PB600, 32 MB memory SIMMS coming up as half-value in POST!?
Matt Flaherty
I just bought two 32 MB SIMMS for my Pack-Mate 3500CD. The BPCS
number is 842721104. It has a PB600 board and Phoenix Bios 4.0
Release 4, for which I have been unable to find an upgrade. The new
RAM is model SD72164B by Siemens. Specs can be found at
http://www.siemens.de/semiconductor/products/ics/31/31.htm. Basically
it is 70-pin non-parity 60ns FPM DRAM. According to the computer's
user manual, the SIMM slots can accept up to 32 MB modules. I find it
very strange that the POST memory test finds this SIMM combination to
be only 32 MB, which is half what it should be. Just for fun, I
placed one of the SIMMS in a bank by itself. The computer booted up
fine (strange enough), but the additional memory was only 16 MB! I
tried these chips on another board and they counted up to 64 just
fine, so that is not the problem. What IS the problem? I have the
exact type of RAM that the manual recommends, other than it being 60ns
instead of 70. I see no BIOS setting for memory other than cache and
shadow. I have tried these SIMMs in every combination with no luck.
I can think of no reason why this should be happening. Please help!
Thank you.
-Matt Flaherty
GBE
8MB each. PB says it must be 70ns but 70ns is hard to find now. The
first slot (U45) seems to be the trouble maker. I ended up buying to
2-32MB EDO and but them in bank 2 (U39&U47) and leave bank 3 (U45&U46)
empty. Now I get 72MB with the 8MB on the motherboard. The EDO will work
if your bios is Augura 1.12 or higher.
~Gary
Matt Flaherty wrote in message <77hdtu$cp1$1...@news.quicklink.com>...
ma...@quicklink.com
>I had a similar problem... bought 2-16MB 60ns FPM but only recognized
>8MB each. PB says it must be 70ns but 70ns is hard to find now. The
>first slot (U45) seems to be the trouble maker. I ended up buying to
>2-32MB EDO and but them in bank 2 (U39&U47) and leave bank 3 (U45&U46)
>empty. Now I get 72MB with the 8MB on the motherboard. The EDO will work
>if your bios is Augura 1.12 or higher.
That's ridiculous if you can't use faster RAM than the onboard crap.
It should all just run at 70. Who knew from a 4 year old manual that
you had to stick with 70ns SIMMS. I got 60 because I knew it would be
easier to sell later on if I get a new system, plus it was the same
price. EDO won't work as EDO if it's in with FPM, so that's a total
waste. I've got PhoenixBios anyway. This just proves what a
worthless piece of shit those systems are! Pardon my French, and
thank you for your response.
-Matt
GBE
On startup you will see Phoenix Bios 4.0.4 and then under that you will
see Agoura 1.17 or 1.18.... (current version is 1.20 which you can
update at http://support.packardbell.com/ftp/drivers.asp?bios ). Even
with the update you are still going to have a problem with the 60ns FPM,
that is why I went with EDO and haven't had any problems. Take your FPM
back and buy the EDO and see what happens.
ma...@quicklink.com wrote in message
<369ce71c....@news.quicklink.com>...
M L
modules and 2 16MB 70ns modules.
It also works well with all my components which include DVD, 2 hard drives,
voodoo2, powerleap k6/2 300Mhz.. . I just like to say that some one
mentioned that there are different PB600 boards, some have L2 cache, some do
not, maybe there are other differences.
--
Michael
Note: If you try my suggestion and your computer messes up it's not my
fault.
If you did like my tip visit PC WEB - http://pcweb.hardwarecentral.net