ABIT KG7 - Micron 256MB DDR memory issue and possibly related HD issue

[appealdenied]

Configuration:

Motherboard: ABIT KG7 motherboard
Memory: 2 X 256 MB DDR ECC Registered 184 pin
CPU: AMD Athlon 1.4 Ghz processor
Hard Drives: 2 Western Digital 40GB 7200 RPM drives.
CD-RW: Yamaha 16x10x40
Video Card: ATI Radeon 64MB DDR VIVO
OS: Windows 2000 SP3

Issue:
Around the time I installed the second of the two hard drives, I had a BSOD with an error which I do not exactly remember (DOH!). Thinking nothing of it, I rebooted the machine and, although it booted fine into windows, I noticed that I was only registering 256 MB RAM. I rebooted the machine and the initial memory test confirmed that result. I have not made any significant changes to the BIOS or to the hardware (with the exception of the new hard drive).

I conducted several rounds of some memory module tests by swapping the modules in various configurations, then letting the machine boot up and observing the result.

Test Case 1: Stick 1 in slot 1 only
Test Case 2: Stick 2 in slot 1 only
Test Case 3: Stick 1 in slot 1 and Stick 2 in slot 2
Test Case 4: Stick 2 in slot 1 and Stick 1 in slot 2

Results:
Test Case 1: Pass (no beeping)
Test Case 2: Fail (Beeping indicated memory was not found)
Test Case 3: Fail (Beeping indicated memory was not found)
Test Case 4: Pass (no beeping)

I am rather perplexed as to the meaning of these results. Everything worked fine before I installed the new hard drive. Could it be that the BIOS is partially corrupted?

Second issue:
When I installed the second hard drive, a hardware wizard appeared as soon as I logged into Windows 2000. It was looking for drivers related to an unknown device. The "hdc" device. It was not able to find any on the Windows 2000 CD or through Microsoft update. The jumpers were set correctly and the hard drives were the only devices connected on the ribbon. The BIOS can see it and Windows can see it. I have managed to move over 26 GB of data. However, I when I uninstall the unknown device, if i boot Windows back up, I am greeted with the Hardware Wizard again.

 

[rockerfellerz]

Try this link

http://www.simmtester.com/page/products/doc/docinfo.asp

Download their bootdisk memory testing software . This does a much more extensive testing than the power on self test.Might help pinpoint the problem.
As to the second problem, " hdc " sounds like hard disk controler . Is there already a listing for this? I guess there should be if the drive is actually working fine. Sometimes just letting it search for drivers on the disk won't turn up anything, you have to point it to the exact location(path).

 

[Neo81]

I got the same prob man ... let us know what the fix is if you get it


Later
NEo81 >:O>

 

[appealdenied]

Well, I managed to solve these issues but probably not to anyone's final satisfaction. For the hard drive issue, I just deployed the commonly used workaround of disabling the device. I have had no problems since then. For the memory issue, I did run the application suggested by rockerfellerz and got some errors. Based on the other testing that I did I decided to go get some additional memory modules and put those in. As it turns out, one of the modules was (though still hopefully not the mobo).

 

[ceh4702]

Most people I know dont use ECC (Error Correcting) RAM. If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.