Problem with 4GB of RAM

[clifford_cooley]

I am also curious what the voltage requirements are for the new memory.
Do you have options to adjust the voltages for your memory in the system BIOS.

 

[andyrpsmith]

Yes the BIOS is very flexible, I have just checked on the crucial site and it is 2.6V

I am going to add the other two and boot into set up to see.

I'll be back.

 

[Veedaz]

Many BIOS today has changeable voltages settings .. handy for the OCers

 

[andyrpsmith]

Hello I'm back.

Only voltage adjustment on Processor as far as I can see.

I have installed 4 x 1GB Crucial but windows only shows 2GB.

I have changed the memory speed to Auto and the Mother Board has set it at DDR 333 (I think this is the max for auto mode) DDR 400 must be set specifically. I have also enabled a compatibility option which is supposed to make memory timings more flexible. So far no BSOD - yet!

So I need to know why windows cannot see more than 2GB and when this is fixed try DDR 400 with the flexibility option enabled.

 

[andyrpsmith]

CPU-z Says there is nothing in slot 4

 

[clifford_cooley]

When your computer boot, what does the boot screen say. Does your Bios see all the memory?

I think I recall you saying it did earlier.

 

[andyrpsmith]

Now have CPU-z showing 1GB in all four slots. Windows still says 2GB.

BIOS sees 4GB

 

[clifford_cooley]

Now have CPU-z showing 1GB in all four slots. Windows still says 2GB.

BIOS sees 4GB

Now this is confussing, If the sytem Bios and CPU-Z shows 4 but windows only shows 2.

 

[andyrpsmith]

Just upped to DDR 400 in BIOS and boots OK, no BSOD so far.

Now need to solve why windows only sees 2GB

 

[clifford_cooley]

Which windows screen are you using to view Windows memory?

Is it this screen?
Press "Windows Logo + Pause"

same as "Control Panel >> System and Security >> System"

 

[andyrpsmith]

Yes gives 2.00GB and also Task Manager

 

[___Reap3R___]

Go to msconfig/ Boot tab, click on the advanced button halfway down on the left and check that the maximum ram is unchecked (on the right top of the screen.) Not sure why but some are and some aren't. This limits what your os see's/ utilises.

 

[andyrpsmith]

Checked and it is unchecked - Thanks

 

[clifford_cooley]

Thanks Reap3R I wasn't aware of that option. I usually don't mess with msconfig unless I am checking my system.

 

[___Reap3R___]

No worries Clifford_cooley, you can also select the amount of cores your cpu has in the same area, meant to speed this up a little or so I have read.

andyrpsmith, Did you do a fresh install or an upgrade when you first installed? Also, is 7 your only OS or are you using dual boot with 7 installed on the second half of the HDD (secondary partition)? Not sure if it would really make a difference but I read somewhere that 7 likes being at the start of the HDD, I can’t remember where it was but it was awhile ago I think, can anyone confirm?

 

[andyrpsmith]

Windows was a fresh install on a new HD.

What is strange is that if I replace 2 x 1GB modules in slots 3 and 4 with 2 x 512GB windows sees a total of 2.5GB

 

[Geoffers]

CPU-z Says there is nothing in slot 4

Have a close look at the contacts in this slot. Maybe one is not quite 'true' and only making a spasmodic contact!

 

[___Reap3R___]

Yeah I would be getting an eraser and rubbing it over all of your sticks contact points. Then check there is nothing in the slots on the MB. A can of compressed air is perfect for this. With the 2x1GB + 2x512MB you should see and have usable 3GB not 2.5GB. Have you got Memory Remapping enabled or disabled in the BIOS? This will directly affect the amount of seen ram in the OS. If I disable it with 6GB installed I only see 5.2GB in the OS as I have a GTX275 picture card.

If you have got Memory Remapping set on auto, set it to Enabled. If it is then I would suggest that DIMM slot 4 is faulty on your MB which would explain why CPU-z showed it as empty before. This would also explain your BSOD you are getting. Might be time to upgrade…

 

[clifford_cooley]

Reap3R normally I might agree with a faulty slot 4. If it wasn't for the fact that he had 4x512 installed without problems. And when he switched the modules around in slots 1&2 there are no problems either. This would suggest that the memory is good and the slots do read memory.

The only thing I can think of would be the memory remapping that Reap3R suggest.

 

[andyrpsmith]

I think the no mem in slot 4 was an error with CPU-z as it has done this a couple of times and then reads the correct values. CPU-z agrees with the BIOS detection and gives the correct timings etc. My son has the same mother board and is using XP so I am going to try the mem in his and see what it reads.

Thanks for all the suggestions by the way. One good thing is that the BSOD has been stopped by changing the Flexibility option to enabled in the BIOS.