Packard Bell 386sx RAM Issue

[FParker]

Hello everyone,

I'm upgrading the RAM in this computer from the original extended 384kB to 16MB just to give me a good edge when running Windows 3.11.

Each stick is 4MBs of 9-chip, parity, 60ns, 30-pin SIMM RAM.

However, when I go to boot the computer, I get one of several beep codes (they're all three "digit" codes, not four, for whatever reason), or I get this:




Either it freezes here,



Or here with a perpetual, lower pitch beep.

I suspect a bad RAM module, but I don't know how this would be booting with one.

Beep codes:

2-2-2
1-3-3

There are two other, less common ones, so when I get them to trigger, I'll play them.

Thank you in advance for all your help. I know I've troubled you all a lot with this thing, but I just want it to work, y'know?

Forrest

 

[FParker]

Okay, cool.

I found the legend for three digit beep codes for Packard Bell.



I reckon that the issue is probably a bad stick of RAM, given that the computer boots when the original RAM is reinstalled. How does one test for bad sticks?

 

[tofro]

well, you seem to have 4 sticks of 4MB each - The 386sx needs to have at least one working pair to operate. So you can simply permutate your 4 sticks into the first 2 memory slots and should be able to identify the bad one.