64MB RAM Limit

[yrral]

POST shows 64MB RAM. Belarc advisor shows 64MB RAM. OS Win95; Intel 82430TX Chipset; Mobo Shuttle Hot-569 (NOT 569A). Four Crucial CT8M32E2M6 SIMM's installed. How do I see\use the other 64MB RAM? Will a BIOS update fix my problem? Will a BIOS upgrade fix my problem?

"the 569 is plagued by the 64MB cacheable memory limit of the Intel TX chipset" according to old test review document found here:

http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=179

Intel info says that the 82430TX Chipset supports up to 256MB.

I can find no setting in the Award 4.51PG BIOS for Win95 to enable more than 64MB. Where is my brain today?

 

[chaps]

Try the bios update if you can find one,these links may help.

http://users.erols.com/chare/569_link.htm

http://users.erols.com/chare/569_bios.htm

ftp://ftp.spacewalker.com/BIOS/

Mike

 

[Accessdabbler]

Just how old is this system? Is it an original Pentium processor?

If so, don't bother upgrading RAM above 64MB. There is a flaw with memory usage above 64MB that can actually slow your system down. It has to do with the type of chipset (I'm too lazy to look up which type).

How I understand the problem is that the system will only cache memory in the first 64MB. However, the chipset loads information into memory starting from the top down. Therefore, if you have 96MB of memory, the system begins putting information into the memory chips at the 96MB address and works downward. This memory address cannot be cached (ie. it is very slow). Thus, the system actually slows down since the memory address range used the most does not get cached! This only applies to very old Pentium systems.

The solution? Break open your piggybank.

 

[yrral]

Thanks -- these links and ultimately where they led produced, by far, the most informative and complete site I have ever visited. I am referring to "The PC Guide" found here:

http://www.pcguide.com/index.htm

Although it of course does not include info after the Site Version: 2.2.0 - Version Date: April 17, 2001, it can tell the most casual pc user what they want to know AND in terms that most uninformed as well as experts can understand.

Now I fully understand what I think I need to know and can proceed with what I want to do. Wish I had know about that site years ago!

Thanks again!!
Larry