new mem prob

mike2h · Apr 12, 2009, 04:43 AM

im doing a clean install of vista64 on the wifes comp. i took the 4gig of patriot ram out of that wonderful comp dh sent me(&put my wifes 2 gig ocx in it as it will only be 32 bit based) the 2 types of ram have pretty much the exact same spec.
anyway, i boot up & post only shows 2.8 ram. ok. went ahed & booted into win & chk under comp prop & sys inf & they both report 4gig ram but sys inf reports only 2.7 avail.(i assume they get their info from spd). ok. then i checked task manager & it is reporting 2.7 avail. use the built in ram checker & it comes up fine.
im assuming that some of the chips are bad/not working at all but the remaining mem is fine. still pretty weird. anybody run across this before?

Judas · Apr 12, 2009, 08:10 AM

32bit os?

what video cards are in the rig..

sometimes 32bit only recognizes 2.7-2.9gb of ram reguardless of there being 3 or 4gb installed..

it's a limitation of the system hardware and 32bit OSes.

If you have 2 512mb video cards installed.. that instantly removes slightly more then 1024MB of ram from your addressable memory.... meaning you'd be under 3gb. Ontop of that, the CPU also has addressable "ram" in a form, not to mention a number of other things, plus you have reserves that take up a bit...

wait.. you mentioned 64bit vista..... if 64bit windows is installed, check to see if the motherboard has "software" or "hardware" or both Extended memory address options in the bios somewhere, usually under chipset.

mike2h · Apr 12, 2009, 08:28 AM

thx judas. bty that 32 bit recognise thing is all the time. tis an absolute limitation of 32 bit os.

[hobo]eclipse · Apr 12, 2009, 08:43 AM

i do not have much more info on this other than to recommend looking for a bios setting that enables addressing of 3 GB+ ram. whats the mobo specs in question??

mike2h · Apr 12, 2009, 09:22 AM

asus p5ld2

mike2h · Apr 12, 2009, 08:25 PM

definetly the mb. plugged the mem into the comp they came from & when it posted 4gig was reported.
wich leaves me with a problem as i cant find anything in the bios that might help me addrees problem.
interesting developmeant- uninstalled the pos 7950gx2 & installed the 4670. recognised sys mem is now at 3 gig. still weird tho has i gained cpl of hundred meg on sys mem but lost 512 on graph mem. lol.

mike2h · Apr 12, 2009, 09:11 PM

well it s thae friggin chipset. it is 32 bit so iam sol. actually my wife is. since ddr2 is so cheap i had planned on upgrading her to 8 gig(she is into photography).
she will have to wait for my next upgrade- she gets my old stuff, actually works pretty good

Judas · Apr 13, 2009, 12:17 AM

removing 512mb of ram should have granted you nearly the same amount of memory in additional addressable space.

If a HD4870x2 is installed that is a 2gb model, in a 32bit system, the amount of ram is actually close to that of only 1.9gb seen by windows itself...

IF the system support 64bit windows, the chipset should also be able to handle it.. course i'm not to sure about that specific motherboard.... i've seen similare strange things

mike2h · Apr 13, 2009, 12:30 AM

it is normal in older chipsets for there to be no 64 bit ability. no reason for it. kinda ridiculous with this one tho as 64 bit cpu were around/forthcoming when it was designed.
oh well nothing i can do about it & she still got an increase of 1gb.

Apr 12, 2009, 04:43 AM	#1
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	new mem prob im doing a clean install of vista64 on the wifes comp. i took the 4gig of patriot ram out of that wonderful comp dh sent me(&put my wifes 2 gig ocx in it as it will only be 32 bit based) the 2 types of ram have pretty much the exact same spec. anyway, i boot up & post only shows 2.8 ram. ok. went ahed & booted into win & chk under comp prop & sys inf & they both report 4gig ram but sys inf reports only 2.7 avail.(i assume they get their info from spd). ok. then i checked task manager & it is reporting 2.7 avail. use the built in ram checker & it comes up fine. im assuming that some of the chips are bad/not working at all but the remaining mem is fine. still pretty weird. anybody run across this before? __________________

Apr 12, 2009, 08:28 AM	Thread Starter #3
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	Re: new mem prob thx judas. bty that 32 bit recognise thing is all the time. tis an absolute limitation of 32 bit os. __________________

Apr 12, 2009, 08:43 AM	#4
[hobo]eclipse ...just bummin 'round Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 2,897 Rep Power: 107 System Specs	Re: new mem prob i do not have much more info on this other than to recommend looking for a bios setting that enables addressing of 3 GB+ ram. whats the mobo specs in question?? Last edited by [hobo]eclipse; Apr 12, 2009 at 09:05 AM.

Apr 12, 2009, 09:22 AM	Thread Starter #5
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	Re: new mem prob asus p5ld2 __________________

Apr 12, 2009, 08:25 PM	Thread Starter #6
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	Re: new mem prob definetly the mb. plugged the mem into the comp they came from & when it posted 4gig was reported. wich leaves me with a problem as i cant find anything in the bios that might help me addrees problem. interesting developmeant- uninstalled the pos 7950gx2 & installed the 4670. recognised sys mem is now at 3 gig. still weird tho has i gained cpl of hundred meg on sys mem but lost 512 on graph mem. lol. __________________

Apr 12, 2009, 09:11 PM	Thread Starter #7
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	Re: new mem prob well it s thae friggin chipset. it is 32 bit so iam sol. actually my wife is. since ddr2 is so cheap i had planned on upgrading her to 8 gig(she is into photography). she will have to wait for my next upgrade- she gets my old stuff, actually works pretty good __________________

Apr 13, 2009, 12:30 AM	Thread Starter #9
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	Re: new mem prob it is normal in older chipsets for there to be no 64 bit ability. no reason for it. kinda ridiculous with this one tho as 64 bit cpu were around/forthcoming when it was designed. oh well nothing i can do about it & she still got an increase of 1gb. __________________