On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 06:50:46 GMT, "-Skip2Maloo-"
wrote:

2 yr old IBM NetVista 2254G23
1 GHz Intel P3
512 Mb RAM

I have a problem that I've been trying to fix for 3 weeks. Here's a quick
list of some of the symptoms:

#1. Certain web pages containing Flash elements freeze the computer. Not
ALL pages with Flash locks it up, just certain ones like
https://webauth.comcast.betb (my broadband provider). The Macromedia site
works fine, as do other Flash sites.

#2. Opening certain images in Photoshop7 or trying to edit / manipulate
others freezes the computer. Oddly enough, the same images or operations
have no problems in Illustrator 10 or ImageReady.

#3. Receiving email from my default address in Outlook Express doesn't
freeze my computer, but it doesn't complete and I have to abort the
transfer. I can receive it all perfectly well in Outlook, but OE gets
stuck
right in the middle of receiving the transfer.

Other than these issues the machine works fine.

After updating every driver / program / peripheral / BIOS / etc I finally
narrowed it down to the memory. I have two 256 Mb stick in each DIMM. If
I
take out one of the sticks, everything works fine... the web pages,
Photoshop, Outlook Express, etc. It doesn't matter which stick is in
there,
they both work perfectly alone. I even purchased a new stick just to be
sure. All 3 work perfectly by themselves, but no matter which 2 I use or
which DIMM I put them in, none will work with any other.

It's not the DIMMS, it's not the sticks. So what is it about putting in
512
Mb of RAM that could cause these problems?


"George Macdonald" wrote in message
...
Just to get the terminology correct: the memory "sticks" are DIMMs (Dual
In-line Memory Module) and you plug them into slots.

Sorry about this. I suppose if I knew what I was talking about I'd probably
be able to fix it

I've no idea who makes the mbrd your system uses. Have you tried the
single memory modules in different slots?

Yes. I have three 256 MB modules and two 64 MB modules, and it doesn't make
any difference which one is in which slot, and any combination of modules is
ok too.

Interestingly enough, the only time the problems occur is when I have two of
the 256 MB modules installed (and it doesn't matter which ones). Installing
one 256 MB module and one 64 MB module works perfectly, no problems at all.
But I've had the two 256 MB modules installed for a year now, weird it
suddenly doesn't work quite right.

How is the ventilation - no cables obstructing airflow from getting at
the memory modules?

CPU fan, power supply fan, video card CPU fan, case fan... all fine and free
flowing.

Are the DIMMs all identical on timing parameters?... sometimes not an
absolute
necessity but advisable.

Yes, I bought from Crucial in matching pairs.


Get memtest86 from http://www.memtest86.com and run it for at least two
full cycles - guessing about 2hrs on your system.

I tried IBM's startup diagnostics, which took about 3 hours to run. But I'm
totally willing to see if memetest can figure it out.


Where did you get the DIMMs from?

Crucial


Rgds, George Macdonald


I appreciate the help, George. Thank you for trying.

Skip