imagine72

HP Pavilion dv6000 4gb RAM Have an HP Pavilion dv6000 laptop with an Intel Core 2 T7200 CPU and am trying to get it to recognize 4gb of RAM. Am using Windows XP Professional as my operating system and am aware that if 4gb of RAM is installed correctly the operating system will only display 3.25 gb of RAM.

Here's my situation: I installed (2) 2gb chips and the computer wouldn't boot. So I downgraded to (1) 2gb chip and (1) 1gb chip and 3gb of RAM showed up as working on my computer.

I later heard that if I update the BIOS I can upgrade to 4gb of RAM. So I searched around for the lastest BIOS with no luck. The HP site for my computer only has a BIOS update for computers with AMD processors. I managed to find a BIOS that was compatible with my computer and reinstalled the 4gb of RAM and this time the computer did boot. BUT now when I look at the system properties it shows only 2.99gb of RAM which is even less than the 3.00gb that was showing up when I only had 3gb of RAM in my computer!

I know the 4gb of RAM will show up as 3.25gb in my system properties if it is being recognized correctly and my question is does anyone know where to get the correct BIOS upgrade for my computer so the RAM will be fully recognized? Originally I had BIOS version 16 so it would have to be later than that.

Thanks.

greenbrucelee

if your running XP pro 32 bit you will never have access or be able to see 4GB of RAM only 64 bit Operating systems will show 4GB so it doesn't matter what BIOS you will be running.

As for it now only showing 2.99GB instead of 3 or 3.25 have you tried flashing the BIOS with the old BIOS revision that was there?

Also check that the ram you used is compatible.

you should be able to get the versions on the HP site. PS your posting in the wrong forum this forum is about overclocking.

imagine72

Please read my entire post before replying...

The HP site only has a BIOS update for AMD processors. YES the RAM is compatible. And I know it won't show the entire 4.0 of RAM but it should not drop from 3.0 with 3gigs of RAM to 2.99 with 4gigs of RAM.

I'm simply looking for the correct BIOS for my computer so it will display 3.25gigs of RAM when the 4gigs are installed. I've installed 4gigs of RAM in many computers with XP Pro 32bit and when working correctly they always display 3.25gigs.

greenbrucelee

The BIOS does not update the processor, the processor has nothing to do with it. The bios updates the motherboard. and some xp pro 32 bits will show 3.5 but thats usually windows 2003 server.

Just of of intrest are you saying you have an Intel processor in an AMD motherboard?

This is your lates BIOS update F.3D or later link http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...c01087277_bios

The instructions on the HP website on how to flash the bios are a bit dodgy, updating or flashing the bios through windows can be very dodgy and is best done from within the bios.

imagine72

It's an Intel motherboard with an Intel processor. I tried the latest BIOS on the HP site and it wouldn't load saying it's not compatible. It does say it's for an AMD processor.

greenbrucelee

The link I posted is the lates BIOS for the DV6xxx series are you in the correct bios area or have the correct model number? you should be looking at notebook series updates.

Also are you aware that most laptops take a chunk of RAM for onboard video memory so you may never get 3.25GB anyway

The HP site must be using innacurate terms because the BIOS is located in the EPROM on the motherbaord, which is where you flash the BIOS this is stored on the EPROM and this where the CPU and RAM etc is recognised during POST (the bit before windows boots).

you need one of these at the top, its either the second one or the third one then http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/s...y&query=dv6000 use the determin your exact laptop model from the right hand side of the screen (in red writing) there are 3 bios revisions for the dv6000 the first is for AMD should say motherboard not processor and the two below it say for Intel.

imagine72

I thought you had it but still no love from the 4g bios Gods...here's what I did:

Did the laptop detection feature on the HP site as you suggested and discovered that although my laptop says dv6000 on the case it's actually an HP Pavilion dv6200 CTO Notebook PC.

