Problem with having 4 GB memory

[black dog]

Why not get in touch with Biostar support. If you think they are being evil, tell them so.

 

[marcellusmighty]

Yeah, I have done that actually! Biostar apparently enjoys responding the exact same way every time... "try a different brand of memory". Seriously? Of COURSE it's not the motherboard and the lack of support for it. :sarc:

 

[marcellusmighty]

Okay, so here's an update on the situation: I put the second stick back in, and of course windows 7 won't even have the logo show up on boot before restarting. So I have to use XP on my other partition to do anything. For the first time, I actually noticed the speed deffierence between the two. It's clear that 7 is faster, but that doesn't matter with the current issues!!! So far it looks like the only way to fix the problem is to update the BIOS. However, the only way to update the BIOS (since BIOSTAR won't do it) is to subscribe to the BIOS Agent Plus service from Phoenix. Of course my father wouldn't go for the $40 subscription... he paid $40 for the memory alone! Does anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[ikilledkenny]

Return the RAM stick back to the store and get another one.

 

[johngalt]

Again, Kenny, please read the entire thread. The OP already stated that there is nothing wrong with the RAM, as either one by itself works perfectly fine.

Marcellus - you might be stuck there, but I'll try to do some digging later on this week to see if I can find any new developments on your mobo and Biostar's hedging and hawing when it comes to fixing their issue.

 

[Night Hawk]

You don't have to buy any subscription to update the bios. Look in the user's manual for the basics there on that model board. Often the suppport sites will see a winflash tool as well as any manual tool you can run from XP if needed.

The most common seen with more then 2-3gb installed especially for the 64bit Windows is the need to remove all but 2gb when going to install or having all dimm slots populated. Those are known issues there. The other problem would be with that memory not being recommended for that model board due to voltage or timings or even simply being the wrong type.

 

[Bryce]

Okay, so here's an update on the situation: I put the second stick back in, and of course windows 7 won't even have the logo show up on boot before restarting. So I have to use XP on my other partition to do anything. For the first time, I actually noticed the speed deffierence between the two. It's clear that 7 is faster, but that doesn't matter with the current issues!!! So far it looks like the only way to fix the problem is to update the BIOS. However, the only way to update the BIOS (since BIOSTAR won't do it) is to subscribe to the BIOS Agent Plus service from Phoenix. Of course my father wouldn't go for the $40 subscription... he paid $40 for the memory alone! Does anyone have any other suggestions?

$40 for one 2gb stick Where the hell did you buy it from?! I got 4x 2gb sticks from Newegg for less than $60 and they're actually a brand I like -_-.

 

[Night Hawk]

Back in 2007 the prices seen then for a pair of 2gb dimms was about $300-! I can see why he only bought one at the time due to the high cost of being new. Now you see all prices for DDR2 memory drop next to nothing in the last several months since everything is going DDR3.

 

[Bryce]

He said he had bought it in 2008 if I read correctly, so really it should of been cheaper.

 

[Night Hawk]

Well see, the two sticks are the same exact make and model and manufacturer. EVERYTHING is the same. I bought one stick off Newegg in 2007 (July) and the other a few months ago (November). Apparently Intel offered a BIOS update to fix memory issues on their make of the board, but I think BIOSTAR is being evil and has not released such an update.

He said he had bought it in 2008 if I read correctly, so really it should of been cheaper.

No he mentioned right at the top of the thread that was back in July of 2007. When the 2gbs were first out the price tags were up there! I was planning this build at the time and said oops! I'lll stay with the 1gb for now then now stuffed in a drawer since the prices eventually came right down late in 2008!

The strongest feeling right off about why the two won't work together is still the type likely being performance memory not seeing the correct timings and voltage requirements required for the board there. Some boards will let you get by on a single dimm while seeing a list of problems once you start adding more. The board is fussy about the brand and type used.

 

[Orbital Shark]

So far it looks like the only way to fix the problem is to update the BIOS. However, the only way to update the BIOS (since BIOSTAR won't do it) is to subscribe to the BIOS Agent Plus service from Phoenix. Of course my father wouldn't go for the $40 subscription... he paid $40 for the memory alone! Does anyone have any other suggestions?

I agree, i have just tried this as I have a Phoenix BIOS.

I have been directed from eSupport.com to http://biosagentplus.com/ and directed to download 'BiosAgentPlus'. Once downloaded & run i can hear what sounds like police chatter, radio chatter & adverts on my speakers (no kidding), i'm then directed to a page that indicates that my BIOS can be updated. I then get kicked quarely in the boll*x as you can see from the 2 screenshot of my task manager.

