SDRAM shakes my screen

[xmadmanuk]

I have been told how easy it is to upgrade your PC so I started by trying to upgrade from 128MB to 384 by adding a 256MB stick in one of my 2 spare DIMM slots. It looked easy enough, I checked what type I needed. I needed PC100 to match my existing RAM, 256MB SDRAM, 3.3 volts. I went and bought some at a local PC assembly and retail company called Novatech (UK company). However after installing it the PC wouldnt boot, so I swapped it around, trying all different combinations of positions on the DIMM sockets, with and without the old RAM in. I could sometimes get the PC to boot but it wouldnt recognise the new RAM. My neighbour came round and he managed to get it to work by nearly snapping my motherboard in half RAMming it home (sorry about the pun). WaHey, the computer was much faster at booting up, impressive. HOWEVER, the screen image shook (wobbled may be a better word) and it shook even more when the PC was working on intensive tasks. I took the RAM back and got a new stick but it just did the same thing, screen shook again. I took the RAM back to get my money back and the guys at Novatech tested the RAM and found it to be perfect. What does this tell me, that I have a bad motherboard? The motherboard manual states that it can take up to 512MB in each DIMM slot to a grand total of 1536MB. I also intended to add another hard drive and that looks even scarier than adding RAM. Please could someone tell me what I need to do to successfully upgrade my RAM? I will ask about the hard drive later.

My system is an intel pentium III 700MHz processor on an MSI technlogies motherboard (MS-6334) running windows XP upgraded from 98SE. The only hardware I have installed since the PC company assembled it is a firewire card.

[mike breck]

Hi xmadmanuk,

According to the Crucial Memory Selector your mobo may only work with a maximum of 512MB. Check out the detailed Specs link here.

http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/list...o%29&submit=Go

Sometimes different brands of Ram don't mix very well - especially if they are cheap, generic types. What I would do is purchase a 256MB or 512MB stick of high quality Crucial ram and see if that fares any better.

HTH

[Colonel Sanders]

A) the RAM was a bad brand

B) the MB has a flaky RAM slot

Lets hope it is just bad RAM, then go to Crucial. I think price is a good measure of quality, if you paid less than say $40 for the stick, it probbably wasn't any good.

As far as adding a hard-drive goes, it should be very easy. Just get 2 cables right then insert a floppy and follow the on-screen directions(the first "upgrade" I preformed).

Logan

[highrisemech]

IMHO I do not think the ram is the issue, if your board recognizes the ram there should not be a problem with it. I believe your video card was either disturbed, meaning the card was jarred loose from its slot, or your video card was damaged in some respect possibly from ESD.

[fatboyjim]

"...Nearly snapping my motherboard in half RAMming it home (sorry about the pun)"

We don't mind about the pun, but when he nearly snapped the motherboard maybe some tracks broke. Is it onboard video? Maybe it's now shafted.

When this happened maybe the vid card came slightly out of place?

Maybe...

HTH, Thanks,

Jim

[xmadmanuk]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I have onboard video but I dont think there is a problem there because my 128MB ram stick is fine on its own in any slot but the 256MB stick gives the same shaky image onscreen where ever I put it, both on its own and with the 128 stick. I guess I will have to get out of my skinflint attitude and purchase some more expensive RAM. What is crucial, is it a quality grading of RAM or a brand name?

[xmadmanuk]

OOPS, I reread the previous postings again and checked the link to the Crucial web site this time. Now I see Crucial is a brand name and presumably a good one as more than one of you recommended them.
Thanks,
Neil