2 slots with 1GB PC3200 show up as 960MB?? 1

[Mentos]

Using ABIT KV-85 motherbord with AMD Sempron CPU
OS WinXP Pro service pack 2

After replacing original Patriot 512MB PC3200 RAM with 2 Kingston 1GB PC3200 RAM the physical memory in the BIOS only shows 960MB + 64MB of RAM.

When checking with msinfo32 the total physical memory shows 2048MB.
Same with Belarc Advisor, it shows the 2 slots with each 1024MB installed.
Yet when checking memory in task manager the "total physical memory" is indicated with only 982512KB.

I tried upgrading BIOS and flashing the BIOS ROM as indicated on the Abit website, but no change.

Any idea how to solve problem?

Thanks,
Mentos.

 

[paparazi]

Chances are that a bios flash for the motherboard, will cure the problem (the newer bios giving greater compatibility)

Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[ArizonaGeek]

If your motherboard has on board video, thats where the 64mb are going to. To get back all of your RAM you would have to have to add an actual, real, video card.

Cheers
Rob

The answer is always "PEBKAC!

 

[kmcferrin]

Rob,

I made the same mistake. He's not missing 64 MB, he's missing 1088MB.

From the manual for this board:

"NOTE: Usually there is no hardware or BIOS setup require after adding or removing memory modules, but you will have to clear the CMOS memory first if any memory module related problem occurs."

I know that you said that you flashed the BIOS, but have you tried the clear CMOS jumper? Looks like that is JP1 in the bottom-right corner of the board next to the battery.

 

[Mentos]

Yes, I did both -> flash and clear CMOS with the jumper.

After doing this, at first boot, the memorycheck showed 1014MB + the 64MB for video. I had to reconfigure some BIOS settings to get booting from the HD.
After returning all BIOS settings to the original the memorycheck returned 960MB+64MB...so back to square 1.

I noticed that the original Patriot memory has a marking "CL2" and the new Kingston has "CL3". That's the clocking, right? Couldn't be the problem I guess...

What really puzzles me is that both MSInfo32 and Belarc Advisor show the full capacity, but the memory check at startup, the BIOS and Windows Task Manager only show half of it.
I also checked both memories by booting with a single one inserted in turn, it turned out then I only got 448+64 with each memory.

 

[Cwgunder]

If it's a BIOS issue, then the OS shouldn't be able to see the full 2GB right? You should be able to use msinfo32 to look at the available physical memory and ensure that the OS is seeing the entire amount of RAM.

It's probably some sort of fluke software problem maybe with the HAL or resourcemap registry key. Try re-installing service pack 2. It can't hurt at least.I'll let you know if I come up with anything else. Hopefully someone else will have somet better ideas.

Hope this helps

Good Luck!

Chris

 

[Mentos]

I'll give it a shot after the weekend... I am not really conviced that will do, since the BIOS memory check at boot already shows the wrong amount of memory before any OS component is loaded. Re-installing SP2 won't hurt though

Some extra info: I have the issue on 3 machines with identical HW.

 

[kmcferrin]

What is interesting to me is that when a single stick is installed it only shows half of the capacity of the stick. I'm beginning to wonder if the new memory is 100% compatible with that mainboard. Some mainboards can be quite picky.

Abit should have something on their site that lists modules that they have tested for compatibility. I would try to get something on that list (right down to the model number, if possible).

 

[Mentos]

I think I found something on both Abit and Kingston site. I have to check the partnumbers when I get back at the office on monday.

I keep you posted.

 

[Mentos]

Like promised some feedback on the evolvement of the problem:

I tested other memory (Patriot this time) and this worked at full capacity. So in the end I returned the Kingston memory to my supplier and changed it to Patriot memory. A very technical solution as you can see

Many thanks for all the input!
Mentos

 

[kjv1611]

So, it was the memory/motherboard compatibility as kmcferrin suggested. Glad to hear/see you got it taken care of.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me