RAM detected by BIOS but not by Windows after laptop upgrade

machinogodzilla · 10-11-2008, 04:56 AM

Hi!

I've just inserted a 512MB PC2100 chip into a free slot in my laptop that already had 512MB PC2700 installed. The laptop detected the change but informed me that there was 256MB on board, not even the original 512MB. Same figure you can see in Windows system properties, just 256MB, and you can feel that it is that much as everything loads slower. However, when I go into BIOS and look at the system information it shows 1024MB, despite it informed me earlier on that there were 256MB available after the change.

Where is the problem?

The laptop is HP Compaq nc4010.

**TriggerFinger** · 10-11-2008, 12:48 PM

Hi,

Just a few things to try...

1. Remove the new inserted module. (PC2100 RAM)
2. Boot and check if BIOS and Windows recognize the PC2700 512MB RAM.
3. Power OFF
4. Move the PC2700 512MB RAM into the other slot.
5. Do step 2 again.

If PC2700 512MB RAM is recognized in both slots, remove and replace with the PC2100 512MB RAM. Do the steps again using the PC2100 RAM.

Post back what you find out.

machinogodzilla · 10-11-2008, 01:13 PM

Thank you for your help.

I was actually going to do that, but lack of a torx screwdriver prevented me for a moment. In the meantime it appeared that all specs of my new module were perfectly right apart from that it was built with 8 RAM chips that made it incompatible with my ancient laptop. I needed 16 RAM chips module and this is the answer to my problem

10-11-2008, 04:56 AM	#1 (permalink)
machinogodzilla Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2 OS: xp	RAM detected by BIOS but not by Windows after laptop upgrade Hi! I've just inserted a 512MB PC2100 chip into a free slot in my laptop that already had 512MB PC2700 installed. The laptop detected the change but informed me that there was 256MB on board, not even the original 512MB. Same figure you can see in Windows system properties, just 256MB, and you can feel that it is that much as everything loads slower. However, when I go into BIOS and look at the system information it shows 1024MB, despite it informed me earlier on that there were 256MB available after the change. Where is the problem? The laptop is HP Compaq nc4010.

10-11-2008, 12:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,791 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: RAM detected by BIOS but not by Windows after laptop upgrade Hi, Just a few things to try... 1. Remove the new inserted module. (PC2100 RAM) 2. Boot and check if BIOS and Windows recognize the PC2700 512MB RAM. 3. Power OFF 4. Move the PC2700 512MB RAM into the other slot. 5. Do step 2 again. If PC2700 512MB RAM is recognized in both slots, remove and replace with the PC2100 512MB RAM. Do the steps again using the PC2100 RAM. Post back what you find out. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

10-11-2008, 01:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
machinogodzilla Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2 OS: xp	Re: RAM detected by BIOS but not by Windows after laptop upgrade Thank you for your help. I was actually going to do that, but lack of a torx screwdriver prevented me for a moment. In the meantime it appeared that all specs of my new module were perfectly right apart from that it was built with 8 RAM chips that made it incompatible with my ancient laptop. I needed 16 RAM chips module and this is the answer to my problem