so after weeks of not knowing why windows xp would install, i finally looked up the error codes, and found that it could be because of faulty RAM. so, i took out the RAM that i had put in after i got the computer, and it loaded perfectly, and i was amazed. before all this, and i mean before i had to reinstall windows, linux was going haywire and wouldnt boot and wouldnt install and would freeze constantly. im wondering if linux had the same problem with the RAM that i added to my computer after i bought it from Dell.

does anyone know of a problem like this? i dont want to install rh9 again and have it be fine for like a week, and then have to do all the same shit that i had to do again, i.e. - wiping hard drive, losing all my files, and reinstalling everything. this was very annoying. should i not put the extra RAM i had in it until after install rh9, then tell it i installed more?

before i figured out it was the RAM giving me trouble, when i would try to install linux, it would get to where it was formatting the hard-drive, then it would freeze, every time, no matter what, like clockwork.

sounds like either you have bad memory, or memory that your paticutlar computer doesnt like very much

I would recommend calling dell, and finding out what memory modules they recommend. Often, name brand pc manufactures use mothboards that only work well with certain brands of memory.

Definatley leave that stick out if it was causing issues.... it might work fine in another machine, if it does fine use it with another machine, but if your dell doesnt like it leave it out.


I have the same problem with my ITX box. The board WILL NOT run with a stick of ram that works fine in every other comptuer i try it in. Crashes, random errors on boot, ect.

See if a friend can test the ram for you in their machine. If it works well for them, mabey you can talk them into an even trade for their ram, IF theirs likes your computer better.


or, again, the stick might just be flat out defective. Check into getting it exchanged.



what is the model number of the machine, and what brand/size/speed memory module is it?

what it sounds like is what happens when you overclock your dram clock if the dramclock is higher than the actual ram speed all the code is off and getting sent tot the rong places etc.

well i had the RAM in that i put on it for like 1.5 years, and then as soon as i put linux on, i started getting problems. then when i tried to re-install windows it was having problems with my RAM.

it's like...spactek...or something tek...256MB.

so how do i figure out if i actually did overclock my "dram" clock?

So Linux killed your RAM then?

Should not this thread be in the hardware forum?
This is the software forum.

you can check you dram clock somewhere in your BIOS settings.