Aspire M1610: Pc won't boot with full 4gb ram and graphics card drivers

Vin_23
Vin_23 Member Posts: 13

Tinkerer

edited January 2021 in Aspire Laptops
Hi guys.. I have a very old aspire m1610 desktop and I planned to upgrade it cuz I don't plan to buy/build new rig yet, I'm just a very broke high school student and this pc is just given to me by my uncle... So here's the thing, First is I maximized my pc's installed ram to 4gb, since my pc only has 2 dimm slots for max of 4gb ram. The compatible ones are ddr2 667mhz ram sticks. So i haven't got any problem with that other than having more than 1gb reserved ram and it's a pain in the ***** for not being able to use whole 4gb. Then just recently i got a very cheap graphics card, The geforce g210, yes it's trash but it's all good for now since it can run AutoCAD and i need that software for a subject in school. But when I tried to install drivers of g210 it won't finish installation,, it will finish the installing part but when it saids i need to restart to finalize installation, it won't boot.. I thought that maybe it's the card that has a problem since i only got it for 500Philippine peso(roughly around 10USD) on shopee(online shopping app)and those are the used and retail ones so it's not properly kept anymore and might've been already dead, and also I can't return the item anymore since the 5day confirmation of shopee app whether you accept the item or ask for return/refund is over but since it's working fine there's no need. So at that time whenever i try to finish installation and restart,, and i got into the boot loop series,, at third boot attempt windows will then redirect me to a blue screen saying Windows didn't start properly with options, to do safe mode, restart pc, turn off pc, and and stuffs where i can do system recovery... The thing is i forced and forced it and each time i reach that bsod i always select system recovery and idk if it's the reason why but my hard drive gave up on me it's a real ***** since all my school files are there, so i used my back up with win7 installed,, i tried to install the driver with still 4gb to no avail... Then reinstall win10 still can't install drivers so i researched and found out the use of DDU but still didn't help and instead of system restore i boot to safemode every time i get to bsod again, and it does boot with safe mode cuz the nvidia driver is disabled. So i researched again and i tried the 1gb ram trick and it worked and even with nvidia latest driver installed it works and boots then i try with 2gb only It boots successfully also but when i tried with 3gb so using 2slots and didn't work and 4gb didn't work, That time i came into conclusion that maybe using both dimm slots is a problem and doesn't work, oh right both my dimm slots work well as far as i know since i always try and switch ram slots with a good ram and individually they work pretty well. So idk what im gonna do next, so i test my ram with the windows memory checker or something (sorry im not sure with the name) it doesn't show any faults, i tested them together but not individually and i deeply tested them but it took up to more than 13-15hrs b4 the results, it shows no faults but since it took so long testing i didn't test them individually. Anyways since i really need to use the graphics card to work autoCAD but since i can't really make them work together i just used my pc with only 2gb of ram on one dimm slot. I've also got the idea to buy a single 4gb stick but according to the service guide of my pc, it supports 4gb but 2gb max each dimm and i won't gamble to see if maybe i can really use a single 4gb cuz not only it's very rare now and hard to find but also is expensive on my part with the price roughly around 200USD, i would just buy a gt 1030 if i had that kind of money. Oh right I also managed to research and i learned that it's possible for two rams for them to be incompatible with each other  and cause bsod or not booting and i have 2 kingston ram but they are different models i suppose, so i just bought 2 2gb ram in one shop hoping to have same model, and i did got same model but to no avail. It still won't work together... It won't boot..
Oh ye before the thought of using a single 4gb stick, i thought maybe my psu can't take the load, is this possible?

Sorry for this long explanation but this is all the process i made. 

This is my system/build:
F672cr mobo(aspire m1610)
Generic 600w psu
Currently 2gb installed ram (can't use 4gb) ( kingston PC-5300)
Nvidia Geforce G210 gpu (512mb ddr2 64bit(?))
Cpu core2duo e4700 
Seagate 500gb hdd, win 10 pro 64bit os

There you have it guys, to sum it up. My prob is my pc can't boot properly if i have 4gb ram using both dimm and a gpu driver installed, but boots correctly with only 1 gb or 2gb ram using a single dimm even with the graphics card installed. And i want my pc to boot with 4gb installed and a gpu driver installed.... What can I do guys? I hope someone can help me
**Edit: I'm sorry i put it on the wrong label, it should be on aspire, veriton , revo desktops topic, but instead i accidentally put it on aspire laptops topic, and idk how to change or if i can, I'm afraid to repost since i might spam the community, sorry**
Happy Holidays!

Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer
    >>>Anyways since i really need to use the graphics card to work autoCAD but since i can't really make them work together i just used my pc with only 2gb of ram on one dimm slot>>>

    Does it still run on 4GB with the g210 card plugged in but without its driver installed? Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • Vin_23
    Vin_23 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer

    JackE said:
    Does it still run on 4GB with the g210 card plugged in but without its driver installed? Jack E/NJ

    I just tried running autoCAD(btw im using 2014 ver) with 4gb and the gpu without the drivers and it works same as with drivers installed, and pc boots with 4gb also thankfully(since it doesn't have any drivers)... But the thing now is I haven't any nvidia drivers installed to support my gpu and only recognize gpu as microsoft basic display adapter.
     Does it affect gpu performance or something? Another thing, Isn't there any way now to make my pc boot with 4gb with my gpu drivers installed? And if I may ask also, How can i get rid of the 1.3gb hardware reserve? I've tried different methods including tweaking the register but no success, and I've seen something on google saying that if you install gpu, it will automatically be gone or if you have gpu installed then disable onboard gpu then it will go away depends on your mobo.. in my case i don't have the disable option in bios but i think it automatically disables(cuz one time i tried plugging my sound card in pcie x16 slot and tried to boot, my mobo wont do post and just beeps continuously, and i saw on service guide that pcie x16 is on northbridge which controls video along with vga/onboard gpu)
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer
    >>>I just tried running autoCAD(btw im using 2014 ver) with 4gb and the gpu without the drivers and it works same as with drivers installed,>>>

