Memory read / write failure - Dell Inspiron 8500

[star2488]

Hello,

Please, please, help. I have a Dell Inspirion 8500 and my OS is windows XP.

I have not installed any new hardware. I did install norton security software but that might be unrelated. When I go into My Computer I still show the amount of memory that I should have but for the past three weeks when I start up my computer I get the following message:

The amount of memory has changed. Meomory read/write failure at 2FE0014, read 7E11FE11 expecting FE11FE11.
Memory read/failure at 10000004 read 6F00EF00 expecting EFOOEFOO. Decreasing available memory. The amount of system memory has changed. Strike F1 key to continue, F2 to run set up utility.

I am having exterme difficulty running applications. What has happened and how do I fix it?

[star2488]

High everyone,

I must be in really big trouble if I've stumped you guys on this one.

It is getting slower and slower to boot up. My commputer went into safe mode once. Would the the 19 people who have viewed this post please at least provide me with your thoughts? I plan to convert to Apple next year but I need this computer to last me at least 12 months. I paid over $4K for it.

How did Dell win all of their technical support awards? I have yet to speak with someone who is fluent in English!!!!! They seem to all be working off of the same flow chart. Each time I call I have to repeat the same steps over and over again. I am convinced that they know nothing about computers and can only follow their check list. If I have one more person ask me if I have restarted my computer I am going to throw it out of my bedroom window.

You help is much appreciated.

Cheers,
Estelle

[Miz]

My experience with the "amount of memory has changed" was that it was caused by a bad RAM module. One module would occasionally kick in with all 256 megs but since 64 of its megs were usually missing, when the module actually worked like it was supposed to, the computer would see the "new" 64 megs of RAM and I'd get the "changed" message.

I replaced the bad module and solved the problem.