Memory upgrade not booting to BIOS

[zetlandpaul]

Hi, I'm trying to upgrade the memory on a laptop. Perhaps someone can help?

The laptop as shipped:

INTEL® Core 2 Duo T5450 (2 X 1.66GHz) 667MHz FSB/2MB L2 Cache
1GB CORSAIR DDR2 667MHz
256MB (SMA) SIS MIRAGE 3+ INTEGRATED GRAPHICS

(Order 265357 for any PCS guys reading this.)

I ordered 1GB identical memory (same manufacturer and model number) from a reputable seller.

Placed in the second slot - laptop did not boot to BIOS
Removed the original memory from slot one and placed new memory there - did not boot.
Replaced the original memory in slot one and the laptop booted as normal.

So RMAd the memory and received new stick (same model number, different serial)

Same results as above.

Tried a different approach. Ordered a 2GB stick from Crucial (same spec).

Also same result; does not boot to BIOS.

Thinking there might be someing in the BIOS settings restricting the memory, perhaps related to the integrated graphics, I have looked there. However there are hardly any modifiable settings; about the only thing I can change is date/time and boot disk.

I also noticed that the new Corsair memory is a physically different design (half the number of chips) though I would have thought that should not make a difference if the spec is the same.

So does anyone have any clues where I could go from here?

By the way I have upgrade memory in other desktops and laptops without issue in the past.

Thanks...Paul

 

[PCS]

Hello Paul

I've checked your order and the laptop you have supports a maximum of 2GB 667MHz (using 512MB or 1GB modules) so what you are adding appears correct.

The number of chips on a module can sometimes be important, and I would advise a memory module with the same number of chips as the current Corsair memory. Can you remember is the new Corsair module had the same number of chips as the original Corsair module?

Also, ensure that you insert the module at the bottom of the two slots, as this is the primary slot.

 

[zetlandpaul]

The original Corsair module has 16 memory chips (8 each side).

The latest versions of the same module (remember Corsair's product code is unchanged) have 8 memory chips (4 each side).

If this is likely to be the problem do you know of a supply of the original 16 chip versions?

Thanks....Paul

 

[PCS]

It's very likely to be the cause of the problem.

Try here: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/111436

Without testing we cannot guarantee that this will work, but I cannot see any reason why it shouldn't.

Hope it goes well and post back to let us know either way

 

[zetlandpaul]

The memory in the link is the same Corsair that I have already tried - it has 4 chips each side, not the 8 each side of the original modules. It would seem that the manufacturer has changed the specification but kept the same part number. Not the most helpful thing to do.

I have found some Hynix memory with the required number of chips and that works.

Regards...Paul