Does my motherboard support 1 GB?

Hi

I have a HP Compaq Presario 4020IL Desktop with AMD Athlon 2000+ processor in it!

It has 2 RAM slots in it....with ram of 1 GB and 128 MB fitted in there!!(1.128 GB in total)

Now, I got to know from the HP Customer Care that my motherboard doesnt support RAM more than 1 GB and that also not as a single chip, however, 2 chips of 512 MB are supported.

But, when I check the System Properties, it does show 1.12 GB of RAM.

So, all I wanted to know, is my motherboard really supporting that amount of RAM?? Am I able to use the 1.128 GB of RAM to its complete potential or am I loosing some out????

If the system properties show you 1GB the mainboard supports it. If it didn't you wouldn't see it at all. Just to be sure you can always run something like memtest.

Ram numbers can be confusing as they are based on powers of 2, so there is no such thing as 1G of ram... fetching my calculator hold on....

2 raised to the 30th power would be 1,073,741,824, some people just say 1024 raised to the third.

It gets even more confusing with hard drives and then more so with telecom.

Another test of the memory size is not the system properties but using task manager to see how much memory is available for commitment. Sure the BIOS can count it but can the computer use it?

I got a lecture from Microsoft once that mixing sizes wasn't a good thing, don't know never verified it myself... anybody?

A google search for HP Compaq Presario 4020IL shows no matches except for an old post from you on the AO Forums.

Are you sure "HP Compaq Presario 4020IL" is the actuall model of your Compaq/HP?

A 4090 series had 3 slots and could only hold up to 768mb (256 in each slot) and since it is in the same family I think the max memory for that motherboard is 512mb.

Maybe a S4020IL ?

I'm with SirDice

memtest

That should answer your question.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wolfman1984

A google search for HP Compaq Presario 4020IL shows no matches except for an old post from you on the AO Forums.

Are you sure "HP Compaq Presario 4020IL" is the actuall model of your Compaq/HP?

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Yea....my mistake....IKnowNot was write....its HP COMPAQ PRESARIO S4020IL

I am currently running the memtest....since, I have windows, ran it using a floppy disk at boot time.

When it started, it kept on loaded something...and now all I can see is an infinite loops of:

@X:0400
AX:0212
BX:3E00
CX:0101
DX:0000.

In fact, its still goin on!! Do I let it go on? Or something is missing?? Should I stop it??

Software Information for Windows is a freeware program that will break down what hardware you have and what can be supported. It also provides Software, Network, Passwords, License (Serial) Numbers installed, monitors and of course hardware.

Read more here - http://www.gtopala.com/
Download it here- http://www.gtopala.com/siw-download.html

All this will do is break down your hardware (look at the memory section and the top portion will tell you what your board will support).

If system properties does show the 1.28gb in RAM double check it against task manager. Look at the Performance Tab - Physical Memory will show you what is being used.

The wolfman used the funkness of Google and found a website detailing the max RAM for the S4020IL

Accorinng to this page your PC can hold up to 1GB of RAM.

I AM THE WOLFMAN!

Quote:

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In fact, its still goin on!! Do I let it go on? Or something is missing?? Should I stop it??

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Uh, yes?

I suggest you play with that program a little and get familiar with it. Depending on the defaults, it will keep running until stopped. ( I like to let it run for about 24 hours so it runs through the tests several times, but that is not absolutely necessary. )
You can also customize the tests, number of passes, etc.

You will be looking for failed tests.

Well Wolfman1984, I did a little googling of my own, and found a suggestion that the S4020IL uses the FIC am37 motherboard . Perhaps codenamevirus can examine the board and compare it to the am37.

Maybe Compac did not realize what North Bridge / South Bridge chips were used when they wrote the specs?

Hey IKnowNot

The memtest thing didnt ask me anything, it just loaded at boot time and started showing me the @ABCD thing...I mentioned earlier. And, I had no clue about the thing...so, I used the SIW suggested by tdezarn.

Just needed a clarification, when u said this:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IKnowNot

I did a little googling of my own, and found a suggestion that the S4020IL uses the FIC am37 motherboard . Perhaps codenamevirus can examine the board and compare it to the am37.

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Do you want me to check my motherboard against these specs?? or Were u telling me that AM37 is the motherboard my machine uses??

