Laptop will not boot with 4GB of RAM

I have a Toshiba A205-S5804 and I upgrade my RAM with two (2) sticks of GEIL each 2GB DDR2 667MHz PC2-5300. I originally had a two (2) sticks of 512MB. When I have all 4GB in, when I start the computer is stalls at the Toshiba screen before it gets to Windows OS.

I also did some tests with only having one module in. When I have the module only in the lower bay, computer starts up just fine. When I have the module only in the upper module, computer will not even power up, it briefly flashes the lights, makes a noise like it is trying to start the hard drive and dies.

Also computer will start with one stick of the 2GB and one stick of 512MB, but will not do it with two 2GB sticks, total of 4GB. Can anyone help? Trying to see if perhaps it is RAM, if I just need to return the GEIL modules and get a different brand or different modules from same manufacturer.

My particular model is a new production and has a 965 chipset, I ran an Intel chipset identifier and it confirmed it is a 965 chipset and can see all 4GB, only limitation is by 32bit windows, which I am switching to 64bit as soon as I get the DVD from Microsoft.

GEIL each 2GB DDR2 667MHz PC2-5300. I originally had a two (2) sticks of 512MB. When I have all 4GB in, when I start the computer is stalls at the Toshiba screen before it gets to Windows OS.

I also did some tests with only having one module in. When I have the module only in the lower bay, computer starts up just fine. When I have the module only in the upper module, computer will not even power up, it briefly flashes the lights, makes a noise like it is trying to start the hard drive and dies.

Also computer will start with one stick of the 2GB and one stick of 512MB, but will not do it with two 2GB sticks, total of 4GB. Can anyone help? Trying to see if perhaps it is RAM, if I just need to return the GEIL modules and get a different brand or different modules from same manufacturer.

When I have 2.5GB installed both BIOS and Windows show 2.5GB installed, so it is not a 960 chipset but a 965 as suspected.

So I flashed my BIOS with the latest file Toshiba has on line. It did not solve the problem, computer still stalls in BIOS screen when all 4GB are installed and will only load when I have the original 512MB module in the lower spot and the new 2GB module in the second spot or if I just have the 2GB module installed in the lower spot.

Also, since I flashed my BIOS, my wireless LAN no longer works.

Can anyone help?

You can find my original post at: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=3003944#post3003944

 

Have you tried booting with either piece to make sure one isnt dead?

 

Yes, I can boot with each of the two 2GB modules by them selves, but not with both at the same time.

 

O,ok. In my uneducated opinion, I would say that the Bios is limiting you from even booting with over what it will like. It may be a ploy by the company or just something not adding up. A similar scenario would be 32 bit not liking a full 4gb due to vid card, etc. but it still allows you to boot, just cuts down. The chipset may be limiting you for some weird reason to protect its maximum.

 

1. Do you have the last bios version? If not, get it from Toshiba's support center.

2. If you already have it, try "Load Defaults" in bios, "Save and exit".

 

I wish I could send you to where I read it, but not having 4G, I didn't save it, BUT, it appears that altho specs say it can use 4G, while true, the problem lies with the memory modules, altho MARKED 2G, they are actually 2.001 Gig (as I recall) and when you use two pieces, you then have 4.002, which of course is more than the capacity of the machine to handle. If you google around that subject, I am sure you will find the reference... but as I understood the article, there is NO WAY you can make two 2Gig modules to fly.... and besides, it also points out that for XP SP2, 2Gig is plenty unless you are video editing and then 3Gig might help.

Hope this puts you on the right track...

Ali

 

Wait... 2 GB = 2048MB 4GB = 4096MB. There is no such thing as 2.001 GB ram. The only things that use 1GB = 1000MB are hard drives, which is why you only get say 298GB out of a 320GB drive. If the laptop won't boot with 4GB it is probably more likely a BIOS bug than the actual chipset limitation. The laptop may not like the memory chips used in GeIL ram. I have had problems with my Abit AV8 and modules that used Samsung memory chips. I would have to put a stick in slot 3 and it would hang at post or not even POST at all. It wouldn't even handle 2 sticks single or dual channel. If I was lucky enough to get past POST with them, it would BSOD with looser than stock timings and higher voltage even though the sticks ran perfectly in another PC. However, I can put 1 to 4 sticks of Infineon ram in the same AV8 and they worked with no problem. So the moral of my story is: maybe you need a different brand of RAM. I can't be absolutely sure, but it is a possibility.

-J.B.

 

Do you guys think it can be the manufacturer, I read that Samsung and Kingston are the two recommended manufacturers. Kingston KTT (T for Toshiba). Any comments?

 

I upgraded to 4 gigs kingston value ram in my A215-S7462 and it works great of course because I have a 32 bit operating system installed (win xp home)it only shows 3.37 gigs. geil ram has not always been compatable with all chipsets, mine has the M690V chipset installed. hope this helps you out.

 

So I got the Kingston KTT memory, 2x2GB and it still did not help. Hangs in BIOS screen. After talking to Toshiba tech support, apparently they put limits on the BIOS/chipset, they modify Intel's stuff from what I was told. I have a 965 chipset based on the Intel chipset identifier and there for should handle 4GB. So question is, dose anyone know of a mod for the BIOS or at least motherboard brand and model number so I can get the BIOS from manufacturer directly. I tried looking for it in my laptop through motherboard identifier software but no luck. Almost like Toshiba is hiding it on purpose.