Epox 8KHA+ memory (slot ?) problem

I recently built the following system:
Enlight 7237 - 340W
EPOX 8KHA+ KT266A (latest BIOS 11/2/01)
Athlon 1800+ (not goosed/OCed)
Maxtor 30/7200
Matrox G450 dual
W2K sp2
VIA 4.34 (no different when upgraded to 4.37)
Crucial PC2100 2.5 (3 sticks) - CT3264z265.16T - all sticks are identical & purchased at the same time and vendor
Upon the initial installation the first thing I got was BSDO .... something about MEMORY dump. Problem repeated at naseaum. System about as flaky as I’ve ever seen.
Then.... I removed all mem sticks but one in slot 1..... system solid as a rock!!!!!!!
Tried 2nd stick in slot 1...... system solid!!!!!!!!
Tried 3rd stick in slot 1....perfect!!!
Inserted a DIMM in the 2nd slot ....perfect!!!!
Switched to all possible combos in slots 1 & 2 ........ perfect!!!!!!!
As soon as it gets a stick up its 3rd slot,it starts acting up. Regardless which of the 3 sticks are in slot 3 there are problems. Regardless which sticks are in slots 1 & 2... NO PROBLEMS & it is the most stable I’ve seen.
Ran the system on 2 DIMMs for about 1 week & have had NO problems. Inserted a stick in the 3rd slot & almost instantly it began either issuing BSDOs, OR simply rebooting itself w/o ANY warnings, and just in the middle of an application. Now, I have been running the system on DIMMs in slots 1 & 2 for about 2+ weeks w/o a single problem!!!!!!!
EPOX wreck support has failed to respond to repeated emails in addition to two phone call messages left on their answering system.
Any suggestions?
Thanks in anticipation.

1. RE: Epox 8KHA+ memory (slot ?) problem
lbyard Jan-15-02 05:23 PM
In response to message 0

You could send it back. I'll see if I can get someone to respond. Larry

2. RE: Epox 8KHA+ memory (slot ?) problem
sibrag Jan-15-02 06:12 PM
In response to message 1

Thanks Larry. Your help is appreciated.
I have been puting off my getting nasty about this, while I wasted much time trying to find the remedy on my own. Now we have reached the end.
Since by all I can come up with is pointing to a bum board, in all likelyhood, next stop will be small claims court - certainly less time & effort wasted going that route vs. beating my head against the wall this way. A shame it has to come to this but nothing else I can do.
Thanks again.

4. RE: Epox 8KHA+ memory (slot ?) problem
lbyard Jan-15-02 06:28 PM
In response to message 2

Small claims court may waste more money and a lot of time. Have you contacted the people you bought the board from? I sent an E-Mail to EpoX on this problem this morning and told them thousands of people a day are reading your post. Larry

5. RE: Epox 8KHA memory (slot ?) problem
sibrag Jan-15-02 09:33 PM
In response to message 4

Larry,
I have just checked with the supplier and it went AMAZINGLY smooth. In less than 10 minutes it was all resolved.
The first comment was: "bad memory stick". Upon my relating the entire story, they agreed it most likely it is a problem with the board and a replacemnt is being sent today.
The shame of it all is that EPOX, the source of the problem in the first place, not only has done nothing, nor played any role, in resolving the problem, but caused further undue waste of time & effort.
I just wish this story had more to offer - at least technically speaking - to anyone reading this.
Thanks Larry.

6. RE: Epox 8KHA memory (slot ?) problem
lbyard Jan-15-02 10:34 PM
In response to message 5

Good... Yes, one should go to the immediate vendor first. I have exerpienced fairly good tech support response from EpoX in the past. I hope the replacement board works-out OK. Larry

7. RE: Epox 8KHA memory (slot ?) problem
sibrag Jan-21-02 09:01 AM
In response to message 6

Larry,
This is simply to put the "!" at the end of this chapter. When all said & done, & the new mobo was installed, the DIMM problems went away.
Thanks for your help.