DMV

Hi. Yesterday I bought 1 Gb of DDR Ram (PC3200) to increase the memory of my PC from 1 GB to 1.5. The problem is, when the computer is starting and does the memory test, the test indicates that the computer only recognises the same 1048 MB of memory that I had Before. On the properties of my computer (On the Desktop), the same value of memory is shown. But when I open programs like PCWizard and CPUZ, it shows that the physical memory is 1536 MB. The problem that I have is that I don't know if the PC is really using all the RAM available, or just the 1 GB.
These are the specifications:
Processor: Pentium 4 3.0 Ghz
Board: Via PT800-8237

Other quick question, what is more important to the speed of games, the available memory, or the Graphics Card?

wrench97

Not understanding here you had 1 Gig or you added 1 Gig to the 512 you had?
Via is the chip set manufacturer do you know the brand of the Motherboard or if it's a major brand like Dell,HP,Gateway the Brand and Model of the PC?

DMV

Sorry about the misunderstanding then :)
Until yesterday I had 1 Gb of memory (2x 512), and I bought a 1Gb Dimm, to have 1.5 Gb total (there are only 2 slots in my board, so the 1 GB replaced one of the 512 Dimm). I didn't said because I didn't knew if it was important, but the brand of the DIMM's actually being used is Kingston (Both PC3200).
I don't know what's the manufacturer of the board, it just says (On PCWizard) "Unspecified PT800-8237". Any way to know the brand If I open the pc? (Sorry about the ignorance too, but i'm strange to this computer things).

wrench97

Is there a name on the front of the PC?
How did you know what ram to buy?

DMV

Nope, in front of the PC it has only the name of the store where I bought the computer.
I just searched "PT800-8237", and all the significant results said tha it was VIA's. so I just assumed that was the manufacturer.
About how I knew what memory to buy, I saw online the specifications of the board about memories.

wrench97

Go here and run the scan lets see what you mb is capable of running> www.crucial.com

DMV

Results:

System Manufacturer: VIA Technologies, Inc.
System Model: PT800-8237
Motherboard Manufacturer: N.A.
Motherboard Model: PT800-8237



* Maximum Memory Capacity: 1572864 MB
* Currently Installed Memory: 1024 MB
* Available Memory Slots: 2
* Number of Banks: 3
* Dual Channel Support: N.A.
* CPU Manufacturer: GenuineIntel
* CPU Family: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz Modelo 2, N]]]]vel 9
* CPU Speed: 2994 MHz

Don't get it, I'm sure that the board has the capacity to have 2 GB maximum of memory, and it only recognizes 1 GB..

wrench97

There were a lot of lower tier manufacturers that used that chipset did the specs on the crucial site for ram match the spec you have as far as DS/SS(double sided/ single sided)
What happens if you just use the new 1 gig does it see 1Gig or only 512Meg?

Stu_computer

try everest to see if it lists a manufacturer, else check the mobo itself to see if a brandname is on it because different manufacturers have different board configurations and bios codes. may be between 1 to 2gb ram depending on mfr.

for instance PC Chips M952 uses the PT800/8237 chipset and all board 3 versions use PC2700 for the 1gb stick but PC3200 for other sizes.

where are you getting your chipset drivers from? did you get a CD when purchased computer?