Dell Dimension 3100 Memory Upgrade- No Joy!

[Cedarwoodron]

I added 2 sticks of 1Gb DDR2 PC2-4200 memory to the two available slots in an older Dell Dimension 3100 (it had only 2-256 sticks when I got it). The one I have runs at 2.53Ghz/533Mhz and the BIOS is A03 (dated 10/8/2005). When I started the system up (Windows XP Pro w/ SP2), only 1 Gb of memory was reconized. Both sticks are identical and properly positioned. In F2 mode, the DIMM 1 slot reads "empty", while the DIMM 2 slot shows 1Gb, as installed. I read elsewhere that a BIOS upgrade (to A04) is the solution, but Dell website comments indicated that was needed for a motherboard upgrade, and made no reference to RAM upgrades.

Can anyone inform me of a way to get the second stick to be recognized? I really don't want to fiddle with the BIOS if that is not called for.

Thanks
Cedarwoodron

 

[Muffin Man]

first try re-seating the ram. even if you were sure the first time, you never know

are they identical sticks, bought as a pair? it's possible that one of the sticks could be bad. try putting the one in slot 2 (the one that's recognized) into slot 1 and see if it's recognized. if it is then the first stick could be bad.

 

[ComancheCorps]

The BIOS update usually fixes memory reading issues with those systems, it would be a good idea to do what Muffin said and then try the BIOS update.

 

[Cedarwoodron]

Well, I did the inspection and re-seating and switch of each stick, but the same issue of only one channel being recognized persists. So, I will try the BIOS upgrade and see if there is a better result.
Talk back later.
Cedarwoodron

 

[Cedarwoodron]

Thanks to MuffinMan and CommancheCorps for assistance with Dell Dimension 3100 Ram stick issues. The A04 BIOS upgrade plus "fresher" ram sticks did the job and I now "blaze away" at 1.99 Gb! Hey- it may not be lightspeed, but it works for me!
Cedarwoodron