Burned-up memory in Dragon KT-400 Ultra Platinum

I recently added an additional 512 MB of PC3200 memory to my Soyo
KT-400 Dragon Ultra Platinum Plus. Unfortunately, I somehow inserted
the memory module backwards in the slot. I turned the computer on and
several seconds later smelled something burning and saw a wisp of
smoke. I removed the memory module and my computer was still able to
start-up OK using just the old memory.

Both the new memory module and the connector for slot #3 on the
motherboard had received some visible damage from the heat, so I am
now unable to use slot #3. Mushkin sent me another 512 MB memory
module which I have inserted into slot #2. I now have 1 GB of memory
with 512 MB Mushkin PC3200 modules in slots 1 and 2. Everything seems
to work OK but, the Soyo web page says "if two modules(PC3200, or
PC2700) are being used on this board. Make sure to place one module on
DDR socket #1, and one on DDR socket #3." My slot #3 is ruined so I
had to use slot #2 instead.

I ran Memtest-86 all night and no errors were found. I use Red Hat
Linux 9 as my main OS it recognizes the memory and is working great. I
occasionally use VMWare to run Windows 2000 in a Window under Linux at
the same time Linux is running. The Windows 2000 in the VMWare virtual
machine is also working well. I also have Windows ME installed (not
under VMWare) and it will now only boot up in the safe mode. It says
something about a "Windows protection error."

A Muskin technical support person told me they have the same
motherboard and have used the same memory in slots 1 and 2 with no
problem. Is the Soyo web page wrong? Another Soyo web page says that
PC3200 memory will only run as PC2700 if a 333MHz CPU is used. My
Athlon XP 2600+ has a 333 MHz fsb and the 2AA3 BIOS does not seem to
want to let me set the memory to the 400 MHz. I do not know much about
changing the BIOS memory settings. I was under the impression that
this motherboard supported DDR400, any suggestions or comments?

On 13 Nov 2003 09:31:57 -0800, (RickH)
wrote:

>A Muskin technical support person told me they have the same
>motherboard and have used the same memory in slots 1 and 2 with no
>problem. Is the Soyo web page wrong? Another Soyo web page says that
>PC3200 memory will only run as PC2700 if a 333MHz CPU is used. My
>Athlon XP 2600+ has a 333 MHz fsb and the 2AA3 BIOS does not seem to
>want to let me set the memory to the 400 MHz. I do not know much about
>changing the BIOS memory settings. I was under the impression that
>this motherboard supported DDR400, any suggestions or comments?

The KT400 chipset kinda-sorta supports DDR400--but extensive testing
(see Tom's Hardware Guide, for one) has shown that the best (fastest,
most stable) setup for boards using that chipset is a 333MHz cpu and
DDR333. This outperforms any setup involving DDR400 (unless of course
the PC3200 is run at 333MHz, thus effectively being PC2700).

The newer KT400A chipset has *true* DDR400 support; SOYO doesn't make
a board with that chipset, but does make one based on the KT600
chipset.

So, my suggestion: run your memory at DDR333 speed, in synch with your
cpu--that's your best setup with that chipset.

--
-denny-

Some people are offence kleptomaniacs -- whenever they see
an offence that isn't nailed down, they take it ;-)
--David C. Pugh, in alt.callahans

How the hell you do that? The mem mod is slotted to stop you from being able
to do that! Usin ur hammer isnt helpful on computers, lol

"RickH" <> wrote in message
news: om...
> I recently added an additional 512 MB of PC3200 memory to my Soyo
> KT-400 Dragon Ultra Platinum Plus. Unfortunately, I somehow inserted
> the memory module backwards in the slot. I turned the computer on and
> several seconds later smelled something burning and saw a wisp of
> smoke. I removed the memory module and my computer was still able to
> start-up OK using just the old memory.
>
> Both the new memory module and the connector for slot #3 on the
> motherboard had received some visible damage from the heat, so I am
> now unable to use slot #3. Mushkin sent me another 512 MB memory
> module which I have inserted into slot #2. I now have 1 GB of memory
> with 512 MB Mushkin PC3200 modules in slots 1 and 2. Everything seems
> to work OK but, the Soyo web page says "if two modules(PC3200, or
> PC2700) are being used on this board. Make sure to place one module on
> DDR socket #1, and one on DDR socket #3." My slot #3 is ruined so I
> had to use slot #2 instead.
>
> I ran Memtest-86 all night and no errors were found. I use Red Hat
> Linux 9 as my main OS it recognizes the memory and is working great. I
> occasionally use VMWare to run Windows 2000 in a Window under Linux at
> the same time Linux is running. The Windows 2000 in the VMWare virtual
> machine is also working well. I also have Windows ME installed (not
> under VMWare) and it will now only boot up in the safe mode. It says
> something about a "Windows protection error."
>
> A Muskin technical support person told me they have the same
> motherboard and have used the same memory in slots 1 and 2 with no
> problem. Is the Soyo web page wrong? Another Soyo web page says that
> PC3200 memory will only run as PC2700 if a 333MHz CPU is used. My
> Athlon XP 2600+ has a 333 MHz fsb and the 2AA3 BIOS does not seem to
> want to let me set the memory to the 400 MHz. I do not know much about
> changing the BIOS memory settings. I was under the impression that
> this motherboard supported DDR400, any suggestions or comments?

