Hi! I wanted to upgrade memory for my mother-in-law so I had her buy two 512 MB SDRAM PC133 sticks because her computer had a mere 128MB. I removed the 128 and added both sticks of 512 MB. The computer beeped 4 times and then did nothing. It never loaded windows and just remained running until I shut it off. Then I removed one of the 512 MB sticks and inserted the original 128 MB stick. The computer recognized that the RAM had been changed and loaded fine. I went to properties to check the RAM on the computer and it read 640 MB. Then I took that 512 MB stick out and inserted the other 512 MB stick and it again read 640 MB. Then I took the 128 MB stick out again and tried to insert the other 512 MB and again the computer beeped and did nothing.

Why won't the computer allow me to insert both 512 MB sticks and take out the 128 MB stick? I know both of the new memory modules are good because I tested both of them. The computer can hold 1 gig of RAM.

Does anybody have any suggestions? Should I return the one 512 MB and just keep it at 640 MB? Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated

If you can, with the new memory installed, try to enter your BIOS on bootup.

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Klaatu Barada Nikto

it could still be a motherboard limitation. Is the new ram double sided or single sided?

Both new sticks of RAM are double sided. I was reading in one of the forums to take the silver battery out for 30 seconds. Do you think this will help.

As for entering the BIOS on startup with the new memory, the computer doesn't do anything with the new memory (unless the old memory is installed with it)

whats the motherboard? make and model number?

As far as I can tell it is a motherboard issue. She is happy with the 640 MB of memory and the increased speed, so I had her return the other memory stick. Thank you for your help.