RAMBUS installation -- bad motherboard?

[eeyore2123]

Here is a synopsis of my system (courtesy of Belarc - www.belarc.com - free for private use!):

Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (build 2600)   Enclosure Type: Desktop
Processor a   Main Circuit Board b
2.25 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4
8 kilobyte primary memory cache
512 kilobyte secondary memory cache   Board: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. 8IHXP 2.x
Bus Clock: 133 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 07.00T 05/28/2002
Drives   Memory Modules c,d
520.08 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
347.82 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

E-IDE CD-ROM 56X/AKH
PLEXTOR CD-R PX-W2410A [CD-ROM drive]
3.5" format removeable media [Floppy drive]

IOMEGA ZIP 100 [Hard drive] (100 MB) -- drive 1
Promise 1+0 Stripe/RAID0 SCSI Disk Device (120.00 GB) -- drive 2
SanDisk Cruzer Mini USB Device (1.02 GB) -- drive 3
WDC WD32 00JB-00KFA0 USB Device [Hard drive] (320.07 GB) -- drive 4
WDC WD800BB-00CAA0 [Hard drive] (80.03 GB) -- drive 0, rev 16.06V16, SMART Status: Healthy

512 Megabytes Installed Memory
Slot '0' has 256 MB
Slot '1' has 256 MB
Slot '2' is Empty (CRIMM installed)
Slot '3' is Empty (CRIMM installed)

Local Drive Volumes
c: (NTFS on drive 0) 80.02 GB 53.94 GB free
d: (NTFS on drive 2) 119.99 GB 81.16 GB free
u: (NTFS on drive 4) 320.07 GB 212.72 GB free
 
I am attempting a RAM upgrade to get a little boost.

Here's my scenerio:

Gigabyte GA-8IHXP (2.1) motherboard
4 RAMBUS RIMM slots - 2gb maximum PC1066/PC800 184 pin modules

Already installed:  Kingston PC1066 256mbx2 in slots 0, 1. CRIMM installed in slots 2,3. Works perfectly, just need a little speed boost -- hence the purchase of the new 512mb RIMMs. This installed RAM will be referred to as "existing RAM".

Purchased:  Kingston PC1066 256mbx2 to add to existing 512mb. Referred to as "new RAM" from here on.

Installed "new RAM" into slots 2,3 after removing CRIMM. New RAM is identical in brand, etc. as existing RAM. Should be no problems.

Rebooted computer. Experience STOP error (BSOD) with 0x00000008F error. Shut down computer.

Removed existing RAM from slots 0,1 and moved "new RAM" into slot 0,1. Reinstalled CRIMM into slots 2,3. Rebooted computer. Computer works fine.

Shutdown computer.

Removed "new RAM" from slots 0,1. Removed CRIM from slots 2,3. Installed "new RAM" into slots 2,3 and installed CRIM into slots 0,1.

Rebooted computer.  Experienced STOP error (BSOD) with same 0x00000008F error (IRQ Less Than or Equal). Rebooted computer again. Experience another STOP error (BSOD) but with Win23.sys error.  Shutdown computer.

Removed "new RAM from slots 2,3 and installed existing RAM into slots 2,3. Rebooted computer. Experienced same STOP errors (BSOD) as before.  Shutdown computer.

Removed existing RAM from slots 2,3 and removed CRIM from slots 0,1. Installed existing RAM into slots 0,1 and CRIMM into slots 2,3. Rebooted computer.

Computer runs exactly as if I had never attempted a memory upgrade.

This motherboard is out of warranty by a little more than 1 year (Gigabyte warranties a motherboard for a period of 3 years).

My conclusion is that the memory slots 2 or 3 or both are malfunctioning. I am not sure why this error does not happen when the CRIMM is installed in those slots.

Anyone have any suggestions besides throwing this computer out the window? I thought about picking up another mobo identical to this one from Ebay or someplace and trying that.  But, I'm curious to know what's causing all these errors when memory is installed in slots 2,3...even though that's where the CRIMM lives when memory is installed in slots 0,1 and everything runs fine....

Please advise.

Thank you!

[GX1_Man]

Bad memory or mismatched to what was in there originally.  

From a RAM vendor's site:

Your Gigabyte GA-8INXP Motherboard only supports modules made with a specific type of chip build. If you come across a website and find what seems to be the exact same memory for a lower price, it is likely that the cheaper memory will not work in your system. By ordering under your model from Upgrade Computer Memory, your selected memory modules are Guaranteed To Work or your money back!

Others have reported RAM incompatibility problems, apparently with manufacturers as well as mixing.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=RAM+gigabyte+8INXP

[eeyore2123]

I'm not sure how the new RAM I just purchased could be mismatched from what I've already got. The brand name and model number is EXACT -- Kingston KVR1006X16-8/256 -- all four modules are identical -- including the price.

By the way, just so you know...I did Google my quandry before landing here at computerhope. I like to try to fix things myself, but once in a while, it just doesn't work out that way.

I have also emailed Gigabyte about this problem. Hopefully they will respond THIS year.  haha.

I know that the "new RAM" is good because I've replaced my existing RAM with the new RAM and the computer runs fine -- as long as the modules are in slots 0,1  ONLY.  Not sure why slots 2,3 are not working. I've even tried placing my existing RAM into slots 3,4 and it does not work.

What next?