Ecs P6BAT-AP memory problems.

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by **cip1974** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 10:47 pm

I just upgrade my old pc and i put 3 modules of 256mb 133mhz sdram in a motherboard ecs p6bat-ap bios version 5.6,but the bios recognize only the half memory.Is there any patched bios that it can make the bios recognize the whole memory?Before i had 3 modules of 128mb 2 with 4 chips and 1 with 8 chips and recognized the whole memory.Please advice.

BiosMan · by **KachiWachi** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 2:29 pm

Most likely a chipset limitation vs. memory density issue.

What chipset is in this board?

Thanks.

by **cip1974** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 2:41 pm

According the manual the motherboard can accept max of 256mb ram in each module of 100 or 133mhz sdram.I send e-mail in ecs also,but nobody replaid yet.

by **Denniss** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 5:48 pm

Should be something in the 82C693/693A range.

If Bios supported 4-chip 128MB then it should support 8-chip 256MB sticks if they do not use a wrong internal organisation. I don't think your board will support 4-chip 256MB sticks.

id you try to test with only one stick installed ? Probably one stick too much with high-density RAM .

by **cip1974** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 9:51 pm

Kingston,that i use know is 8 chips memory.Ihave already tried with one chip .Same.Bios recognized as 128 and no 256.I think that the motherboard needs bios upgrade but i do not know if there is any newer version for this motherboard.

by **Denniss** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 1:13 pm

What motherboard revision number do you have ?
-> Should be printed onto the motherboard.

Either it's indeed a chipset limitation or the 8-chip Kingston stick has a wrong internal organisation (x4 instead of x8 to be compatible).

Please post the exact product number of your Kingston stick, maybe something is to be seen on the Kingston website.

by **cip1974** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 2:48 pm

KVR133X64C3

by **edwin** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 12:13 am

I think it's x4 stuff (wrong kind).
http://www.valueram.com/datasheets/KVR133X64C3_256.pdf

by **cip1974** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 3:31 pm

I have already tried in same motherboard and it recognized as 256.The only differevce was in bios(award 4.6).

by **Denniss** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 3:48 pm

What is your same motherboard ?
It may have a different chipset.
what's printed on your chipset ? (or is it covered by a heatsink ?)
What revision is your motherboard ?

by cp » Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:43 pm

there are two chipsets that are very easy to mix up: VIA Apollo Pro (VT82C691 sometimes called VT82C693) and VIA Apollo Pro (VT82C693A). both have the same PCI IDs (1106:0691) and they are pretty much the same.

from the datasheets
VT82C691:

Mixed 1M / 2M / 4M / 8M / 16MxN DRAMs

VT82C693A:

Mixed 1M / 2M / 4M / 8M / 16M / 32MxN DRAMs

seems one of your boards is equipped with the VT82C691 and the other with a VT82C693A. nothing wrong with the modules. this is a chipset limitation. there's no software fix for this.

by **cip1974** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 4:16 am

Thanks for all your answers.Could you you please provide me with the name and model of a motherboard that can fit these specific modules (prefarable slot1) and the type of processor that i have to buy with?I will apreciate any answer.Thank you.

by cp » Wed Nov 29, 2006 12:15 pm

you can buy all boards with the following chipsets:

SIS 5600 (aka SIS 600)
SIS 620
SIS 630
VIA Apollo Pro 133 (VT82C693A)
VIA Apollo Pro 133A (VT82C694X)

and some ALi chipsets, too. but the SIS chipsets are already slow enough, you don't really want to try the ALi chipsets ;)

by **cip1974** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 4:25 pm

I have searched in e-bay and i found one Gigabyte motherboard (GA-BX2000 REV1.2) with intel 440 bx chipset.Is it ok for the specific modules?

by cp » Wed Nov 29, 2006 5:52 pm

NO. do you see the Intel 440BX chipset in my list?