[NTLUG:Discuss] OT:strange memory activity

[Wayne Dahl]

This is way off topic for a Linux list, but with so many computer geeks
on here, I can't resist asking.  My mother-in-law inherited an old
computer from us and when upgrading memory on it, something strange
happens.  It's an Intel P-II 366.  When she wanted to install AOL 8.0 on
it, I had to upgrade the memory from 32M to 64M.  Figuring I would stave
off future memory needs, I bought a 128M stick from Fry's and installed
it.  

The computer came back up seeing only 64 Megs of memory.  I thought
maybe it was either a bad stick or was possibly a 64 Meg stick packaged
in a 128 Meg blister pack.  At any rate, it was enough to install the
software, so I let it go.

Now she wants to upgrade to AOL 9.0 and it requires 128 Megs of memory,
so I had her buy a 256 Meg stick, which she got from Office Depot, I
think.  Before I installed that memory, I saw her computer was now
seeing 128 Megs of memory instead of the 64 it was seeing before. 
Sometime since I installed that stick, the computer magically started
seeing it for what it was.  Being the idiot I am, instead of just
installing the software for her, I added the 256 Meg stick and restarted
the machine.  It still only saw 128 Megs.

Ok, possible bad stick, right?  Wrong.  I took out the 128 Meg stick,
installed the 256 in the same slot thinking the other slot might have
been bad, and the machine only saw 64 Megs.  Uh oh.  I installed the 128
Meg stick back in, now IT shows only as 64 Megs.  After I pulled that
stick out, no matter which stick I put in there, 1 or both, all it sees
is 64 Megs.  Now, I'm thinking that since it magically started seeing
the other 64 Megs of that 128 Meg stick on its own, it might do it
again, although I'm not holding out any hope.  So far, it still only
sees the 64 Megs.

Any ideas about what might cause this?  Would a BIOS upgrade (assuming
one is available) help?  I have gone into CMOS setup and can't find
anything in there to make the system recognize the added memory.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Wayne