128MB SDRAM (PC133) Only being recognised as 32MB

Sean Fox · 16 Jan 2020 at 18:31

Any ideas why that could be?

My system usually has 2x 32MB sticks on it, but I wanted to up that to 128MB.

For reasons unknown to me, the system only sees the stick as 32MB.

It's pc133 (same as the old sticks) and has 8 chips on it (my 2 x 32mb sticks each have 16 chips, if that makes any difference). I'm not trying to mix and match the 128mb with any of the old ones.

Bad RAM do you think?

Bluecube · 16 Jan 2020 at 18:33

It’s possible the motherboard has a hard limit on the amount of memory it’ll recognise.

paradigm · 16 Jan 2020 at 18:37

Are the old sticks single sided and the new one double?

What’s the motherboard?

Sean Fox · 16 Jan 2020 at 18:42

paradigm said:
Are the old sticks single sided and the new one double?

What’s the motherboard?

The old ones are double-sided, and the new one is single.

I'm still uncertain what board I have as there are minimal identifiers on it (Gateway 2000 machine). I've actually just taken some photos ton upload in a different thread

Sean Fox · 16 Jan 2020 at 19:06

@paradigm - I think the motherboard could well be this - https://itstillworks.com/12538113/intel-motherboard-e139761-specifications

Actually forget that, looks like that's not the same one

mine is socket 7

paradigm · 16 Jan 2020 at 20:01

See your other thread, I believe your issue here (assuming you are talking about the same PC) is that the board is expecting EDO DIMMs and you are using PC133 SDRAM.

Sean Fox · 16 Jan 2020 at 20:45

paradigm said:
See your other thread, I believe your issue here (assuming you are talking about the same PC) is that the board is expecting EDO DIMMs and you are using PC133 SDRAM.

Just seen your other post, and yes, you're spot on. Arrgh!! I used to build systems all the time back in the 90's. I can't believe I've forgotten all this stuff over the years

paradigm · 16 Jan 2020 at 20:57

Sean Fox said:
Just seen your other post, and yes, you're spot on. Arrgh!! I used to build systems all the time back in the 90's. I can't believe I've forgotten all this stuff over the years

We all forget stuff over the years, don’t sweat it

Sean Fox · 16 Jan 2020 at 21:02

paradigm said:
We all forget stuff over the years, don’t sweat it

Thanks mate - although it's also an unwelcome reminder that I'm getting older...!

hohum · 17 Jan 2020 at 18:11

If the old 2X32MB RAM sticks are SDRAM and work fine then it's purely a density issue, and to get 128MB working you will need 2x64MB sticks that are dual-sided. The board can only see 32MB per module side, so the 4 sides would total a max of 128MB. I had a Luckystar motherboard many years back with the same chipset and limitation.

Sean Fox · 17 Jan 2020 at 18:39

hohum said:
If the old 2X32MB RAM sticks are SDRAM and work fine then it's purely a density issue, and to get 128MB working you will need 2x64MB sticks that are dual-sided. The board can only see 32MB per module side, so the 4 sides would total a max of 128MB. I had a Luckystar motherboard many years back with the same chipset and limitation.

Thanks @hohum ! That explains why it was only being seen as 32MB!!