VP6 w/ 640 MB RAM - I/O voltage or bad cap?

John Antoszek · Oct 2, 2003

I recently installed more memory on my VP6 Motherboard. I now have 1 128MB, and 2 256MB modules. Since the installation, my system has been randomly locking up on me. Usually when doing something involving music, java, or flash. A hard reset is required.

I've read in other postings that adding more than 512MB ram might require a boost in i/o voltage from 3.3v to 3.4v. True? If so, where is the setting in the bios that needs to be adjusted. Is it vcc3?

Please don't tell me that the symtoms my system is displaying is related to a bad capacitor.

TIA,

John

BigBadger · Oct 2, 2003

You may want to try relaxing the memory timings....It could possibly be bad caps, very common on this board as you are obviously aware. Do any of the caps have domed tops???

"John Antoszek" wrote:

I recently installed more memory on my VP6 Motherboard. I now have 1 128MB, and 2 256MB modules. Since the installation, my system has been randomly locking up on me. Usually when doing something involving music, java, or flash. A hard reset is required.

I've read in other postings that adding more than 512MB ram might require a boost in i/o voltage from 3.3v to 3.4v. True? If so, where is the setting in the bios that needs to be adjusted. Is it vcc3?

Please don't tell me that the symtoms my system is displaying is related to a bad capacitor.

...

antoszjo · Oct 2, 2003

BB:

I'll take a look at the caps. Before I pull everything out though, could you tell me what would constitute relaxed settings? Right now everything is default. What bios setting would I change to what values. Yes, I'm a newbi.

BigBadger wrote:

You may want to try relaxing the memory timings....It could possibly be bad caps, very common on this board as you are obviously aware. Do any of the caps have domed tops???

Colon Terminus · Oct 3, 2003

Most important ... what O/S?

Got a VP6 here with 1GB RAM ... no voltage change required.

"John Antoszek" wrote:

I recently installed more memory on my VP6 Motherboard. I now have 1 128MB, and 2 256MB modules. Since the installation, my system has been randomly locking up on me. Usually when doing something involving music, java, or flash. A hard reset is required.

I've read in other postings that adding more than 512MB ram might require a boost in i/o voltage from 3.3v to 3.4v. True? If so, where is the setting in the bios that needs to be adjusted. Is it vcc3?

Please don't tell me that the symtoms my system is displaying is related to a bad capacitor.

...

Colon Terminus · Oct 4, 2003

Windows 98/98SE has some real problems managing and using more than 512MB RAM. I'd suggest that may be the source of your problems. Yank the 128 module and run Prime95 for a cuppla hours and see what happens.

"antoszjo" wrote:

win98se
also,
1 866 MHz cpu
3 HD: 1 3gb, 1 20gb, 1 80gb
1 dvd
1 burner
ati radeon a-i-w (one of the first, 7200 I think, latest drivers

installed)

I recently installed new VIA drivers too. Bios hasn't been updated (from

what

I've read, I didn't see anything specific to my setup).

Colon Terminus wrote:

Most important ... what O/S?

Got a VP6 here with 1GB RAM ... no voltage change required.

antoszjo · Oct 4, 2003

win98se
also,
1 866 MHz cpu
3 HD: 1 3gb, 1 20gb, 1 80gb
1 dvd
1 burner
ati radeon a-i-w (one of the first, 7200 I think, latest drivers installed)

I recently installed new VIA drivers too. Bios hasn't been updated (from what I've read, I didn't see anything specific to my setup).

Colon Terminus wrote:

Most important ... what O/S?

Got a VP6 here with 1GB RAM ... no voltage change required.

Jef Norton · Oct 4, 2003

Hi antoszjo -

If you have more than 512 mb of memory installed under Windows 9x you'll likely get weird "out of memory" errors and other problems relating to the file cache taking up all the real memory addresses.

To avoid this problem, add the following line to the [vcache] section of system.ini (you can do this in MS-DOS mode if you cannot stably boot into Windows):

MaxFileCache=524288

This limits the file cache to 512 mb of virtual memory. You can choose a smaller number -- 70% of installed memory, up to 524288, is recommended for best performance.

Jef

"antoszjo" wrote:

| win98se
| also,
| 1 866 MHz cpu
| 3 HD: 1 3gb, 1 20gb, 1 80gb
| 1 dvd
| 1 burner
| ati radeon a-i-w (one of the first, 7200 I think, latest drivers installed) | | I recently installed new VIA drivers too. Bios hasn't been updated (from what | I've read, I didn't see anything specific to my setup). | | Colon Terminus wrote:
|
| > Most important ... what O/S?
| >
| > Got a VP6 here with 1GB RAM ... no voltage change required. |

Jef Norton · Oct 7, 2003

Hi John -

Sorry that it didn't help. You'll still need the file cache limit regardless (this is the "bug" in Windows 9x that so many people speak of when they refer to Windows 9x not supporting more than 512 mb of memory). You might want to check your spelling and capitalization, just in case... it's:

[vcache]
MaxFileCache=524288

In any event, you've probably checked it up one side and down the other. Another problem could be your processor and/or system temp. Are you by chance running a little too toasty?

