On a previous thread here I was helped with a memory upgrade. Thanks again. I went from 128 MB of Ram to 384 MB. The machine worked so much better I thought I would go to 512 MB, my machines max. I removed the 128 MB card and added another 256 card to bring the total to 512. I had a system crash. I received an Online Crash Analysis from Microsoft. So I downloaded and installed the Graphics Driver that should have fixed the problem. It didn't. I can put the 128 MB card back in and the machine works fine at 384 MB of RAM, but when I install the 256 card to go back to 512 MB, the machine crashes/locks up. I have to unplug it from the wall and restart it to get it to unlock. Right now I have the 128 & 256 cards installed so I can use the machine.

Any idea what I can try to get it to work? Or should I just be happy with 384 MB of RAM?

It sounds to me like mis-matched or incompatible RAM.

Are both 256 the same brand? speed? density?

When you take the board to its' max the details of the RAM become very particular.

Why Microsoft pointed out your graphics card I am not sure. Did you remove the old drivers before installing the new?

Are both 256 the same brand? speed? density?

Yes, recommended by the Crucial scan.

Did you remove the old drivers before installing the new?

No, would I need to? It was my understanding it was an upgrade/patch to the existing drivers. If I need to uninstall the drivers, how do I do that?

Or could it be something other than the drivers causing the problem?

If the RAM mixture is causing/resolving the issue I wouldn't worry about the drivers at this point.

I will go back over the Intel link and explore the instructions but in general Graphics Drivers need to be removed and reinstalled from scratch.

I am still thinking about the RAM as I pointed out in the previous thread about the PC 100/133

Was this the scan you were referring to: http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner...hp%3Ft%3D39874

In that scan they suggest PC133 RAM which would be fine Unless you go to the Max 512 in which case you probably need 2 X 256 @ PC100

After I installed the first 256, I did another Crucial scan and bought the card they recommended.

Both 256's are 133's. This is what Crucial recommended. Did they do me wrong?

The machine works fine with 384 MB of Ram, but you know how it is.....more power is better....OOH OOH OOH OOH.....(my Tim the Toolman Taylor impersonation)!!!

All I can say is from personal experience on similar boards that PC133 will work until you max the board.

The board specs state:

RAM (standard) 128 MB
Maximum 512 MB
Speed PC100
Type SDRAM
DIMM Slots Two


I am educatedly guessing that this is the issue although as always I could be wrong


I will still check the Intel site this evening and post back anything I find there.


Another tack would be to force the error and try to read them ourselves:

Look in your Event viewer: rt. click My Computer then click Manage then Event Viewer.
Or: Administrative Tools/Event Viewer or Start/Run/ eventvwr
Open the system as well as the application tabs & look for X errors. Click error line for details.
Post back the source & event id & Description especially of errors that seem to coincide with this issue.
Also check the Information lines that might coincide with this issue.

How to view and manage event logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP


If you want to try and analyze the XP errors:

Go to start | search (type in) .dmp
Note the location of your .dmp files.

Then:

1) Download and install the
Debugging Tools from Microsoft
2) Download and install this
debugwiz
3) Open the Wiz & Browse to, or paste in the path to, your .dmp file.
4) After the Wiz creates a Text document attach it back to this thread.

Here is HP's link and instructions as to that driver:

Intel Extreme Graphics Driver Update
HP Pavilion 511w Desktop PC (US/CAN)

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/s...tem=pv-28391-1