Pavilion a530n picky about RAM?

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David Efflandt - 23 Jul 2004 03:42 GMT

According to HP web site my a530n (AMD 64 3200+) should be able to use
PC3200/2700/2100/1600 DDR DIMMs (184-pin), and is HP/Compaq approved for
maximum of 2 x 512 MB (1024 MB total). It came with 1 x 512 MB PC2700.

I purchased a 1 GB matched set of OCZ PC3200 RAM (2 x 512) which BIOS
recognizes as PC3200 (I was going to use original PC2700 in another PC).
Memtest-86 v3.1 showed that it is faster than the PC2700 RAM, but also
more than 1000 errors in 30 minutes of testing, and each stick by itself
showed many errors within 10-15 minutes. I exchanged it for another pack
that showed more Memtest errors. CPU-Z and Sandra programs seem to
indicate it is running with correct timings and speed. CMOS setup does
not have any settings to fine tune RAM.

Original single 512 MB PC2700 RAM does not show any errors at all in 1 hr
Memtest.

I did get an RMA from OCZ and will see if they can provide something that
works. I was just wondering if HP computers are overly picky about RAM,
because I have never purchased RAM before that failed testing? I usually
buy either Crucial or PNY RAM, but Crucial did not list the HP a530n (just
PC2100 RAM for apparently different HP 530n).

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Ben Myers - 23 Jul 2004 06:08 GMT

Sounds like defective memory to me. Try Memtest with only one of the new DDR
DIMMs. Maybe only one is defective. Memtest does not lie... Ben Myers

>According to HP web site my a530n (AMD 64 3200+) should be able to use
>PC3200/2700/2100/1600 DDR DIMMs (184-pin), and is HP/Compaq approved for
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>buy either Crucial or PNY RAM, but Crucial did not list the HP a530n (just
>PC2100 RAM for apparently different HP 530n).

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David Efflandt - 26 Jul 2004 15:22 GMT

> Sounds like defective memory to me. Try Memtest with only one of the new DDR
> DIMMs. Maybe only one is defective. Memtest does not lie... Ben Myers

The second (exchanged) 2 x 512 PC3200 DDR kit from Fry's did not work as
well as the first, and one of those sticks will not boot alone or as a
pair (black screen, not even CMOS setup). The other is recognized by BIOS
as PC3200 with apparently correct memory timings, but both Memtest-86 and
Memtest86+ show frequent errors in same 2 ranges (381 & 509 MB). Maybe I
should just return it to Fry's, but I got an RMA from OCZ to see if they
can come up with something compatible for the HP a530n.

Note that the following HP site does not even list my model a530n:
http://www.shopping.hp.com/shopping/html/popup/memory_compatibilty.html
It does list a350n under PC3200, 530n & a530.it under PC2700, and a530.de
under PC133, but none of those are specifically a530n.

>>According to HP web site my a530n (AMD 64 3200+) should be able to use
>>PC3200/2700/2100/1600 DDR DIMMs (184-pin), and is HP/Compaq approved for
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>>buy either Crucial or PNY RAM, but Crucial did not list the HP a530n (just
>>PC2100 RAM for apparently different HP 530n).

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Ben Myers - 26 Jul 2004 19:05 GMT

"frequent errors in same 2 ranges (381 & 509 MB)". This system has on-board
graphics? Maybe there is something in the motherboard BIOS setup re. the range
of memory available for use by the graphics subsystem? If so, change the
settings, and see what happens. If not, reset the motherboard CMOS (jumper
setting or battery removal), and try again... Ben Myers

>> Sounds like defective memory to me. Try Memtest with only one of the new DDR
>> DIMMs. Maybe only one is defective. Memtest does not lie... Ben Myers
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>>>buy either Crucial or PNY RAM, but Crucial did not list the HP a530n (just
>>>PC2100 RAM for apparently different HP 530n).

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David Efflandt - 27 Jul 2004 21:59 GMT

> "frequent errors in same 2 ranges (381 & 509 MB)". This system has on-board
> graphics? Maybe there is something in the motherboard BIOS setup re. the range
> of memory available for use by the graphics subsystem? If so, change the
> settings, and see what happens. If not, reset the motherboard CMOS (jumper
> setting or battery removal), and try again... Ben Myers

No on board graphics (it has Nvidia FX5200). As a point of reference I
borrowed 2 x 256MB PC3200 DDR from my Dell PC at work (same Infineon brand
as HP supplied). It tested flawlessly in 1 hr Memtest86+. I even bumped
bus speed up 10% with a program called ClockGen (I have no BIOS speed
settings). No problems with AMD64 3200+ bumped from 2000 to 2200 MHz and
RAM bumped from 200 to 220 MHz (440), Sandra scores improved over 10%. I
have never overclocked before (other than P180 MMX overdrive @ 200 MHz).
So it must just be that the RAM from Fry's is fried.

>>> Sounds like defective memory to me. Try Memtest with only one of the new DDR
>>> DIMMs. Maybe only one is defective. Memtest does not lie... Ben Myers
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>>>>PC3200/2700/2100/1600 DDR DIMMs (184-pin), and is HP/Compaq approved for
>>>>maximum of 2 x 512 MB (1024 MB total). It came with 1 x 512 MB PC2700.

(snip)

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