Supposedly compatible RAM doesn't work with AS800

[Tristan_10]

I've got an AS800 with 128MB RAM. I bought 4 sticks of EDO ECC DIMM's to upgrade my AS800, but when I put them in the memory bank and start the server, all it does is power up and beep once: there's no monitor signal. The LED's are fine (only green is on).

I've tried different installs:
- 128MB Alpha RAM in bank 0, 256MB new RAM in bank 1
- 256MB new RAM in bank 0, 128MB Alpha RAM in bank 1
- 256MB new RAM in bank 0
- 256MB new RAM in bank 1
All of these combinations give me the aforementioned errors.

Does this mean my AS800 doesn't support the memory modules? I don't see why it wouldn't.

Memory modules: 4 x 64MB Samsung, partno M372F0803CJ0-C
http://www.samsung.com/Products/Semiconductor/DRAM/AsyncDRAM/AsyncDRAMmodule/BufferedDIMM/M372F0803CJ0/M372F0803CJ0.htm

[CA1069654]

Tristan,

Here are the memory configuration rulls for the AS800

At least one memory bank must contain a memory option

A memory option consists of four DIMMs (0, 1, 2, and 3)

All DIMMs in a bank must be of the same capacity and part number

The larger capacity memory must be in bank 0 or a "memory mismatch error" will occur

and note that in most Alpha systems, not only does the memory have to be the same part number it must also have the same manufacturer. I'm not 100% sure if this holds true with the 800's. You can get memory with same part number and different manufacturers.

let me know if this doesn't work for you and I'll do some more research

[Tristan_10]

Before I bought the RAM, I read the available .PDF's on the AS800 to make sure it would work.

Unfortunately, it's not very specific about which RAM to use apart from "EDO ECC DIMM's working on 3.3V at 60ns". Apparently, there are still different types of that sort of RAM namely with different refresh sizes. I suspect that's the problem: I've tested the new RAM in different setups (like you said the biggest modules go in bank 0), cf my opening post, but I've never got an error message about faulty RAM. The system just won't boot (it beeps once but I never get a VGA signal). I've also got another Alpha (AS1000A) and this one simply gives me an error about RAM when I put in strange combinations of memory but it still boots and even works with only the right RAM and simply doesn't care about the faulty modules.