PC3200 on MSI K7N420 Pro

[erikkellison]

Does anyone know if there is a cap for memory speed I put on this board? I usually run PC2100, and assume that it will clock down the PC3200 to appropriate speeds, however I'm not sure. I tried installing the PC3200 once, and Windows never finished booting up. I don't want to break anything. It's Mushkin RAM, for what it's worth, 512mb.

 

[erikkellison]

Okay, so I tried a couple more times to boot up my comp with this memory (PC3200) in it. It will not boot. I even went into the BIOS and un-overclocked my comp to reduce problems, and it still doesn't work. Causes fatal errors and the diagnostic lights on the back of my comp (special little PCI card) turn red (red is bad). A logical explanation as to why this isn't working would be nice, otherwise I will indeed write it off to being defective memory. Thanks!

 

[Nubius]

Says it supports up to PC2700....regarding the errors it is infact possible that the memory is simply defective which would be my first guess..

If you can get into the BIOS, then you should download memtest86+ and test that stick, ONLY that stick, in the system and see if it get errors which I assume it will.

But yeah, when a motherboard says it supports say PC2700 in this case, you can infact put PC3200 in it, but it will just downclock to the right speeds in which the board was designed for. You can push it further, but then you're increasing the whole system bus which to be safe would require a better north bridge cooler

 

[erikkellison]

Thanks. I'll DL that Memtest86+ and run it off disk to test that stick. It's nearly moot though, because I shouldn't have to DL and run a mem diagnostic just to determine that a stick of mem doesn't work in an otherwise perfectly functional computer

 

[erikkellison]

I ran that Memtest86+ all night long. It made it through something like 14 cycles of testing, not one error. Yet the system is super-unstable with that stick installed. I did get it to finish booting up windows, but once it gave me a "parse error at 955", and any time I tried to open almost anything in Windows (not to mention the graphics were slightly messed up), it would automatically restart. I was planning on using this memory... is there any hope left?

 

[erikkellison]

Ahhem.... any hope left?
Anyone tried running PC3200 on this board before, or one very similar to it?

 

[Nubius]

Perhaps the actual dimm slot is messed up. Have you tried that one stick in various slots to see if on gives instability over the other?

If it's not getting any errors then yeah it's fine.

because I shouldn't have to DL and run a mem diagnostic just to determine that a stick of mem doesn't work in an otherwise perfectly functional computer

Yeah you would, otherwise why would they bother making the program? A computer can boot up and run somewhat, but if it's being unstable like you are saying, then obviously it needs to be checked for errors

 

[erikkellison]

Okay, so the DIMM's aren't messed up because my comp runs perfectly when overclocked with PC2100 in it (OC'd to 294MHz), yet it won't run the PC3200 at any speed.
And yes, I've tried multiple slots. I do have one fried slot that I don't touch, but both of the others work fine with my mem in it, but when I toss in the PC3200, it doesn't work. Do you really think that it is merely incapable of clocking down to my MoBo's FSB speed, or is there something more wrong (since the RAM is obviously error free).
I am thinking that this is the problem:
I built my g-parents a new comp, and was unsuccessful at installing Windows in it. I believed that this was due to the RAM, but I now think that it's due to the defective motherboard, and once replaced, the computer will install WinXP just fine. I have also been attempting a clean WinXP install on my parents' computer with a matching stick of RAM. I think the RAM-MoBo compatibility is at fault here, because they have the same MoBo as I do, and I can't get my (otherwise fully stable) comp to run with that type of RAM. So the RAM is at fault in both my and their computer, but not because it's defective, just because it's incompatible. I guess I'll just have to give all that RAM to the new g-parents' computer, and buy some PC2700 for my comp. Meh.
Thanks Nubius for your help

 

[erikkellison]

So here's the final update (I think).
The memory is fine, because I ran Memtest86+ on the other 512 stick (Mushkin PC3200) that was in my parents computer. Checked out fine. Put my memory in my parents computer which wouldn't install WinXP, and voila! it installs flawlessly. Bottom line, K7n420 Pro is not compatible with PC3200 (at least that which I bought). I had to buy another stick of PC2100, and give my grandparents' computer the other 512 stick (MY GRANDPARENTS' COMPUTER HAS 1BG OF PC32OO, WTF?), and I hope it runs fine. If not, I'll be back to ask about THAT problem!

 

[EricB]

excuse my language. these wack a*s MSI mobo's (I had a msi k7n2 delta, now I have the delta 2 as the first one was killing hard drives) somehow they set themselves to the first kind of ddr ram (2100,2700,3200) that you put in it. then when you go to change the type, they don't adjust.

now I have found that if you got in bios and set them to load fail safe defaults, it will start working halfway right

I can use any and every kind of ram of my other computers(and swap them however I want to), but not on this one