memory upgrade blues...

Our local Frys is having an insane sale on memory. I bought 4GB of DDR2 RAM for $60. I eagerly threw it into my m5550 and *drum-roll* system hangs... why? inserting the memory was pretty straight forward, I knew this was too good to be true.

When I ordered my laptop, 4GB was an option. I had Alienware only throw in 1GB because of how $$$ much they wanted, nutz! So what am I missing? I know I bought the right type of RAM--here's what I bought:

Kingston PC2-5300 667MHz DDR2 dual channel 2x2gb Notebook memory, and they fit too, just the notebook wouldn't boot, it just hung. Is there some BIOS setting that I need to hit?

Now here's something that I thought about. Is the 4GB option that Alienware sells because they throw in a different motherboard? This just ocurred to me.

Any help I could get would be appreciated, thanks.

 

NO changing the motherbourd would cost to much for AW, does the AW have the same port speed as the memory because that will never work.

 

You may need a bios update. But before you do that make sure both ram chunks are secure in the machine. Also just try one at a time in different slots.
It may be a stick of ram. That happens from time to time.

 

Sorry mate, XP Pro will only support 2GB to 3.5GB MAX RAM. Yes the motherboard can take 4GB but the machine can't properly deal with that many handles on the memory. This "Could" be the reason your computer is lagging.Usually XP Pro will split 2Gig to Kernel and 2Gigs to Applications. If you want to make 3Gigs go to the applications add the /3g switch to boot .ini

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windo ws XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=AlwaysOff /3g

 

Reinstall your graphics drivers, the same thing happend to me and it was fixed in two minutes.

 

Thanks. The system doesn't lag, it just doesn't boot--it hangs with only CAPS LOCK, NUMLOCK, SCROLL LOCK and POWER BUTTON lights on and it just sits there until I turn it off. But here's what I did.

1. I tested both sticks of 2mb RAM independently and they work--the sticks are fine.
2. Both 2mb sticks in both slots makes the system hang.
3. one 2mb stick in the lower slot and one 512 stick in the top slot for a total of 2.5mb - the computer boots.

So now I'm confused.

...and how does Alienware sell a 4mb configuration and make it work?

 

I'd do it but I don't see how the RAM has anything to do with the graphics drivers. Can you explain?

 

the adjustment that the m9750 makes to accomodate a change in ram size can corrupt the graphics drivers. Your system hangs before the windows welcome screen but presumably is fine in safe mode. Trust me, install the alienware stock drivers which will fix the issue, then you are free to update with any other drivers you want, but first install the alienware stock drivers.

 

I don't know about the m5550 but the m9750 will see no more than 2.5 GB regardless of how much memory is placed the memory slots. If you can get it to work with 2G and 500K cards then be happy with that because that is probably all you will be able to realize with that laptop.

 

You will not need 4GIG anyhow. Im not sure its the graphics card tbh if it boots with lesser amount of RAM in it. I still think it can't properly accomodate 4Gigs of RAM, are you sure that Alienware specced it to cope with a proper 4Gig? If it works with 2.5Gigs stick with that, or try a 1Gig in place of the 512 to get 3g total.

All the specs sheet I see on the m5550 say max ram of 2gig http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/alienware-area-51-m5550/4507-3121_7-31961559.html

 

fair enough, I'll give that a shot and see what happens--after I try a few other things.

 

4GB was an option when I was designing my system through Alienware's website. Plus, I called Alienware last night and the tech support guy said that the max memory the m5550 will handle is 4GB--yet he didn't know why what I was trying to do didn't work. Not only that, he didn't have the answer right away. He put me on hold and read some description of the system specs.

 

I can't find any major retailer selling 2gb sticks of RAM. Bestbuy was selling 2gb designed for Apple sticks for somethling like $200, if regular 2gb RAM is the same price then I may as well buy the ridculously expensive 4GB offered on Alienware's website.

 

Corsair 2Gb x 2 memory was selling for $79 kit last week at Fry's.

They do work in my m9750. Yes, I know I am losing 1.5 Gb on a dual-SLI box, but that extra 512 will help when running lofty development and art applications - and since one good dinner is the cost, I'll take it.

Regarding the current issue - I can say that when I initially made a memory upgrade using a 2Gb Patriot stick with the provided 512 stick, my system went to a No-POST that would not recover. Several hours later and most of my new laptop disassembled to a single-card no-drive system, it finally found itself. Since then, I always set the BIOS into a net-boot (no RAID drives) state when making an initial change, then I go back to the monster it is once it has found the new memory and other settings.

 

Any luck with this? Have you found a resolution to get your laptop to see all 4GB?

 

any updates on this???