Dell Inspiron 8200 Reboots...

Hi, I have a dell inspiron 8200 which has
started giving me beeps on boot complaining of memory/read write
failures and also blue screens of death when i can get it to the
windows desktop. The RAM inside the machine has been unchanged since i
purchased it in 2003, could it be possible that its just bad RAM?. One
other point to note is that although the stick inside is a 512 MB
module the system often reports its value being either 256, 384 or 512
on different boots.

Any input would be appreciated

Overheating, either just recently or chronic, is one likely possibility. Clean
out all the dust and dirt accumulated in the CPU cooling fan. Or, as you say,
possibly failing RAM, which is not too frequent... Ben Myers

On Fri, 17 Aug 2007 10:31:02 -0700, Sniper <> wrote:

> Hi, I have a dell inspiron 8200 which has
>started giving me beeps on boot complaining of memory/read write
>failures and also blue screens of death when i can get it to the
>windows desktop. The RAM inside the machine has been unchanged since i
>purchased it in 2003, could it be possible that its just bad RAM?. One
>other point to note is that although the stick inside is a 512 MB
>module the system often reports its value being either 256, 384 or 512
>on different boots.
>
> Any input would be appreciated

On Aug 17, 6:38 pm, Ben Myers <ben_myers_spam_me_...@charter.net>
wrote:
> Overheating, either just recently or chronic, is one likely possibility. Clean
> out all the dust and dirt accumulated in the CPU cooling fan. Or, as you say,
> possibly failing RAM, which is not too frequent... Ben Myers
>
> On Fri, 17 Aug 2007 10:31:02 -0700, Sniper <snipern...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi, I have a dell inspiron 8200 which has
> >started giving me beeps on boot complaining of memory/read write
> >failures and also blue screens of death when i can get it to the
> >windows desktop. The RAM inside the machine has been unchanged since i
> >purchased it in 2003, could it be possible that its just bad RAM?. One
> >other point to note is that although the stick inside is a 512 MB
> >module the system often reports its value being either 256, 384 or 512
> >on different boots.
>
> > Any input would be appreciated

Could it possibly be motherboard faliure?

Yes, also motherboard failing... Ben

On Fri, 17 Aug 2007 11:31:11 -0700, Sniper <> wrote:

>On Aug 17, 6:38 pm, Ben Myers <ben_myers_spam_me_...@charter.net>
>wrote:
>> Overheating, either just recently or chronic, is one likely possibility. Clean
>> out all the dust and dirt accumulated in the CPU cooling fan. Or, as you say,
>> possibly failing RAM, which is not too frequent... Ben Myers
>>
>> On Fri, 17 Aug 2007 10:31:02 -0700, Sniper <snipern...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Hi, I have a dell inspiron 8200 which has
>> >started giving me beeps on boot complaining of memory/read write
>> >failures and also blue screens of death when i can get it to the
>> >windows desktop. The RAM inside the machine has been unchanged since i
>> >purchased it in 2003, could it be possible that its just bad RAM?. One
>> >other point to note is that although the stick inside is a 512 MB
>> >module the system often reports its value being either 256, 384 or 512
>> >on different boots.
>>
>> > Any input would be appreciated
>
>Could it possibly be motherboard faliure?

"Ben Myers" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Yes, also motherboard failing... Ben
>


All true. The OP might also try reseating the RAM/SODIMMs while cleaning the
fans/case just in case of poor or dirty contacts.

"S.Lewis" <> wrote in message
news:34pxi.15809$.. .
>
> "Ben Myers" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Yes, also motherboard failing... Ben
>>
>
>
> All true. The OP might also try reseating the RAM/SODIMMs while cleaning
> the fans/case just in case of poor or dirty contacts.
>

10-4 on re-seating the memory. Amazing how many times the free & easy things
straighten things out.

Mowing any grass Stew?

"joe_tide" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> "S.Lewis" <> wrote in message
> news:34pxi.15809$.. .
>>
>> "Ben Myers" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> Yes, also motherboard failing... Ben
>>>
>>
>>
>> All true. The OP might also try reseating the RAM/SODIMMs while cleaning
>> the fans/case just in case of poor or dirty contacts.
>>
>
> 10-4 on re-seating the memory. Amazing how many times the free & easy
> things straighten things out.
>
> Mowing any grass Stew?

Joseph!

The grass here is crunchy, my friend. Depending on whom you choose to
believe, it was either 104 or 105 degrees here yesterday- and close to that
for as long as I remember.

Other than spot mowing the crab grass, haven't mowed in 3 weeks, which isn't
entirely a bad thing. heh

TEE THAT MUTHA UP!!!!!!

RTR

Stew

PS- Saban's coming, and he's bringing hell with him.

On Aug 17, 11:37 pm, "S.Lewis" <stew1...@mail.com> wrote:
> "joe_tide" <joe_t...@nowhere.com> wrote in message
>
> news:...
>
>
>
>
>
> > "S.Lewis" <stew1...@mail.com> wrote in message
> >news:34pxi.15809$. ..
>
> >> "Ben Myers" <ben_myers_spam_me_...@charter.net> wrote in message
> >>news:. ..
> >>> Yes, also motherboard failing... Ben
>
> >> All true. The OP might also try reseating the RAM/SODIMMs while cleaning
> >> the fans/case just in case of poor or dirty contacts.
>
> > 10-4 on re-seating the memory. Amazing how many times the free & easy
> > things straighten things out.
>
> > Mowing any grass Stew?
>
> Joseph!
>
> The grass here is crunchy, my friend. Depending on whom you choose to
> believe, it was either 104 or 105 degrees here yesterday- and close to that
> for as long as I remember.
>
> Other than spot mowing the crab grass, haven't mowed in 3 weeks, which isn't
> entirely a bad thing. heh
>
> TEE THAT MUTHA UP!!!!!!
>
> RTR
>
> Stew
>
> PS- Saban's coming, and he's bringing hell with him.

