BIOS Updates forum

So I updated my RAM, changing it from a 512 and two 124's to three 512's. During the POST it reads all 1.5G of RAM, but when it tries to boot Windows I get the following error:

A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

The BIOS in this system is not fully ACPI compliant. Please contact your system vendor or visit http://www.hardware-update.com for an updated BIOS. If you are unable to obtain an updated BIOS or the latest BIOS supplied by your vendor is not ACPI compliant, you can turn off ACPI mode during text mode setup. To do this, simply press the F7 key when you are prompted to install storage drivers. The system will not notify you that the F7 key was pressed - it will silently disable ACPI and allow you to continue your installation.

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0X000000A5 (0X00000011, 0X00000007, 0XF77270C0, 0C0100000C)




There is no way for me to get into Windows as Safe Mode, Normal Mode, and "start from last known good configuration" all end up at this screen.

Thank you for any help you guys can provide.

Please provide us with some info about your computer system but especially about your motherboard. How does it run with only two sticks ?

It is an ABIT BG7 motherboard with Phoenix AwardBIOS v6.00PG for the BIOS.

Let me remove one of the sticks and post again when I'm done.

Upon removing the older model 512 stick it booted correctly.

I know I'm being greedy, but is there any way I can get that other 512m of RAM to work with my new RAM?
1.5g is much better than 1g...and I'd have more RAM than my gaming friends


Whether or not there is a way to get that other 512 in, thank you VERY much for helping me get my computer back.

Try the following:
a) try swapping the RAM sticks in random positions
b) try updating your BIOS. This sometimes improves stability.
c) try running a memory diagnostic utility
d) if your board permits upping the RAM voltage, try upping it 0.1V.

What kind of memory do you use ?
Are they all PC-2100, PC-2700 or PC-3200 or 2700 mixed with an old PC-2100 ?

If mixed then it's possible the Bios sets memory speed and/or timings too fast for the old stick.

Do these 512MB sticks have all the same number of memory chips per stick or does the old one have 16 (8 per side) and the new ones only 8 ?

They are all DIMM. I don't know about the new sticks, but the old stick has eight. I can't check because there are heat sinks on them.

I don't really want to update the BIOS it just seems like too much work.

The module manufacturer/datasheet should be able to tell you the configuration.

If not, a program such as EVEREST can read the SPD information, and tell you if the module is single or double-sided, etc...

Well, I moved the RAM around and it now boots with all three 512 sticks in, but it only reads 1024MB of RAM under DirectX.

Any ideas about this new problem?

Use only the two sticks and live with 1GB. Sell the other 512MB stick or use it as spare.

But I'm greedy.

It should work shouldn't it?

If I knew why they don't work together I wouldn't care as much.

The reason I'm being so difficult is that the 2 512 sticks cost $150 and without the 512 I had I'm upgrading from 700 something to 1g, and it isn't worth $150 when I should be able to go to 1.5g.

ABIT BG7 -> http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/pro ... 1&model=39

"DDR266 - Supports up to 2GB of un-buffered DDR200/266"

Latest BIOS
Version: ED
Released Date: 2003-09-01