BIOS Updates forum

This is with Award Modular bios V4.51pg
Chipset ALi M1541 rev 4.
It's an M5ALC board in a CTX computer.

This claims (user manual) to work with up to 384 MB.
I have a 128 MB in each of the first two DIMM slots, and
only 192 MB, not 256, is being recognised - either by the POST
at boot-up or by a memory test program running under DOS.
(Normally using Win98SE).
With one DIMM, then 128 MB is recognised, and it doesn't
matter which DIMM, of my two 128 MB sticks, I use.
With one 128 MB DIMM and one 64 MB DIMM I also have
192 MB reported, correctly.
With two 128 MB DIMMs, in each of the first two DIMM sockets,
and with 64 MB in the 3rd socket, still only 192 MB is
recognised.
So, is there anything in the BIOS that might be limiting me
to 192 MB?
Thanks for any help or hints.

Maybe a Bios BUG, try to get the latest Bios. Isntead of using Slot 1 and Slot 2 try Slot 2 and 3 or 1 and 3.

Are these two 128MB sticks different or similar, having the sme amount of memory chips installed per stick ?

The 128 MB memory sticks are different, although both PC-100.
I have tried different permutations of different DIMMs in different sockets, but never get more than 192 MB. For example, socket 1=128 MB, socket 2=128 MB, socket 3=64 MB, I still only see 192 MB total. Swapping the two 128 MB sticks, no change. Unplugging the 64 MB in socket 3, still 192 MB. I don't think however that I've yet tried filling sockets 1 and 3 but leaving 2 empty, as you suggest. I'll try that.

1. Get latest bios.
2. Try bios from another manufacturer on ALI5. I recommend from Acorp, to example - http://rom.by/bios/Acorp/5ALI61/V3.3_66.rar

If I put one 128 MB in slot 1, and one 128 MB in slot 3, leaving slot 2 empty, only 128 MB total is recognised. However, the user manual shows slots filled up with the bigger RAM always in the lowest slot number, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised that if slot 2 is empty then slot 3 is ignored. (True?)

The two PC-100 sticks are different. One has 4 chips on each side, and the other has 8 chips on each side. Is it necessary that the sticks are matched in this respect?

[quote="Denniss"]Maybe a Bios BUG, try to get the latest Bios. Isntead of using Slot 1 and Slot 2 try Slot 2 and 3 or 1 and 3.

Are these two 128MB sticks different or similar, having the sme amount of memory chips installed per stick ?[/quote]

Do you have the latest Bios ?

It looks like your Bios has problems with the different manufacturing techs used by the two memory sticks. A later Bios may cure this or not.

What happens with 128MB in 1/3 and the 64MB in 2 ?

No, I haven't upgraded the Bios. I did contact one of the Bios upgrade companies (esupport.com) and explained my problem to tech support there. They simply assured me the problem couldn't possibly be the Bios, and suggested it was because of the different memory types, so they couldn't be of any help to me. Since they would have made money by selling me a Bios upgrade, I was persuaded by their analysis that it probably isn't the Bios. Doesn't mean it's right, of course.

I have tried 128 + 64 + 128 in sockets 1, 2 and 3, and still only 192 MB is recognized.

[quote="Denniss"]Do you have the latest Bios ?

It looks like your Bios has problems with the different manufacturing techs used by the two memory sticks. A later Bios may cure this or not.

What happens with 128MB in 1/3 and the 64MB in 2 ?[/quote]

They simply assured me the problem couldn't possibly be the Bios...

This CAN be a problem of bios in the FIRST place.
Load and flash http://www.biostar.com.tw/products/main ... c0131b.exe

Do you have a favorite flash program for a case like this?
awdflash? phlash? Which is least likely to creat problems?

>Which is least likely to creat problems?
Usually generates problems not full knowledge, either as that do, but so - without differences.
For P1-P3 i recomended Uniflash or AMIflash.

www.uniflash.org

Please read the update instructions of your motherboard manufacturer or post any question you have regarding flashing your Bios.

Well, I upgraded the BIOS, using alc0331b.bin - it's a 128k BIOS,
and alc0131b is a 256k file.

No change, I still have only 192k recognized, even though
two good 128 k DIMMS are in the sockets.

I guess that means it probably is an incompatibility problem between different types of PC100 memory - is a 4-chip-per-side DIMM configuration simply incompatible with an 8-chip-per-side DIMM, although both are 128 k.

[quote="Denniss"]Do you have the latest Bios ?

It looks like your Bios has problems with the different manufacturing techs used by the two memory sticks. A later Bios may cure this or not.

[/quote]

Obviously I meant to write "MB" not "k".

"No change, I still have only 192 MB recognized, even though
two good 128 MB DIMMS are in the sockets.

I guess that means it probably is an incompatibility problem between different types of PC100 memory - is a 4-chip-per-side DIMM configuration simply incompatible with an 8-chip-per-side DIMM, although both are 128 MB?"

ftp://ftp.biostar-usa.com/bios/M5ALC/ALC1020B.BIN

The latest known 128KB Bios - please try this one.

[quote="Denniss"]ftp://ftp.biostar-usa.com/bios/M5ALC/ALC1020B.BIN
The latest known 128KB Bios - please try this one.[/quote]

Thanks. I installed that, but still no change and still not seeing more than 192 MB.