Hp-Zv6000- Memory Prob- Doesn't like 2 sticks?!?!?

Hey Guys!

I just posted this ques on notebookanalysis.com forums but wanted to add it here to since u guys are so helpful- and since I'm totally lost as to what to do. Thanks in advance for any ideas! Sorry- it's so long winded

PROBLEM:
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Okay- picked up a deal on two 1 gigs of pc3200. (Figgered I'd buy 2 since ZV6000 is so picky with ram- I'd return one if the 1 gig installed okay.)

1. Installed the 1 gig and restarted (leaving my 512mb of same speed in)
2. Computer stays on the black HP screen (for nonHP guys- this is the first screen we see upon booting up). Restarting and holding down f8 OR f10 OR esc - gives me another plain black screen or nothing.

Fine, I guess the 2 sticks aren't compatible right? I had this problem before but chalked it up to the memory sticks not only being diff brands (samsung/crucial) being different speeds. Now they were the same speeds but diff brands. Maybe that made a difference.

So okay, I'll pull out the 512mb of Crucial and install an identical gig stick of Simpletech. Once I installed & restart- the computer gives me 4 loud beeps and a black screen. No error messages or blue screen- just a pitch black screen with alot of hot air pumping out of the fans. While giving me this screen I'm unable to f8 or esc or f10 outta there.

Funny thing is when you put only 1 stick of memmory in- it boots up and works fine.

1. I ran extensive tests w/ windows memory diagnostic on all 3 sticks twice- NO ERRORS.

2. I tried using both gig sticks, one at a time, in the different memory slots. They worked fine as long as there was only 1 of them in at a time. Once I added the other stick and boot up I get the 4 loud beeps and the black screen.

OH Please for the love of God -Help me. I don't know if I could live in a world with a 1 gig ceiling

 

Have you tried one stick in either of the slots to veryify one of them isn't dead? That could be the case.

 

Sorry for being so blunt but trying to run two chips in zv6000 at pc3200 is as tough as hell. As far as I know, one or two people in notebookanalysis.com have succeeded, which is a result of being lucky rather than being skillful.
I think your best chance is to take two chips 200 pin sodimm pc2700 if you want 2gb of RAM.
ZV6000's motherboard is kind of strange. If you look at the stikies in notebookanalysis you will see that HP's engineers had to disable a couple of things, and most notiriously the dual channel capability. Maybe this explains the great difficulties in running two chips of memory in these machines. Knowing this, I'm still reluctant to upgrade mine

 

Yup, each different stick into each different slot- only worked if there was one at a time.

I apprecite you being blunt. Just wished I noticed that sooner. I came across the dual channel controversy (being a non-tech head I thought DUAL CHANNEL- meant ddr2) and was warned on other boards that 2 sticks may not run exactly 3200- but not "NOT AT ALL". DArn what a waste of $.

 

Yer right Vassil- if it were a snake it would have bit me.

Under Known Design Flaws/Bugs:

"No one has been able to get 2 sticks of 1gig PC3200 working. 2gig PC2700 work fine."

DULH! . Oh well. Thanks for ur help, sorry for the false thread here.

 

No don't worry, it's not false. I doubt many people here knew that. You can still use one of the pc3200 sticks and try to combine it with another pc2700. I just hope you can return the memory you bought for full refund.