[bskit88]

I have an ASUS SK8N mobo. It has 2 sticks of Corsair 512MB (each) DRR PC3200 400 mhz Registered ECC memory. It is a Dual-Channel structure mobo.

I tried to add 2 sticks of Mushkin 1GB DDR PC3200 400 mhz that I purchased from Fry's. (item number 3778596).

When I try to restart the computer it just beeps. Will not start. I tried removing the other memory and putting the new ones in by itself but it still does not work.

Can anyone recommend what I should try? Or are these new sticks even compatible?

Thank you

[Advertisements]

Usually means it doesn't like those sticks you've just bought.

According to Crucial.com on the information from Asus for that board, it doesn't like PC3200 memory, though Crucial are offering some PC3200 stuff that that board is guaranteed to like or your money back.

http://www.crucial.c...=SK8N&submit=Go

Of course, it could just be that the memory you bought is faulty.

[Neil Jones]

Usually means it doesn't like those sticks you've just bought.

According to Crucial.com on the information from Asus for that board, it doesn't like PC3200 memory, though Crucial are offering some PC3200 stuff that that board is guaranteed to like or your money back.

http://www.crucial.c...=SK8N&submit=Go

Of course, it could just be that the memory you bought is faulty.

[warriorscot]

Should be compatible all the K8 boards should be, if you have the manual for the board you can look up the beep codes(that beeping is a code telling you what is wrong).

You might want to try just one stick at a time, and double check the mobo manual it will only like certain combinations of memory in certain slots, if you dont have the manual it should be downloadable from ASUS.

If we cant get the memory going it may be the motherboard, ASUS got themselves a very bad reputation for the first attempts they had at k8 boards, they werent good at all. If its still in warranty you might be able to send the board back and get them to send you a newer revision of the board or a working version of that board.

We should be able to work something out to get that memory going though, it may be as simple as putting in the old memory and enabling it to accept faster memory in BIOS or possibly a BIOS flash to the latest version will fix it.

That is of course assuming the memory is good, if we can get it to at least POST with one stick we can run memtest from a bootable floppy to test the sticks of ram for errors.

[bskit88]

Thank you, I was told by Asus forum:

" Looking at the manual, the board only supports ECC registered memory.
That Mushkin looks like it is plain unbuffered memory."

I can't find anything that tells me if it is registered or not. I will try the Mushkin website.

I tried the 1 board at a time but I still get the 1 long beep followed by 2 short beeps. When I bought the mobo in March 2004, I believe I was told it only accepts memory installed in pairs.

Is there something I can change in the Bios?

Edited by bskit88, 11 December 2005 - 08:41 PM.

[warriorscot]

Ild have to read the manual it should be in there, i dont have time to download and read a manual right now, if you have it you can read through it and having the board there in front of you helps sometimes in understanding the manuals. Find out what the beep code says most manuals have a huge section on beep codes and memory configurations.

[bskit88]

I downloaded the manual and read through it. The memory must be registered.

Edited by bskit88, 17 December 2005 - 10:30 PM.

[bskit88]

I returned that non-registered non-ecc memory from my former post and have ordered 2 sticks of registered-ecc 512mb Corsair. (Just like I have in my system now)

My new question is: Will I have to update my Bios? I have never updated my Bios since I got this SK8V mobo in early 2004. I think I read somewhere to use 4 sticks I would need to update this mobo. Can anyone confirm or deny?


Thanks

[Neil Jones]

No BIOS update needed; the board knows what memory it likes and will do for the rest of its life. Just put the new memory in and if it doesn't beep at you you should be set to go.

[bskit88]

I pulled the 2 sticks of 512mb and replaced them with 2 sticks of 1gb (Corsair). (cmx1024re-3200) TWINX2048RE-3200

My Bios has an auto setting for the latency. So I just left it alone and changed out the memory.
The first time I booted up my computer after the change it started fine but completely froze less than 3 minutes in.
Rebooted and after approx. 5 minutes it completely froze again.
Third time I rebooted it lasted at least 30 minutes before completely freezing.
4 out of the 5 times I have been on it has completely froze.

This computer has never completely frozen like this since I received it in March of 2004.

my mem configuration in the Bios reads:
mem clk 400 mhz
cas latency 3.0
trcd 3 clk
tras 8 clk
trp 3 clk

ECC is disabled and has been since I bought it. I have also never upgraded the bios. All settings for memory are on auto.

I used memtest86 on each stick individually for 2 hours each and it showed no errors. (w/ ECC disabled)
I've been reading for hours. But can't seem to figure out what to do next.

I am now running with only one stick in and will see if I get any freezing.

Thanks

Edited by bskit88, 02 January 2006 - 01:34 AM.

[bskit88]

It froze after 1 hour with 1 stick in. The computer was turned on, I was not even using it and it froze up.

Now I will run it with just the other stick and see if it freezes..