxp32_intel_9.53.html just make sure you have this version on your system -> if not you need to update

 

[brianinlfc]

I think I have it downloaded. just to make sure I downloaded it and it is still not running :|

 

[captaincranky]

Well No....,

I thought windows XP 32 bit could support up to 4gb of ram?
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/overview.mspx
??

A 32 bit OS will support up to 4GB of >>memory addresses<<. After it assigns the memory addresses for hardware, what you have left is, (approximately) 2.7 to 3.3GB. Having an OS that forgot where the video card or the LAN adapter was would be very inconvenient, would it not?

 

[brianinlfc]

this looks kinda messed up, so now the only way for it to work would be to get a 64 Bit Os or How about 32Bit windows Vista? but then again... like i stated earlier, It does not even goes to the xfx mobo start up spalsh page...just wondering cos if windows was the problem would it not just freeze or be blank after the windows loading screen? thanks.

 

[Tedster]

OOPS! We didn't read the guides forum:

https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic65114.html

 

[brianinlfc]

:E I did...I coulnt find what I was looking for :s sorry noob you know :s

 

[brianinlfc]

umm anyone? Help ?

 

[Blind Dragon]

Why not just run with only 3 sticks in there if it works fine. Especially since you aren't going to recognize much more than that anyways