Ram question/issue.....

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Our old desktop (a Gateway running Windows Vista!) has spent the last week running this code:DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Drivers are updated, and Vista does not seem to be causing any issues now. (even went back before the issue) So since the memory is as old as the computer (8 years), I'm thinking the memory is biting the dust......

It currently runs on 4GB ddr2 dual channel ram. I'm in debate of what I should get. At some point it will get windows 10, but there are a few things on it I want to take care of. So...

1- what would be a good ram to get for it? (it is an old gaming computer)

2-best bang for buck-want it to be solid/quick, but there is only so much I can do for it. Would like to keep it cheaper if possible....

3-Worth the upgrade to 8 or 16GB of ram? Can it be done at a reasonable price?


Replacing the ram myself, since it is easy to get to....

Any help I can get I will take...
cool.gif
 
Looks like it will take up to 8 GB and has 4 slots. 8 GB should make windows run a little better, but DDR2 ram is expensive compared to newer ram.
 
^ +1 4-8gb is fine for most people. For memory go to Newegg and use their tool to find fast memory that has good reviews. You want the FASTEST memory in mhz you can find with the LOWEST latency numbers. A lot of old computers would support say 800mhz memory but ship with 667mhz.

You can also go to Kingston or Corsair to verify good memory configurations

Really at the end of the day you wont notice a gigantic difference but it is there and much more so to replace the disk with a cheap SSD. Vista ...YUCK
 
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You can verify or condemn your memory with memory testing software such as memtest86+. The machine has an outdated processor which won't be helped much by more memory (I have a dual Xeon machine based on the same architecture with 16GB RAM. It isn't fast.) The 2.5ghz clock speed sounds OK but the chip is inefficient.

You could get some life out of the machine with Windows 7 and an SSD. Windows 10 has very well-documented privacy abuses baked in. Since the machine is older, you won't be playing any DirectX 12 games; there's no reason to upgrade to W10.
 
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
You can verify or condemn your memory with memory testing software such as memtest86+.


+1

Download and run memtest86+

Properly functioning RAM can survive days of running that test. You won't have to run it that long - most of the time bad RAM will show errors within the first hour or two. The last time I've encountered a failed RAM module, memtest started showing errors within the first 15 minutes.

If Vista is truly working correctly, I'd suspect the hard drive or motherboard flaking out before the RAM, particularly given the age of the system.
 
Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
^ +1 4-8gb is fine for most people. For memory go to Newegg and use their tool to find fast memory that has good reviews. You want the FASTEST memory in mhz you can find with the LOWEST latency numbers. A lot of old computers would support say 800mhz memory but ship with 667mhz.

You can also go to Kingston or Corsair to verify good memory configurations

Really at the end of the day you wont notice a gigantic difference but it is there and much more so to replace the disk with a cheap SSD. Vista ...YUCK

This is a bit of a overthink. I think there are benchmarks out there for real life usage and the difference between say the 667mhz memory and a super low latency speccceed 800mhz memory was like 1% .
So don't overthink this. Especially when a ssd or new computer can get you hundreds of percent of real life improvement.
 
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Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Windows 32bit will ONLY RECOGNIZE 4gb RAM so no, getting more will not be used until you upgrade the OS to 64bit


According to the CNET link it is already a 64bit system.

I agree, RAM is normally the most robust part of a PC and not likely your problem. FWIW a Q9300 with 8GB DDR2 should be real snappy with W10, more so with a cheap SSD like the Silicon power 120G I bought for less than $50.
 
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Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Windows 32bit will ONLY RECOGNIZE 4gb RAM so no, getting more will not be used until you upgrade the OS to 64bit


One can enable - or confirm that it is already enabled, which it should be - PAE to get around that. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_Address_Extension

EDIT: Ugh...

Quote:
Microsoft Windows supports PAE if booted with the appropriate option, but according to Geoff Chappell, Microsoft may limit 32-bit versions of Windows to 4 GB as a matter of its licensing policy.
 
Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more
Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Windows 32bit will ONLY RECOGNIZE 4gb RAM so no, getting more will not be used until you upgrade the OS to 64bit


One can enable - or confirm that it is already enabled, which it should be - PAE to get around that. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_Address_Extension

EDIT: Ugh...

Quote:
Microsoft Windows supports PAE if booted with the appropriate option, but according to Geoff Chappell, Microsoft may limit 32-bit versions of Windows to 4 GB as a matter of its licensing policy.


you mention pae , apparently you have never used it.

it has always been 99% worthless even on servers

Dave, you haven't confirmed a memory issue, your solution is premature
 
Working on getting the memtest86.....

Strange part is that the computer will boot up just fine, and will actually run okay for a while. If she starts watching, say videos for a while (adding a little stress to the system), it will blue screen after a while...with the above code.

Most of the stuff is newer of the computer, but the motherboard, ram, and processor...
 
run memtest for at least one pass (any errors will
show up in this one pass). Then get a CPU monitor program
to monitor the temps. run your "hot" video and see what
temp it is. then clean the dust bunnies around the CPU
and cooler and all the fans.

You may have to pull the CPU and replace the heat sink
goop. that's the time to really clean the heat sink fins.

Bob
 
memory almost never fails. server memory does fail slightly more often but only because it is much more complicated and built to better specs.

more then likely your motherboard is filling up a dirty diaper with leaking capacitors. you could try being cheap and replace the motherboard from a used one on ebay, but i would frankly downgrade that computer to the garage and use it only sparsely for internet lookups while you change your oil.
 
Originally Posted By: Californiabob
run memtest for at least one pass (any errors will
show up in this one pass). Then get a CPU monitor program
to monitor the temps. run your "hot" video and see what
temp it is. then clean the dust bunnies around the CPU
and cooler and all the fans.

You may have to pull the CPU and replace the heat sink
goop. that's the time to really clean the heat sink fins.

Bob



Thanks for the idea! I normally do dust it off a bit, but it hasn't had a "good" cleaning in a while. Might be worth it to take it apart and give it a real good cleaning before the memtest....
 
A quick Google search came up with driver issues for a LAN or WAN card. I would start be removing all the PCI cards you can and then booting without them, then booting with one more each time to check.
 
You can remove the memory then reseat it.

Swap each stick to a different bank also.

Put linux on this thing, Vista is not something you want to be messing with.

I wouldn't spend a dime buying anything for this computer.

You could buy a compute stick for 99 dollars that is more powerful than this, and comes with an OS.
 
Run memtest86+ to test the memory.

Do a visual inspection of motherboard capacitors.

Did you do a driver update recently? It sounds like it may be driver-related.
 
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