Need Help with A3000 RAM Install

[madgrizzle]

I have 16 MB worth of ZIP chips, enough to populate the entire motherboard.  I put 4 MB in first and booted the computer to make sure it worked.  I then put another 4 MB in and booted again, computer read 8 MB.  Repeat with another 4 MB and computer read 12 MB... then I put in the last 4 MB and the computer still reads 12 MB.

I don't readily see any of the last 4 MB worth of ZIP chips with bent pins (hard to really see since they are so close to each other).  Is there any way to narrow down which chip is causing?

[QuikSanz]

Try 1 at a time?

[madgrizzle]

I assumed I had to install all eight at a time.. are you saying I can install one at a time and see RAM amount tick up?

[Whaka]

I assumed I had to install all eight at a time..

and it's totally right.

the more easiest solution, i think, is to remove one chip on a working bank, and test the eight chips one by one.
maybe it's what QuikSlanz mean.

[madgrizzle]

got it.. thanks.  wish it wasn't so hard to extract them when they are in between two other chips.

[QuikSanz]

Make sure the 1 chip is in #1 Slot. It may be the socket.

[matt3k]

Are they all the same chip?  Your not mixing static column and page mode chips?  I have seen once many years ago mixing brand of chips create a weird result like what you are swing.

If mixing modes page mode must go first to turn off burst access.

This is all going back to the early 90s for me so I may be missing something.

You may also want to try changing the order or a different batch of chips.

[madgrizzle]

I extracted bank 4 of ram and one of the chips had a loose pin.  Not sure if it was because I damaged it extracting it, but eventually it fell off.  I'm trying to source a couple more chips and will see if that one was actually the problem child.