Anyone experienced in all sorts of RAM?

[ConfusedbyComps]

I have this older IBM 1.6 Ghz, Pentium 4, 256 MB RAM computer and I want to upgrade the RAM. The RAM is PC-133 SDRAM, which is expensive these days. I managed to get my hands on a stick of 512 MB PC-133 SDRAM which I then tried to place in my computer. The computer started up, but didn't register the new RAM. Usually, if anything is wrong with the RAM the computer just doesn't start up and it beeps at me.

This time, the computer did and it acts as if I never even put the new stick in. So I decided to take out the original 256 and just try the new 512. The computer started up and it didn't beep at all, but the moniter didn't turn on. When I switched them back, the moniter worked perfectly. I'm not great with computers, but I can't understand why the computer runs perfectly with the New RAM, but the moniter doesn't turn on. It should have at least beeped at me to let me know that something is wrong, which it has with every other different kind of RAM stick I tried to install.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Strider]

Somewhere, a few months back, I found a nice article on the different kinds of (older) RAM, but can I find it now?
All SDRAM is not the same. There are those labeled 'industry standard' that purport to be compatible with almost everything; there are low density and high density types. Two suggestions: go to a manufacturer's website (Crucial, Micron, Kingston...) and use their memory 'configurator' to define what kind of memory you need. Then if you can find a part number on the stick of RAM that doesn't work, type it into a Google search bar and see if you can find out what type it is.
Some of the chipsets of that era were fussy about memory. The VIA KT133 chipset, that supports AMD processors, wouldn't work with some types of inexpensive RAM. The symptoms were similar to those you describe, and sometimes some chipsets would 'see' only 1/2 the RAM. It may also be that your system can't use 512 MB sticks, at all forever or until you update the BIOS.
HTH,

[ConfusedbyComps]

Originally Posted by Strider

Somewhere, a few months back, I found a nice article on the different kinds of (older) RAM, but can I find it now?
All SDRAM is not the same. There are those labeled 'industry standard' that purport to be compatible with almost everything; there are low density and high density types. Two suggestions: go to a manufacturer's website (Crucial, Micron, Kingston...) and use their memory 'configurator' to define what kind of memory you need. Then if you can find a part number on the stick of RAM that doesn't work, type it into a Google search bar and see if you can find out what type it is.
Some of the chipsets of that era were fussy about memory. The VIA KT133 chipset, that supports AMD processors, wouldn't work with some types of inexpensive RAM. The symptoms were similar to those you describe, and sometimes some chipsets would 'see' only 1/2 the RAM. It may also be that your system can't use 512 MB sticks, at all forever or until you update the BIOS.
HTH,

I'm pretty sure it would be the BIOs then, because I just phoned up the friend that I bought the computer from and he said the same thing. How would I go about updating the BIOs?

[Strider]

Does IBM still support their computers? If so, you might be able to find a BIOS update on their website. If not, identify the motherboard if you can. You can use Everest to identify it--Murf provided a link in another thread in this forum. If IBM used third party manufacturers, e.g. Asus, Microstar, Tyan.... go to their website with your exact model number and look for a BIOS update. One other place to try is here.
Flashing a BIOS is not for the faint of heart. Follow instructions scrupulously.
Good luck!