8k5A2+ memory ?

[PorPorMe]

First off,specs:

Athlon XP 2400+
Epox 8k5A2+
GeForce Nvidia 7600GS AGP
PowerMagic 350w PS
Sony Dru-84A DVD-Burner
CD-4x4x32 CD-Burner

At the moment, I'm back to XP Pro SP3.

I ran for about 2yrs on XP with 1GB of PC2100 DDR DIMMS configured so:1x512MB/PC2100_2x256MB/PC2100 and XP was happy. I installed Vista Ultimate and it grunted a bit so I ordered a 1GB PC2100 chip online. It arrived and I installed it.

Configuration is now this:1GB 1st bank-512MB 2nd bank-256Mb 3rd bank.

Now to the techy stuff. During the day, my machine would die. No warning, no shutting down, dead. Sometimes it would boot right back up, sometimes not. When it wouldn't, the post codes would not read either. My best guess was (with my limited knowlege) was it had to be memory related. I pulled both the 256MB chip and the 512Mb chip, then booted to a disk with Windows Memtest v3.3. All tests passed.(I think this problem was just poor contact with one or more of the chips.) Fired Vista up, and ran Everest Ultimate. Surprise!!

PC3200 (200MHz)

Field Value
Memory Module Properties
Serial Number None
Module Size 1 GB (2 ranks, 4 banks)
Module Type Unbuffered
Memory Type DDR SDRAM
Memory Speed PC3200 (200 MHz)
Module Width 64 bit
Module Voltage SSTL 2.5
Error Detection Method None
Refresh Rate Reduced (7.8 us), Self-Refresh

Memory Timings
@ 200 MHz 3.0-3-3-8 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS) / 11-14-2 (RC-RFC-RRD)
@ 166 MHz 2.5-3-3-7 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS) / 10-12-2 (RC-RFC-RRD)
@ 133 MHz 2.0-2-2-6 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS) / 8-10-2 (RC-RFC-RRD)

Memory Module Features
Early RAS# Precharge Not Supported
Auto-Precharge Not Supported
Precharge All Not Supported
Write1/Read Burst Not Supported
Buffered Address/Control Inputs Not Supported
Registered Address/Control Inputs Not Supported
On-Card PLL (Clock) Not Supported
Buffered DQMB Inputs Not Supported
Registered DQMB Inputs Not Supported
Differential Clock Input Supported
Redundant Row Address Not Supported

The Epox mobo will only support up to PC2700. XP PRO SP3 is running fat an sassy on this 1GB PC3200. How? Was the combination of PC3200 and PC2100 the problem? Is leaving this PC3200 chip in going to be a problem?

Any advice would be welcome!

[noob]

I can't find any documentation in regards to that MB, but many don't like 3 out of 4 slots filled.

the faster RAM should slow itself down, either that or will have to be done manually via the BIOS.

Pull the 256 and leave the 2 larger in there and see what happens.

[PorPorMe]

In the last 2 weeks have gone through many changes, formating HDD, installing different OS, swapping different memory combinations. The setup I have now is working smooth with all 3 memory sticks installed. Damned if i know. XP Pro SP3. Stable so far. that is the same thing I had when I first had the problem and asked for help. Don't know why but not complaining!
Thanks.