3 of 4 DIMM slots not working

[Remilia]

Greetings

 

I have this old HP Compaq d530 Small Form Factor PC that I got used about a year ago, and 6 months ago it's 3rd DIMM (RAM) slot stopped working, as in gave me 5 beeps on startup, which is this models beep code for a RAM issue. So I trial and errored until I pinpointed it to the 3rd slot malfunctioning. Then, a week ago, slots 1 and 2 also went dead. I have tried swapping the memory sticks with new ones that I'm sure work, as well as replacing the power source of my PC with a newer one that I know works, and cleaned the memory slots as best I could with compressed air, etc, and no dice: they still fail. The odd thing is, if I connect the 3 sticks into the slots after I boot up my PC (being grounded of course), both CPU-Z and SpeedFan (programs that can detect hardware) BOTH detect the 3 sticks, but alas, they go unused. The 4 memory sticks are all the same exact 256mbs and all made by the same company. I assume it's a mobo problem, as I got this PC used, but sadly, the stupid BIOS for this computer doesn't allow be to do things like adjust RAM voltage, etc. Now, I am trudging through windows XP with a measly 256mbs or RAM and ready to hang myself it's so slow. Any help would be greatly appreciated~

[Wolf]

Hi Remilia

 

Welcome to FPCH

 

I would have to agree that the board is faulty if you know for a fact that the memory is fine.

[Remilia]

Hi Wolf, thanks for the welcome

 

There's an update to this problem: Today, I got a 512mb RAM stick from a different PC and put it into each of the slots of my faulty HP, and it actually works in slots #3 and #4, despite none of the other 256mb ones working in slot #3. ~.~ Now, it is working alongside a 256mb one in the slot that always worked (#4) for a total of 768mbs of RAM, which is passable for my purposes of this comp, but I'd still rather like to know wth is going on here, and how to fix it, since 1,280mbs of RAM would certainly be preferable

[Wolf]

You say this is an old machine, do you know what amount of memory the board will support?

 

If not then run a scan from Crucial and it will tell what it will support.

 

http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/?click=true

[Remilia]

From 128mb to 4gb

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, to follow on from Wolf, it is looking suspiciously like the original RAM may not be working, the only way to find out is a new stick and of the same type as recommended by the crucial scan.

Nev.