CHECK OUT THE IEXPLORER.EXE ENTRIES!!!

Steer WELL CLEAR of it completely.....

 

[Orbital Shark]

If you wan't a laugh then here is a copy of an e-mail i've just sent to their support division.

Dear Support division,

What in f**ks name do you scam mongers think you are playing at?!?!?!

I've just had to recover my system, E System EI 3101 after running BIOSAgentPlus. Shortly after installing & running it I was (very, and angrily) surprised to hear police/radio chatter & adverts playing on my speakers. Then countless internet popups started appearing all over my screen, which i immediately closed down. I was then faced with the inconcievable thought of paying to update the BIOS on a system that I'd paid cold, hard cash for.

If that wasn't enough! I thought I'd check task manager to what sh*t was running after you'd nearly scammed me. An to my absolute f**king horror I had no less than 55 (YES 55!!!) entries for iexplorer.exe (see attatched pictures).

This is no doubt the worst scam site i've ever visited & you have been reported to the makers of Avast!, Norton, McAfee & other anti-virus & anti-spam software.

Angrily yours

"Someone extremely PI$$ED OFF"

 

[Orbital Shark]

Now, every time I start IE there are 100s of iexplorer.exe entries. Oh well, better format my system

 

[ikilledkenny]

If you wan't a laugh then here is a copy of an e-mail i've just sent to their support division.

Dear Support division,

What in f**ks name do you scam mongers think you are playing at?!?!?!

I've just had to recover my system, E System EI 3101 after running BIOSAgentPlus. Shortly after installing & running it I was (very, and angrily) surprised to hear police/radio chatter & adverts playing on my speakers. Then countless internet popups started appearing all over my screen, which i immediately closed down. I was then faced with the inconcievable thought of paying to update the BIOS on a system that I'd paid cold, hard cash for.

If that wasn't enough! I thought I'd check task manager to what sh*t was running after you'd nearly scammed me. An to my absolute f**king horror I had no less than 55 (YES 55!!!) entries for iexplorer.exe (see attatched pictures).

This is no doubt the worst scam site i've ever visited & you have been reported to the makers of Avast!, Norton, McAfee & other anti-virus & anti-spam software.

Angrily yours

"Someone extremely PI$$ED OFF"

It's about time someone said something like this to the A.H.'s at big companies. Nobody should have to pay for their BIOS updates. My BIOS randomly creates passwords and locks me out, so I just go to the Acer website and flash my BIOS again.

Can't you use a different BIOS?

 

[marcellusmighty]

That is the only thing I am afraid of. Do I have to use the BIOS Biostar gave? This Phoenix-Award BIOS? Why not use the Intel website's BIOS for the general chipset? (although none seem to want to operate from the express update option within Windows)

 

[Night Hawk]

That is the only thing I am afraid of. Do I have to use the BIOS Biostar gave? This Phoenix-Award BIOS? Why not use the Intel website's BIOS for the general chipset? (although none seem to want to operate from the express update option within Windows)

Phoenix -Award wrote the bios updates for that board specifically provided through Biostar. The only you would get from the Intel site is the chipset drivers not any bios update written for Biostar there. Instead they carry bios updates for Intel's own boards which may Award, AMI, or by someone else.

I think you guys are going to be looking at another board manufacturer for the next build that provides "free of charge" updates and utilities rather then going through these problems!

 

[ikilledkenny]

Go with ASUS! Can't go wrong with ASUS!

 

[Night Hawk]

I've been running Asus boards for some time and haven't seen a need to reflash the bios on the present board as well as on the last build at any time. But they certainly see an excellent support site when comparing their's to others.

 

[ikilledkenny]

I've been running Asus boards for some time and haven't seen a need to reflash the bios on the present board as well as on the last build at any time. But they certainly see an excellent support site when comparing their's to others.

Woah, one of my friends told me that the other day!

 

[Night Hawk]

Sometimes it seems like it takes forever to log onto their site there but it's well laid out with an easy to use selection process for item board or other, series, model niumber, and then bringing you to the main page for that model seeing the user manual links as well as all drivers or each by catagory. That includes bios updates and awdflash and other utilities like their temp probe.

Asus has also had a good rep for a long time with gamers there. Unfortunately they still have a few of their own lemons there at times! One new build worked went through 3 boards all worthless scrap upon arrival seeing one model replaced with another still going strong there however. Bad batch!