GX620 mini tower adding memory

Question

I have a Dell Optiplex GX620 Mini Tower with Windows XP Pro Pkg 3  Dual Core 3Gb using (2) 512MB-1rx8-pc2-4200u-444-12  Dimms. I am trying to ADD (2) 1GB 1rx8- pc2 5300u-555-13-zz Dimms. On booting BIOS loads, I can go into setup and see all four Dimms. The 1GB's in slots 1 and 2 and the 512mb in 3 and 4. After escaping setup Windows starts to load, I get the black Windows page with the Windows logo and the name Windows XP with the bar underneath scrolling back and forth for about 15 seconds. (I assuming Windows is trying to load) Then the screen goes to a solid blue page with text only saying:   ***Hardware Malfunction    Call your Hardware vendor for support    NMI: Parity check/memory parity error *** the system has halted***   The only way out is to unplug the power and pull the 1gb 's out. Before going any futher I will say that last week before Crucial, I had bought a set of Centon except they were 6400's 1Gb's. I had the exact same problem. I thought their 6400's were not compatable with my motherboard. So I returned them to the store, due to the fact they were very slow to respond online to my problem.   Here's what I tried with Centons and now the Crucials: I  removed the 512MB's and just tried the 1GB's in slots 1 and 2 and I see them in setup under memory. Same problem I had with Centon. Here's what's strange, I can put one 1GB in slot one and the computer will boot and load all the way. I can do this with either 1Gb dimms and I did that  with the Centons. Are the 5300's not compatable with the Motherboard as well as the 6400's that I tried of Centons? Anyone ever have this problem? I do not believe there is a DIMM's problem as being defective now, just not compatable or my motherboard is messed up or maybe BIOS? My BIOS is A11   I have seated and reseated the dimm's:emotion-8: The slots seem good because I can put the 512mb's in 1 and 2 or 3 and 4. As stated above I can see the memory in setup in all slots. **** I also posted this at Crucial's site forum Any help or suggestions appreciated  HELP thanks

reboot_y2k · Accepted Answer

Just in case anyone is interested, I believe I have this resolved. Here is a brief mesage I sent elsewhere of solution. It's been a couple of days now and a few reboot at that loading and restoring some files and folder from a backup (which is another problem i'm having now and will present in aonther post):

I may have narrowed this problem down. To be brief as mush as possible, I had a recent backup on my system. I reloaded from scratch adding a few things starting with Windows of course then getting my internet connection then on with a brower. Good to this point with the two 512's in slots 1 and 2. I shutdown and added the two 1gb's in slots 1 & 2 and moved the 512's in slots 3 & 4. Wow it works. Hey lets move on. Well soon as I added my 2nd monitor back in software we are ok . I added my Norton Symantec and a few other software applications and I needed to do a restart. Bam, right back in the dirt again. Same problem. I removed the last applications and Norton (had to remove the 1gb's but left the 512's in slots 3 & 4 for now to do this) and restarted ok. Shutdown again and added the 1gb's back in, still no go. Would not boot Windows , same problem. Ok, so I had it going for a while but not with the dual monitors. I removed the power , unseated the VRAM card and plugged one monitor back on the intergrated DB15 on the chasis, it worked. My problem is in the dual monitors and maybe the VRAM card. I played with this an hour or so. Well, my outcome so far, and still up and running, not everything loaded yet, I went into setup and changed the video setting on for the VRAM card and have all monitors back up. (Setup: Video-Primary Videosetting from AUTO to ONBOARD/PEG) Without all the tech manuals on this I just figuring there must be some memory address problem. ?? I'm keeping my figures crossed, let's see if this keeps going. If not I'll let you know if I find anything else, but I believe this is fixed :)

shesagordie · Answer

reboot_y2k As Crucial guaranties compatiblity, you need to contact Crucial's Technical Support HERE Click on 'More contact options'. Bev.

reboot_y2k · Answer

Thanks Bev,

I do have a post in their (Crucial) forum and just waiting on their response also. I do not believe it's their DIMMs that is the problem though. I tried Centons (6400's) as well with the exact same problem :( I also have a set of DIMM's I am waiting to get to me from Dell (6400's also that Dell said would work, we'll see). I chatted with Dell support today, he said he had not seen this problem before, and that it may be the motherboard. I just recently bought this machine from Dell Auction. The manufacture waranty is out but Dell Auction has a 90 or so warranty, so I just left them an email . What's strange is that 512MB 4200's will work in slots 1 & 2 or 3 & 4. The 1gb's 6400 nor 5300 will work in pairs at all on this machine in any slot, but a single 1gb dimm will. :(

reboot

shesagordie · Answer

reboot_y2k Appreciate the heads up, it's an intresting solution.     :emotion-21: Bev.

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