jebaucke

Hello - here is a post I have been working off of for a while on the Dell forums about this issue I've been having - since this site offers a specific area for voltage changes I thought I might see if anyone had any thoughts on this.

I've included the SPEC sheet from Dell on the computer, but that is about as specific as I can get for information about the motherboard. I know it says that the max is 2 gigs of RAM but I had no problems running 2x2gig DIMM's without the PCI-e card. I think that combination of the additional card and two DIMMs is causing the issue, so could I run a single 4gig DIMM to reduce the voltage draw?

Dell Optiplex 320


Intel E2160 (Dual-core, 64-bit)


4 gig RAM (currently 2 gig, read on...)


160 gig HD


Video: ATI Radeon Xpress 200 (integrated) Radeon X1300 256 mb PCI-e 16x slot <--where the issue started


OP System: Windows XP 64-bit


BIOS: Latest 1.1.11


Drivers: All the latest, working no errors!




So basically when I installed the 2nd Radeon card in the PCI-e slot, I discovered that my computer ran miserably slow, or wouldn't boot at all.


Dell was no help, they though my motherboard was "bad". So they replaced it per warranty, which made no difference.


Finally someone suggested I try it with just one of the two, 2gig DIMMs I had installed, and it worked perfect: NO ISSUES except I no longer have my 4 gig of memory (which would help me a lot in some cases: ie. games)


Since I didn't have this issue prior to installing the PCI-e card, and was able to run both memory DIMMs I believe it has something to do with the way the system BIOS allocates resources between the RAM and the PCI-video bridge! Ideas, fixes, all will be considered!


Thanks!

From Dell:

Memory

Type

533- or 667-MHz DDR2 SDRAM

Memory connectors

two

Memory modules supported

256-MB, 512-MB, or 1-GB non-ECC

Minimum memory

256 MB

Maximum memory

2 GB

BIOS address

F0000h

DuckieHo

Sound like PSU?

__________________
To answer most of your questions: (1) a fridge cannot cool a PC (2) 64-bit OS for over 3.4GB (3) If a PCIe card fits, it should work (4) Resolution, not screen size (5) If you have a question, it is not news (6) Report, not respond to Spam (7) Single-Rail/Non-Modular PSUs are not always better than Multi-Rail/Modular

jebaucke

Here's the specs on the power supply--

Power

DC power supply:

Wattage

305 W

Heat dissipation

1041 BTU/hr

NOTE: Heat dissipation is calculated based upon the power supply rating.

Voltage

90 to 135 V at 60 Hz; 180 to 264 V at 50 Hz

Thoughts?

whe3ls

what video car are you trying to run

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jebaucke

ATI Radeon Xpress 200 (integrated) Radeon X1300 256 mb PCI-e 16x slot

jebaucke

the DIMMs are both Kingston KVR667D2/2GR @ 1.8V

Kingston also makes a KVR667D2Q8P5/4G @ 1.8V

which I'm thinking about trying...

jebaucke

bump any ideas?

mrtn400

I doubt that's overloading the PSU.

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Hephasteus

That card has hypermemory 2 and could be trying to expand the ram available to it through your system ram. The problem we have here is that your system ram is using a controller that doesn't support dual channel ram. Since it's a 128 bit processor it wants to have 2 banks of ddr2 to play with. So it's not going to work right I don't know if you can get a 4gb module or not and it's likely your northbridge wouldn't even know how to use it. So it would just error out or cut the module up into 1gb or 2gb of address. I'd try a higher end video card that might work but it will be risky so have to buy local so you can take it back if it doesn't work. Just make sure the card won't try to expand it's ram into your system ram.

ezzakat

jebaucke,

Did you ever come up with a solution to this?

I am coming across a similar issue with the Optiplex 320, but I guess it is the same cause.

- 2 x 2GB sticks of RAM with PCIe GFX (GF 9500 GT, in my case) card would not work correctly under both Windows XP 32bit and Windows 7 64bit Beta and I would get the following message in device manager under the cards properties "This device cannot find enough free resources that it can use (code 12). If you want to use this device, you will need to disable one of the other devices on this system."
- 1 x 2GB stick of RAM with PCIe GFX all working sweet, 'cept I don't have the extra 2GB. (Didn't test this under Windows 7 yet as I blew it away trying to get this system running)

I am really tempted to buy another Power Supply but 1/ need to find one that will fit 2/ need to know it will help at all. I already spent money on a stick of RAM that looks like it is going to gather some dust instead. =)

Any info on how you went would rock.

-eZZ