I tried a Soyo board, in between the Asus-boards. To make a long story
short: I will never buy a Soyo again.
(the netherlands- europe)

"Dog and Pony Show" <> wrote in message
news:Jk2Gb.8219$Q%...
> How the hell you do that? The mem mod is slotted to stop you from being
able
> to do that! Usin ur hammer isnt helpful on computers, lol
>
> "RickH" <> wrote in message
> news: om...
> > I recently added an additional 512 MB of PC3200 memory to my Soyo
> > KT-400 Dragon Ultra Platinum Plus. Unfortunately, I somehow inserted
> > the memory module backwards in the slot. I turned the computer on and
> > several seconds later smelled something burning and saw a wisp of
> > smoke. I removed the memory module and my computer was still able to
> > start-up OK using just the old memory.
> >
> > Both the new memory module and the connector for slot #3 on the
> > motherboard had received some visible damage from the heat, so I am
> > now unable to use slot #3. Mushkin sent me another 512 MB memory
> > module which I have inserted into slot #2. I now have 1 GB of memory
> > with 512 MB Mushkin PC3200 modules in slots 1 and 2. Everything seems
> > to work OK but, the Soyo web page says "if two modules(PC3200, or
> > PC2700) are being used on this board. Make sure to place one module on
> > DDR socket #1, and one on DDR socket #3." My slot #3 is ruined so I
> > had to use slot #2 instead.
> >
> > I ran Memtest-86 all night and no errors were found. I use Red Hat
> > Linux 9 as my main OS it recognizes the memory and is working great. I
> > occasionally use VMWare to run Windows 2000 in a Window under Linux at
> > the same time Linux is running. The Windows 2000 in the VMWare virtual
> > machine is also working well. I also have Windows ME installed (not
> > under VMWare) and it will now only boot up in the safe mode. It says
> > something about a "Windows protection error."
> >
> > A Muskin technical support person told me they have the same
> > motherboard and have used the same memory in slots 1 and 2 with no
> > problem. Is the Soyo web page wrong? Another Soyo web page says that
> > PC3200 memory will only run as PC2700 if a 333MHz CPU is used. My
> > Athlon XP 2600+ has a 333 MHz fsb and the 2AA3 BIOS does not seem to
> > want to let me set the memory to the 400 MHz. I do not know much about
> > changing the BIOS memory settings. I was under the impression that
> > this motherboard supported DDR400, any suggestions or comments?
>
>

I've tried many different brands and I have never had any problems with a Soyo
board that wasn't my fault. Their high end boards are relative bargains IMHO.

tim wrote:

> I tried a Soyo board, in between the Asus-boards. To make a long story
> short: I will never buy a Soyo again.
> (the netherlands- europe)
>
> "Dog and Pony Show" <> wrote in message
> news:Jk2Gb.8219$Q%...
> > How the hell you do that? The mem mod is slotted to stop you from being
> able
> > to do that! Usin ur hammer isnt helpful on computers, lol
> >
> > "RickH" <> wrote in message
> > news: om...
> > > I recently added an additional 512 MB of PC3200 memory to my Soyo
> > > KT-400 Dragon Ultra Platinum Plus. Unfortunately, I somehow inserted
> > > the memory module backwards in the slot. I turned the computer on and
> > > several seconds later smelled something burning and saw a wisp of
> > > smoke. I removed the memory module and my computer was still able to
> > > start-up OK using just the old memory.
> > >
> > > Both the new memory module and the connector for slot #3 on the
> > > motherboard had received some visible damage from the heat, so I am
> > > now unable to use slot #3. Mushkin sent me another 512 MB memory
> > > module which I have inserted into slot #2. I now have 1 GB of memory
> > > with 512 MB Mushkin PC3200 modules in slots 1 and 2. Everything seems
> > > to work OK but, the Soyo web page says "if two modules(PC3200, or
> > > PC2700) are being used on this board. Make sure to place one module on
> > > DDR socket #1, and one on DDR socket #3." My slot #3 is ruined so I
> > > had to use slot #2 instead.
> > >
> > > I ran Memtest-86 all night and no errors were found. I use Red Hat
> > > Linux 9 as my main OS it recognizes the memory and is working great. I
> > > occasionally use VMWare to run Windows 2000 in a Window under Linux at
> > > the same time Linux is running. The Windows 2000 in the VMWare virtual
> > > machine is also working well. I also have Windows ME installed (not
> > > under VMWare) and it will now only boot up in the safe mode. It says
> > > something about a "Windows protection error."
> > >
> > > A Muskin technical support person told me they have the same
> > > motherboard and have used the same memory in slots 1 and 2 with no
> > > problem. Is the Soyo web page wrong? Another Soyo web page says that
> > > PC3200 memory will only run as PC2700 if a 333MHz CPU is used. My
> > > Athlon XP 2600+ has a 333 MHz fsb and the 2AA3 BIOS does not seem to
> > > want to let me set the memory to the 400 MHz. I do not know much about
> > > changing the BIOS memory settings. I was under the impression that
> > > this motherboard supported DDR400, any suggestions or comments?
> >
> >

--
************************************************** ******************
David F. Mishiwiec Sr.

************************************************** ******************

to the original post > mushkin should not have replaced that
module. to Tim > you should not buy Soyo because, well just because. you
should have someone build a computer for you next time


tim wrote:

>I tried a Soyo board, in between the Asus-boards. To make a long story
>short: I will never buy a Soyo again.
>(the netherlands- europe)
>
>