Need help with stability issues on an older build

Hey there.

I'm a bit behind the curve when it comes to modern hardware—my apologies. 🤷

Mobo: ASUS P5N-E motherboard (4 DIMM slots, 8GB RAM max)
CPU: Intel Core2Duo 2.4 GHz e4600 hard drive
HDD: Samsung 150
GPU: GeForce 8400gs 256mb (ASUS) - my current setup
RAM: 1 stick of 1gb DDR2 PC2-5300

The issue arises whenever I try to boot the system after adding a second stick of RAM. I can't pinpoint the conflict.
The board has 4 DIMM slots: A1, A2, B1, B2.
If I put the stick in A1, the speaker emits a constant beep and nothing happens—no boot.
If I use A2 or B2, it beeps intermittently and still fails to boot.

When I use slot B1, it boots normally.
But if I add the second (identical) stick, it won't boot in any position at all.

It's a motherboard failure, right?

By the way, any recommendations for a decent GPU for this board? It has a PCI-E x16 slot.

That's way too much overkill for your rig.

Alexander Moore67 said:http://www.newegg.com/p/products/11629

I guess that might be a bit of a bottleneck for that GPU. Personally, I’d probably go with something slightly less powerful but $33 more budget-friendly:

http://www.newegg.com/p/products/13729

Sam Anderson13 said:Motherboard: ASUS P5N-E motherboard (it's got 4 DIMM slots, tops out at 8GB RAM)
RAM: 1 stick of 1GB TwinMOS DDR2 PC2-5300

The system just won't boot whenever I try to pop in another stick—honestly, I have no clue what's clashing here.

It’s a motherboard issue, right?

Or maybe the RAM itself is the culprit? What are the actual specs on that problematic module? It should be right there on the sticker somewhere.

Have you performed a CMOS Reset? That can resolve RAM issues.
If one stick works, pull it out and swap it into the other slot. If it still functions, both sticks are fine.
Whenever you change the Position or configuration of the RAM, it is safer to always perform a CMOS Reset.

Best regards,
B. W.