That led me to this driver page: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/s...511224&lang=en

I tried the first two BIOS listed there (the third one is for AMD processors which I do not have). The first BIOS wouldn't load, said it wasn't for my computer. The second one did load and after reboot I'm still looking at 2.99g of RAM in system properties.

I took the second 2g stick out of my computer and put back a 1g stick instead and I get the same 2.99g reading. Something is not right, the second 2g stick should give me more than just a .99g bump.

On the other computers I've installed 4g of RAM onto, desktops and laptops, they've all displayed 3.25g, so until proven otherwise I'm gonna believe that's what this laptop should display if the hardware is functioning correctly.

greenbrucelee

Your laptop is probably reserving the rest of the ram for video memory, you can change this by going to control panel > settings > system > advanced if I remember correctly you then select performance tab and you can change it in there.

imagine72

Yeah I already had best performance selected under that tab.

Phædrus2401

If your graphics chip is set up to take 256mb of RAM (.256GB), fairly common for low-end integrated chipsets, then 3.25-.256 = 2.994. So, yeah, it's likely your video chip. Selecting "best performance" or "best quality" or whatever Microsoft uses as their terminology it won't affect your shared VRAM. Honestly I wouldn't go under half of that (128MB), or else your graphics chip is going to start straining to draw your screen. Basically, if you want more than 3GB of RAM you'll have to switch to a 64-bit OS.

imagine72

You sound right on with everything you're saying but let me ask you this: If I wanted to experiment and go lower with my graphics chip how would I change it to 128? I'd like to try it and see if the RAM value in my system properties changes.

ARCHIE007

the reason is not recognizing it because you problably have windows xp or Vista 32 bit version, just upgrade it to 64 bit and it will recognize the memory above 3gb.

imagine72

No. I have xp 32 bit with 4gb on others computers and they recognize up 3.25gb and thats why I posted here.

exterminador

Just to share:

I have an HP Pavilion dv6100 CTO Notebook PC (automatically recognized by the HP tool) with an Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo T5600, the chipset is i945PM.

I wanted 4GB and I bought two Kingston 2GB DDR2 667 non-ecc CL5 200 pin unbuffered 1.8V
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/119498

I previously updated the firmware to F.29, installed the memory and the system won't boot (just a beep and nothing showed on the screen).

Then, I rolled back to F.25 and it worked, I tryied then with F.28 and it also worked, so, in conclusion, F.29 breaks again the support for 4GB of memory (fixed in F.25).

However, Windows 32-bit will not be able to handle 4GB, it shows on system properties:

Installed Memory (RAM): 4.00 GB (3.00 GB usable)

I'm going to migrate to 64-bit to be able to use all 4GB.

Hope it helps someone.

LarrySingular

I have a Pavilion zv6130us with SD.MS/Pro.MMC.SM.XD Digital Media reader and am running XP Pro.

I installed a driver for Vista from HP and it works great.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/g...dlc=en&lang=en

westpenncyclist

I've been trying to solve this problem, too.

I have two HP dv6000 series laptop PCs. One is Intel based (dv6000t CTO w/T7200 Merom CPU) and the other (my wife's) is AMD based (dv6140us w/TL-56 Trinidad CPU).

The AMD based system is running Vista Home Premium 32-bit and it recognizes (and uses) all of the 4GB that is installed. However, the Intel based system, running Windows 7 Professional 64-bit, recognizes 4GB, but reports only 3GB as usable.

Both systems have the latest respective BIOS.

I've given up trying to figure out by the lower end (and slower) AMD system uses all 4GB, while the Intel system doesn't. But since HP isn't offering WIN7 support for pre- dv6 systems, I think I'm going to solve the problem by simply upgrading to a new PC. Probably to a dv6t Quad Edition. But if someone out there knows what is causing the limitation with an Intel based dv6000 series PC, I'd love to know.

imagine72

Yeah I've given up at this point. My XP Pro 32bit Intel based only recognizes 3gb of the installed 4gb of RAM. I thought it was an XP 32bit issue but now that you have Windows 7 64bit and the same issue I have no idea...