Jef

"antoszjo" wrote:

| Jef:
|
| Thanks for the suggestion. I have changed the system.ini file. No effect. I | still have random lock ups requiring system reset. | | John |

antoszjo · Oct 7, 2003

Jef:

Thanks for the suggestion. I have changed the system.ini file. No effect. I still have random lock ups requiring system reset.

John

Jef Norton wrote:

Hi antoszjo -

If you have more than 512 mb of memory installed under Windows 9x you'll likely get weird "out of memory" errors and other problems relating to the file cache taking up all the real memory addresses.

To avoid this problem, add the following line to the [vcache] section of system.ini (you can do this in MS-DOS mode if you cannot stably boot into Windows):

MaxFileCache=524288

...

antoszjo · Oct 7, 2003

CT:

What O/S are you running?

John

Colon Terminus wrote:

Most important ... what O/S?

Got a VP6 here with 1GB RAM ... no voltage change required.

0_Qed · Oct 7, 2003

Jef Norton wrote:

Sorry that it didn't help. You'll still need the file cache limit regardless (this is the "bug" in Windows 9x that so many people speak of when they refer to Windows 9x not supporting more than 512 mb of memory). You might want to check your spelling and capitalization, just in case... it's:
[vcache]
MaxFileCache=524288

...snip...

Hey Jef ,

Going back to the OP's original post ...
............................................................................. I recently installed more memory on my VP6 Motherboard. I now have 1 128MB, and 2 256MB modules. Since the installation, my system has been randomly locking up on me. Usually when doing something involving music, java, or flash. A hard reset is required. .............................................................................

His/her 'text' suggests that there mite be a mem module construction mis_match which causes the random lockup ... I'd =guess= at the 128MB module ...

A 'lockup' is suggestive of a hdwr glitch
as opposed to
a 'parm glitch' causing an err msg ...

Generally not a good idea to mix-n-match mem module construct types.

btw ...
as the Careful Conservative Craftsman that I am ...
as opposed to being a Niggling Nitwit Nitpicker ...

...
I think I found, & used, an obscure 'ref' that suggested that "one" mite use MaxFileCache=600000 as a V_Mem limit ... not a M$ ref , 3rd party as I recall .

Qed.

PS- I hope Jerry P's new thumb-lock 'tether' isnt all that contrictive ... . I hate to see "things" atrophy, dry up, turn blue, & fall off. . Besides, ... hes no good as a soprano.

Jef Norton · Oct 7, 2003

"0_Qed" wrote:

|
| Hey Jef ,
|
| Going back to the OP's original post ...
|
............................................................................ . | I recently installed more memory on my VP6 Motherboard. I now have 1 | 128MB, and 2 256MB modules. Since the installation, my system has been | randomly locking up on me. Usually when doing something involving | music, java, or flash. A hard reset is required. | ............................................................................ . | | His/her 'text' suggests that there mite be a mem module construction | mis_match | which causes the random lockup ... I'd =guess= at the 128MB module ... | | A 'lockup' is suggestive of a hdwr glitch | as opposed to | a 'parm glitch' causing an err msg ... | | Generally not a good idea to mix-n-match mem module construct types. |

Good point. Perhaps a good test would be to attempt to boot the board with only the new memory to ensure that it's good. Boot again with only the original memory to ensure that it's still good. If they don't play nice together... you've got your answer.

| btw ...
| as the Careful Conservative Craftsman that I am ...
| as opposed to being a Niggling Nitwit Nitpicker ...
|

...
| I think I found, & used, an obscure 'ref' that suggested that | "one" mite use MaxFileCache=600000 as a V_Mem limit ... | not a M$ ref , 3rd party as I recall .

I've seen the "fix" listed as MaxFileCache=500000 a few times... but never
600000. That defeats the fix since 600000 is more than 512 megabytes.

|
| Qed.
|
| PS- I hope Jerry P's new thumb-lock 'tether' isnt all that contrictive | ... | . I hate to see "things" atrophy, dry up, turn blue, & fall off. | . Besides, ... hes no good as a soprano.

You know... Jerry must be very durable given that he's been taken on by a very strong woman. I'm sure he sings soprano quite often for her.

On the other hand, imagine she ties him in the yard by his thumb-lock tether... just like the dog, he gets himself all tangled up around the spike he's tied to.

Jef

antoszjo · Oct 8, 2003

I pulled the 128 mb module. So far so good, no lock ups. Now running 2x256 mb.

When I had the case open though, it looked like a couple of the caps might fit the description of "domed top". Is there any preventative maintenance to stave off cap failure?

Thanks to all for your assistance.

John Antoszek wrote:

I recently installed more memory on my VP6 Motherboard. I now have 1 128MB, and 2 256MB modules. Since the installation, my system has been randomly locking up on me. Usually when doing something involving music, java, or flash. A hard reset is required.

"Jens C. Hansen [Odense]" "usenet[]greylion[=]dk" · Oct 8, 2003

antoszjo wrote:

When I had the case open though, it looked like a couple of the caps might fit the description of "domed top". Is there any preventative maintenance to stave off cap failure?

http://www.motherboardrepair.com/index.php?sec=faq

Question #2.