Adding More Ram To A Laptop - Bios Issue?

Post by **Bagpuss** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 2:49 pm

Here's a funny one, hope you can help

We've got some laptops at work that have 2 gig RAM. I wanted to upgrade them to 4 gigs each, so ordered some new sticks - 2x2 Gig Crucials. They arrived today and I tried to upgrade the first laptop. Put both new sticks in, booted, black screen of nothing ness. Tried one old stick and one new, black screen. One 2 gig stick on its own works fine.

I get onto the laptop and install SandraSoft to have a look at the MB technical details. It claims the MB can support 4 Gig so I'm not sure that is a problem. I'm guessing its a BIOS issue so reboot and go into BIOS. The BIOS that presents itself is not like I've seen before. It's called InsydeH2O and has very few options - just Main screen, Security (passwords etc), Boot Order and Exit. It claims it is System BIOS Version R1.04 and KBC Version R1.08.

These laptops are Akhters and have some secure systems on them (hence the brand). The Akhter site gives nothing in the way of support so I'm not sure how to get the latest BIOS to test if that works. I'd usually go the manufacturers page and download it, but that seems unlikely in this case. I've sent some emails to Akhter but no response yet.

Long ramble, any thoughts?!

Post by **Thane** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 3:24 pm

The chipset may be able to support 4gb, the implementation you have may not. Also it could be down to the memory modules, are they single or double sided.

Post by **Trig** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 4:07 pm

You tried the crucial memory config page?

Post by **Claw** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:39 pm

GSVBagpuss wrote: Here's a funny one, hope you can help

We've got some laptops at work that have 2 gig RAM. I wanted to upgrade them to 4 gigs each, so ordered some new sticks - 2x2 Gig Crucials. They arrived today and I tried to upgrade the first laptop. Put both new sticks in, booted, black screen of nothing ness. Tried one old stick and one new, black screen. One 2 gig stick on its own works fine.

I get onto the laptop and install SandraSoft to have a look at the MB technical details. It claims the MB can support 4 Gig so I'm not sure that is a problem. I'm guessing its a BIOS issue so reboot and go into BIOS. The BIOS that presents itself is not like I've seen before. It's called InsydeH2O and has very few options - just Main screen, Security (passwords etc), Boot Order and Exit. It claims it is System BIOS Version R1.04 and KBC Version R1.08.

These laptops are Akhters and have some secure systems on them (hence the brand). The Akhter site gives nothing in the way of support so I'm not sure how to get the latest BIOS to test if that works. I'd usually go the manufacturers page and download it, but that seems unlikely in this case. I've sent some emails to Akhter but no response yet.

Long ramble, any thoughts?!

What model is the laptop, and spec of the modules you are trying to fit? I had a look at the Akhter website and there are some lappy's there that look a little pernickety when it comes down to RAM.

Post by **Bagpuss** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:13 am

Thanks chaps

Thane - What do you mean by implementation? They're all double sided sticks.

Trig - Can't use the crucial page as they can't go online - security reasons

Claw - They're AN825 - not made any more I don't think. How can you tell they look a "little pernickety when it comes down to RAM" ? The sticks I'm trying to put in are Crucial DDR2 667 - same as the current Buffalos (and one stick of Crucial works fine)

Post by **Nellyboy** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:56 pm

Looking at <a href="http://www.readinglitho.co.uk/newfdp/ie ... 9_2007.pdf" target="_blank">this</a> pdf it only mentions 2gb ram as an upgrade for that model.

Still looking for info tbh.

Post by **Bagpuss** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:22 pm

Akhter themselves now claim that the An825 only support 1 gig sticks, despite me having one 2 gig stick in it at the moment and it working fine and registering 2048 Mb. (they also offered to sell me another product that better suits my erquirements though...

)

I don't think we're going to be able to upgrade, seems unlikely tbh

Post by **Thane** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 6:49 pm

I mean't the laptop manufacturer may of made changes to limit to 2gb due to compatability issues at the time, more then one possibility.

Post by **Claw** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:03 pm

Nellyboy wrote: Looking at <a href="http://www.readinglitho.co.uk/newfdp/ie ... 9_2007.pdf" target="_blank">this</a> pdf it only mentions 2gb ram as an upgrade for that model.

Still looking for info tbh.

Nelly, the link you posted is a PDF article about schools and school kids...

<a href="http://www.readinglitho.co.uk/newfdp/ie ... 9_2007.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.readinglitho.co.uk/newfdp/ie ... 007.pdf</a>