I cleaned out the CPU cooling unit and got rid of all dust in
the casing. I also moved the RAM to the other SODIMM slot but still
the same problems. I am wondering what the chances are of the RAM
stick going bad over time, is it worth buying a new stick to see if it
was just bad RAM all along. Other than that I guess its motherboard

"Sniper" <> wrote in message
news: ps.com...
> On Aug 17, 11:37 pm, "S.Lewis" <stew1...@mail.com> wrote:
>> "joe_tide" <joe_t...@nowhere.com> wrote in message
>>
>> news:...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > "S.Lewis" <stew1...@mail.com> wrote in message
>> >news:34pxi.15809$. ..
>>
>> >> "Ben Myers" <ben_myers_spam_me_...@charter.net> wrote in message
>> >>news:. ..
>> >>> Yes, also motherboard failing... Ben
>>
>> >> All true. The OP might also try reseating the RAM/SODIMMs while
>> >> cleaning
>> >> the fans/case just in case of poor or dirty contacts.
>>
>> > 10-4 on re-seating the memory. Amazing how many times the free & easy
>> > things straighten things out.
>>
>> > Mowing any grass Stew?
>>
>> Joseph!
>>
>> The grass here is crunchy, my friend. Depending on whom you choose to
>> believe, it was either 104 or 105 degrees here yesterday- and close to
>> that
>> for as long as I remember.
>>
>> Other than spot mowing the crab grass, haven't mowed in 3 weeks, which
>> isn't
>> entirely a bad thing. heh
>>
>> TEE THAT MUTHA UP!!!!!!
>>
>> RTR
>>
>> Stew
>>
>> PS- Saban's coming, and he's bringing hell with him.
>
> I cleaned out the CPU cooling unit and got rid of all dust in
> the casing. I also moved the RAM to the other SODIMM slot but still
> the same problems. I am wondering what the chances are of the RAM
> stick going bad over time, is it worth buying a new stick to see if it
> was just bad RAM all along. Other than that I guess its motherboard
>


I'm seeing that as good news. Sure, it could be a bad motherboard - but it
could also be the RAM.

Any chance of calling a local shop and asking if they'd pop a compatible
SODIMM in it just to see if it responds differently?

Heck, offer to pay them a little for the favor.....

Spec is here:
http://crucial.com/store/listparts.a...08200%20Series

On Aug 18, 1:36 am, "S.Lewis" <stew1...@mail.com> wrote:
> "Sniper" <snipern...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news: ps.com...
>
>
>
> > On Aug 17, 11:37 pm, "S.Lewis" <stew1...@mail.com> wrote:
> >> "joe_tide" <joe_t...@nowhere.com> wrote in message
>
> >>news:...
>
> >> > "S.Lewis" <stew1...@mail.com> wrote in message
> >> >news:34pxi.15809$. ..
>
> >> >> "Ben Myers" <ben_myers_spam_me_...@charter.net> wrote in message
> >> >>news:. ..
> >> >>> Yes, also motherboard failing... Ben
>
> >> >> All true. The OP might also try reseating the RAM/SODIMMs while
> >> >> cleaning
> >> >> the fans/case just in case of poor or dirty contacts.
>
> >> > 10-4 on re-seating the memory. Amazing how many times the free & easy
> >> > things straighten things out.
>
> >> > Mowing any grass Stew?
>
> >> Joseph!
>
> >> The grass here is crunchy, my friend. Depending on whom you choose to
> >> believe, it was either 104 or 105 degrees here yesterday- and close to
> >> that
> >> for as long as I remember.
>
> >> Other than spot mowing the crab grass, haven't mowed in 3 weeks, which
> >> isn't
> >> entirely a bad thing. heh
>
> >> TEE THAT MUTHA UP!!!!!!
>
> >> RTR
>
> >> Stew
>
> >> PS- Saban's coming, and he's bringing hell with him.
>
> > I cleaned out the CPU cooling unit and got rid of all dust in
> > the casing. I also moved the RAM to the other SODIMM slot but still
> > the same problems. I am wondering what the chances are of the RAM
> > stick going bad over time, is it worth buying a new stick to see if it
> > was just bad RAM all along. Other than that I guess its motherboard
>
> I'm seeing that as good news. Sure, it could be a bad motherboard - but it
> could also be the RAM.
>
> Any chance of calling a local shop and asking if they'd pop a compatible
> SODIMM in it just to see if it responds differently?
>
> Heck, offer to pay them a little for the favor.....
>
> Spec is here:http://crucial.com/store/listparts.a...08200%20Series

I ran 'memtest' and got a load of red errors, does that guarentee
its the RAM? or could a messed up motherboard cause memtest to show
errors on RAM which is ok?. I think I will just order a stick from
crucial and just return it to them if it makes no difference. Thanks
for the link