Help with XP Install on laptop..

yuppicide · October 20th, 2004, 12:27 AM

OK originally my problem was installing Windows XP on an old laptop I got for $30.. got that fixed and here's the problem:

The laptop had 128mb RAM in it.. 2 chips that are 64mb pc100. I stick a 256mb pc100 chip in it and it won't boot up. BIOS recognizes it fine. I know the computer can take up to 512mb. Windows start to boot up and says the file "pci.sys" is corrupted and that I should insert the Windows CD again and hit R for repair....

.... but if I take out the memory and put the original 64mb chip back in it boots fine.

Things I've already tried: Switching RAM banks, inserting a different 256mb chip (I have 3 here). Like I said BIOS recognizes the ram just fine. I've tried putting different combinations in.. ie: 256 in 1 bank/64 in another, 256 in 1 bank/256 in another, etc. Didn't work.

When I put both of the 256 chips in the screen is black and the lights come on, but the laptop doesn't boot up. But if I put back in one of the 64's it'll boot up just give me the pci.sys error. If I put in both 64's XP boots up fine.

Regulus · October 20th, 2004, 12:36 AM

incompatible memory.

Regulus

Why did you install win xp on $30 laptop ?

yuppicide · October 20th, 2004, 01:38 AM

If it's incompatable memory then why does BIOS recognize it?! The manual off HP's website says it'll take up to 512mb of PC100.. 256mb in each bank.

Why not put XP on a $30 laptop?! XP is the most stable Windows out there. $30 doesn't mean the laptop is a piece of crap. It's near crap, but it's not crap. 500Mhz PIII is plenty of power for me to do WinAmp, watch DVD movies, and play old arcade emulators like MAME when I goto the relatives house at holidays and stuff.

Even going to PNY's website shows that this is the memory for this laptop.

stevemu · October 20th, 2004, 10:19 AM

Have you tried the windows repair option.. you can repair with out
erasing programs / date but it will revert any drivers to whats on the disk
as opposed to any newest you may have downloaded

stevemu · October 20th, 2004, 10:20 AM

worht also trying the memory in another machine , could be a bad stick
even although bios knows it's there
Just a thought

silvest · October 20th, 2004, 10:27 AM

yeah, sounds like incompatible memory to me.. should always bring ur laptop to test out the memory..

had a friend who just couldn't get the memory running properly... some memory just couldn't boot, and some would just crash during boot

md_luqman · October 20th, 2004, 11:31 AM

Whatever the lap top is .. check on the manufacturer website for Memory Specifications .. even though the BIOS Detects the memory .. if the memory slot is not compatible for 256 MB .. then it wont work ..

Technical Support,
Luqman.

TODComp · October 20th, 2004, 11:58 AM

it may not be just the size or speed thats incompatible.......I've seen servers reject certain brands of memory.....

yuppicide · October 20th, 2004, 12:26 PM

Well, if you read the original message I already did try different sticks of memory. We bought 3 of them because we got two of the laptops for $30.

And the HP website says it will take this type of memory.. PC100 up to a 256MB chip. 512MB total.

Kuasimodem · October 20th, 2004, 02:36 PM

There are differnet types of PC100 256Mb SODIMMs. Some are made with higher density chips and are incompatible with some motherboards.

Most likely you have high density RAM that the bios can recognize, but Windows is having a problem with it. It's possible that the bios is getting the information about the RAM from the SPD chip on the module, which supplies info and settings to the bios.