Coz most of the specs matched the hardware config in there....like 4 PCI slots, 1 AGP, etc. But, if AM37 is the thing, I use....I am getting another 1 GB chip....after all, it can support 2GB of memory....lol!!

FIC Motherboard? Ouch! The Wolfman ain't feelin' the groove from the FIC.

Not telling, but providing the info so you could check.

The board may have the manufacturer’s name and model number on it, but you should pay particular attention to the North and South Bridge chip numbers; see if they are the same. If your chipset supports 2Gb, and you memtest says they work, I guess ...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IKnowNot

Not telling, but providing the info so you could check.

The board may have the manufacturer’s name and model number on it, but you should pay particular attention to the North and South Bridge chip numbers; see if they are the same. If your chipset supports 2Gb, and you memtest says they work, I guess ...

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Thats better!

I'll check the motherboard with the info soon....but tell me how to check the north & south bridge numbers.....are they mentioned in the pdf file...I got from your link? and how would I find it on the motherboard I have??

It may sound a stupid ques....but i aint a hardware guy at all....somethings i know.....but i dont know many things!!

And, as far as memtest is concerned....I hav no idea....whether it was working or it just got stuck in somewhere....I wont mind trying it again....but tell me the exact process!

You should be able to locate the chips on the motherboard from the .pdf .. the location and layout should be identical. ( if it is not, it is probably not the same board. )
The chips themselves should have the numbers on them. While you are looking it is probably a good time to clean the inside of that machine.

As for memtest, looking closer at your post I figured out why you are having problems: according to the support page, you have a read error of your floppy drive. They suggest either formatting and re-writing the floppy, or try a new floppy.

If you have an old Linux Distro lying around, most have memtest on the first disk. Boot to the first install disk, then you will either get a menu ( like Suse, Ubuntu ) to select memtest, or at the boot prompt ( like Fedora Core 6 and earlier RH type Distros ) type memtest ( don’t let it time out. )

( JUST A SIDE NOTE: I have not been able to get memtest to work from Fedora 7 install disk: I can’t even find it, although it is still in their documentation. )

Hope this helps.

I can get a live cd from a fren of mine....i think its ubuntu...will it work from it??? what will be the steps in that case?

Hmmmm,

What did SIW tell you about the memory and the make/model of motherboard? The MoBo info might be an HP/Compaq part number. "salsa"?

I have checked a few memory vendors and they all say a maximum of 2 x 512Mb strips.

Here is another diagnostics tool:

http://www.auslogics.com/system-information/index.php

You might also look in the BIOS.

Here are some memory testing tools:

http://www.softpedia.com/downloadTag/ram+test

I am not too sure what to expect. In the past I have seen the strips not recognised or recognised as the largest supported value.

In common with other OEMs HP/Compaq are prone to change components so you may have the FIC am37 board. It will say "AM37" on the board between the AGP and PCI slots:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/g...cname=bph07941

Something that appears to have been ignored was the question of "mixed sized memory"

Mixed memory can include:

Memory of only differnt size (MB)
Memory of differnt format (Single and double sided)
Memory of differnt speed (PC2700 & PC3200)
Memory of differnt brand
Memory from differnt batches

ALL of the above have given problems..not immediatly BUT always eventually 1 month, 1 year, 3 years.. the first 3 have been the most problematic.. I have, after 3 years had A problem with matched memory.. more than 1 stick yes with wind-blowz expect to have a problem sometime

Hi Undies~ I did look at the PC spec. and it is quite strange.

They specifically say that it will support 128, 256 and 512 in mixed strips. They also say that it will handle mixed PC2100 and PC2700, but it will all run at PC2100 (as we know :D)

That really did surprise me coming from a major brand name as they normally advise against anything that might generate a helpdesk call.

I must say that I have never had problems with memory of different sizes, brands or batches, provided of course it didn't have to be installed in matched pairs. Mind you, I use Crucial or Kingston which are both reasonable quality............ some of this no name generic stuff I would certainly have doubts about.

I certainly wouldn't use different speeds, as that has to be inefficient by definition, and I would say unstable as well.

I am also careful to match the clock latency (CL)

I guess the worst things I have seen have been people mixing lead and silver/tin contacts :shocked: with the old 72 pin EDO RAM.