RAM upgrade -> BSOD in Vista with Dell

[suthurnlatino]

I recently bought a Dell Inspiron 531 (AMD X2 64 5000+ 1GB RAM 250GB Geforce 8800GT 512MB) which supposedly supports DDR 800. The 1GB was not enough so I proceeded to buy some OCZ 2 Platinum revision 2 DDR2 2GB (2x1GB) dual channel kit but when I went to install it, the PC would not boot. I kept getting blue screens sorta like










The error message has some artifacting as well.

The system will just not boot with even one stick of hte OCZ DDR800 sticks, however if I put in the stock Dell DDR2 667 it will boot. Upon booting though I can't complete things like the Vista Performance because it gives errors.

What do you guys think my Mobo is just incompatible or that I have faulty ram? Remember it is not just one stick, I can try either solo and they still have issues.

More info on my system is available at:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/s ... #wp1052333

Thanks for anyone that can help!

[Usacomp2k3]

I'm going to guess RAM voltage. Can you adjust that in the BIOS at all?

[crazybus]

That ram takes more voltage by default than what your Dell is supplying it with. It's rated to run at 1.9-2.1v. I have the same ram and have no issue running it at 1.8v at default SPD timings though. If you're having problems with the stock ram as well I'd say their might be something wrong with the motherboard. Maybe try running a Memtest on the stock ram.

[suthurnlatino]

I have no problems with the stock ram, only when I use it in combination with the DDR800 ram do the problems arise. I wish I would have known that it wouldn't supply it with enough voltage before I purchased it. The Dell BIOS is locked and there are not much options.

[Flying Fox]

How about just the DDR2-800 RAM in the slots?

[suthurnlatino]

The results are:

1 stick of stock DDR 667 = boots fine
1 stick of OCZ Rev2 Plat DDR 800 1GB = BSOD
2 sticks of OCZ Rev2 plat ddr 800 (2x1GB) = BSOD
1 stick of DDR 667 + 1 DDR800 = Boots but the Vista performance analyzer thing can't finish so I still think the memory is giving problems.

The only mode I can boot with the DDR800 memory is safe mode, any other mode gives me a blue screen. With memory artifacting.

There are no BIOS settings available as Dell has pretty much locked most of the stuff. The BIOS does detect 3GB when I use the stock memory plus the 2GB of DDR800.

The specs according to Dell, support DDR800 just that I guess the voltage provided by the MOBO isn't enough unfortunetly. Looks like I'm SOL and either will face a restocking fee from ClubIT if I return the RAM (plus shipping) or I pony up some cash for a better MOBO/CASE (since Dell's case will only fit microATX. The MOBO is a tiny nForce520 based board I believe. It barely has space for components as if the Dell chassis was not tight enough.

I am going try a memtest later.

[crazybus]

I am going try a memtest later.

Don't bother, it's clearly a lack of voltage or less likely 2 bad sticks of ram. I thought what you had said before was that the DDR667 didn't work by itself either. If you return the ram and exchange it for something else the retailer may skip the restocking charge. Especially if you tell them the ram didn't work in the first place.

[JustAnEngineer]

When you select your replacement RAM, get some that operates at 1.8V. That OCZ RAM has to be over-volted to get it to work.

For sure-fire compatibility, the Crucial memory advisor tool is guaranteed to work.