    Wait! But you said earlier >>>My prob is my pc can't boot properly if i have 4gb ram using both dimm and a gpu driver installed>>> Are you now saying it also doesn't boot properly without the drivers installed? Please explain. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • Vin_23
    Vin_23 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer

    My pc won't boot when I have my both 2gb sticks installed on both dimms(so 4gb) and my gpu drivers installed, however it boots fine even if I had my 4gb sticks installed, gpu plugged-in but without gpu drivers installed. Also it boots fine even if I have gpu drivers installed as long as I only have 2gb/1gb ram installed. 
    And no, I'm not saying it also doesn't boot properly without the drivers installed.

    And you said this earlier... 
    JackE said:
    >>>Anyways since i really need to use the graphics card to work autoCAD but since i can't really make them work together i just used my pc with only 2gb of ram on one dimm slot>>>

    Does it still run on 4GB with the g210 card plugged in but without its driver installed? Jack E/NJ

    I thought your question meant to ask me if I can run autoCAD fine with 4gb of ram and a gpu plugged in but no gpu drivers, and as I said, I just tried it and autoCAD works fine. unlike when I first tried using it with 4gb of ram but only with onboard gpu. I thought you are referring to autoCAD since you higlighted it. 

    Oh right, Maybe you also got confused also with the highlighted part above, what I'm trying to say is I really needed autoCAD to work fine, cuz it works before without my gpu but it's very slow cuz my pc can't render it good and I really can't use it, it would take me an hour just to make one line.(idk if i have the right words, sorry)

    I hope this solves the confusion..

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer
    So the GPU hardware is fine with 4GB, but not when its driver is installed. Try this. Download and install iobit's DriverBooster freeware to see if it'll pick up any g210 driver online that's better than the one's you've tried so far. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • Vin_23
    Vin_23 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer

    I tried installing the driver from iobit Driver Booster but results are the same. It won't boot with 4gb(2gb on both dimms).
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer
    >>>win 10 pro 64bit os>>>

    Which drivers have you tried from the list in this link  so far? Did you try installing any of the earlier Windows versions in Win10's compatibility mode? Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • Vin_23
    Vin_23 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer

    If i remember correctly, these were the drivers I tried. Win10 os
    342.01, 342.00, 341.74, 341.92
    I tried on a win7 os on my other hard drive but still none
    Win7 os
    342.01, 314.22, 331.58
    These were from the nvidia site.
    As for win10. I haven't tried it yet since idk how, I'm afraid I might mess up my os.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer
    Are you still trying to run on Win7 64? Let's focus on one Windows version for simplicity. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • Vin_23
    Vin_23 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer

    No, Right now, I'm currently using win10 64 bit version 20H2
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer
    Did you try installing the Win7 drivers in Win10's Win7-compatiblity mode? Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • Vin_23
    Vin_23 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer

    I don't know what you mean by Win10's Win7 compatibility mode but I haven't tried installing win7 drivers on Win10
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer
    edited December 2020
    On Win10, right click on the Win7 installation exectuable. Click properties. Click compatibility tab. Choose to run installation in Win7 compatibility mode. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • Vin_23
    Vin_23 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer

    Wait, I'm sorry.. I don't know if I follow your instructions correctly. I'm not that good with pc programs yet. Also when you said win7, installation executable, you mean win7 installation setup right?
    Btw this is how I did your instructions. I only have a Win7 installation on a USB stick, and when I tried doing what you said, right clicked on setup.exe on my usb stick and click on properties, but i didn't found any compatibility tab. Instead i clicked troubleshoot compatibility and test it on win7 compatibility but I didn't save changes and cancelled it instead, also I run it but I didn't continue to setting it up since It will install win7 and be back on win7.. I'm sorry I think I did your instructions wrong. If possible can you do me a visual guide, it will greatly help..

    Also I'm sorry for some delays on replying since holiday just passed and now I have school. 
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,330 Trailblazer
    Download the Win7 driver for the g210 GPU. Then right click on this driver's setup file while you're machine is booted to Win10. Then select properties in the box that pops up. Then select the compatibility tab in the next box that pops up. Then choose to run the setup file in Win7 compatibility mode.  Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • Vin_23
    Vin_23 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer

    Ok, I've managed to do that, still no good. 
    Btw I've tried to check if same problem will happen with a different motherboard, I tested it on asus p5vd2-vm se mobo, with 4gb installed ram(apparently due to some manufacturing mistakes, the mobo can only read only up to 3gb) and I tried installing the gpu driver and it worked, the pc booted fine with gpu drivers installed and 3gb ram. Is it safe to say that the mobo I currently have may be faulty already since it's real old tbh. 
  • Vin_23
    Vin_23 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer

    Also I just bought a 1gb ram stick to pair up with my other 1gb ram stick, since 3gb and 4gb ram causes trouble booting when i have gpu drivers installed, I assumed that it's possible that using both dimm slots may be the culprit, it may be the one faulty. But when I tested it out, 2gb ram using 2 dimm slots(1 on each dimm) with gpu drivers, It runs without a problem.