Memory Above 132 Kills OS

[Ayman Altounji]

I have here a Proliant 1500 E12 with 132MB of memory - Smart 2DH Array Controller - 5 x 4.3 Gb Hdd setup on 1 logical drive. All Rompaqs are installed at for Win2k. Originally I had 192 MB of Compaq memory on this machine with Windows NT4 and it was functioning perfectly. Since I flashed the Smart 2DH with Rev. C V4.16 I get a blue screen to contact my harware vendor when trying to install Windows 2K or revert back to NT. If I remove enough memory to come back down to 132 Mb it will install both. Is there a problem with the controller firmware revision? I have run all diagnostics on the hardware with no errors reported. Whats up??

Note: An associate of mine had this same problem. He discovered that if you create a partition using NT instead of Win2k, he was able to install Win2k with RAM above 132 MB after upgrading his controller firmware.

Selecting NT from the utilities after you have already intalled Win2k will crash the OS.

Since I already have Win2k running with 132MB will I have to re-install with my associates solution or does Compaq have a fix available??

Thanks,
Glenn

[Ayman Altounji]

Did anyone find an answer to the above answer? I have the same problem. Fresh install of win2000, Added 32meg more from 128 and system halts "Hardware Malfunction" "Call your hardware dealer" *The system halted*, Tryed installing memory from another working Prolaint 1500 and get the same message. Ran the Rom system test and found no errors. Remove mmory above 128 and the system boot and runs fine. Surly this is not an isolated problem since many people are having this problem as the above messge says. Thanks Mark

[Ayman Altounji]

Did you run hw config utility to register extra memory?
ustek

[Ayman Altounji]

I ran the system confuration and saved the settings. I also tryed to install windows200 from scratch. Anyting above 132 and it blue screens. Even booting from the W2K CD.

[Ayman Altounji]

It seems we have two issues here:
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1. Upgraded array controller to the newest ver. (ver.4.43)?
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I successfully installed W2KS on 2x166MHz/RAM132MB(128MB I'd rather say). But I have SMART 2/P firmware ver. 2.06. Smartstart 5.2 did not suggest to upgrade it. The only one piece of hw I had upgraded was the mother board. (E12 ver. 08/17/98.)
I'll try to find the latest upgrade (4.43 I've read on this forum) and post the results.
=================
2. Memory size over 132MB kills w2k. ???
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Memory size must not be a problem.
I believe that system cpq?cfg may not report memory size correctly to w2k.
Also it's not clear how W2k is killed. are you able to start install?
are you able to complete the text part of install?
are you able to complete install at all?
does the system finds a file to boot?
========================
Try to analyze the condition at which the boot fails.
I would recommend to hit F8 and go to a detailed boot process.
(Like the VGA mode in NT)
I'll be conducting more research on w2k memory issue this holiday.
**************
One more thing I discovered yesterdayon this forum. It is the Advanced mode of the CFG utility.
When you have fisrt screen (after you hit F10) depress CTRL+A. You'll get the Advanced mode. Then go to EDIT+VIEW.
You'll see Memory. there are two choces: auto and Standard.
Play with them. It may help.
Regards,
ustek@hotmail.com

[Ayman Altounji]

The system will boot fronm the CD until the Kernal trys to load then it fails with a Blue screen that says Hardware failer, Contact your Vender. It looks like a Compaq blue screen and not yor tipical W2K blue screen like I have seen in the past. I'll look into the advamced setup to see what is there.

[Ayman Altounji]

I tryed the above CFG settings. I was only able to find SIMM speed that reflected to auto and standard. I changed it to standard and still get the same results. the system boots the. Loads the drivers into memory "Black screen" Then switches to the inistalising phase. Then kicks out to the following blue screen
"Hardware Malfunction
Call your hardware vendor for support
The system has halted"
I don't think this is a windows error screen. It does not include any more info on this screen than that. I take out the extrra memory and run the CFG again to bring it back down to 132 and volia! W2K starts with no problems. The momory I am using is from another excect system that has been running with Novell for years with out fail. I also noticed others in this forum having the same memory limits and have not found an answer.

[Ayman Altounji]

Try to run memory diagnostic utility when all mem. sticks are installed.
May be it will reveal anything.
did you try install w2k after system erase?
when you do full system erase you wil be quided by smartstart till final install.
Moreover, smartstart will prepare all necessary drivers for you to install w2k.

Ustek

[Ayman Altounji]

I got it yesterday too after
I tried to make the most of this old box.
The reason was "slow speed memory" error.
When I removed "slow memory" install went through.
Then I added the memory back and everythyng runs fine.
Resolution: get rid of any error prior to installation of w2k.
Then make changes you like.
I did not upgrage Smart 2/P array yet. Still running ver.2.08
ustek

[Ayman Altounji]

The solution I have found that works is downgrading the firmware of the Smart-2 controller to version 2.14. This is found in service pack SP8050. You have to make sure that you are also using an older driver. A newer driver will also cause this error. I am running CPQARRAY.SYS with a modified date of 12-07-99. I also had to configure the system with the Smart Start 4.9 and then upgrade to the latest one. I got the blue screen when I tried to configure the system with Smart Start 5.4. I currently have 256 megs of ram in this server and am having no trouble.

P.S. To downgrade a controller, edit the config.sys file of the firmware upgrade disk. Put a /x on the rompaq.exe line.