RAM issue

Insomnolence · 11-03-2009, 01:19 AM

I bought two new sticks of Samsung 512Mb DDRAM the other day. After
installation, Windows only registers 504Mb instead of the actual ~1Gb.
CPU-Z reports the full 1024Mb but the BIOS also only reports 504Mb. I tested it with Memtest86 and it found no errors with the sticks, however it too only reported 504Mb. In Windows XP Manager, in the system information
section, under memory, it tells me that there is two 256Mb sticks
installed when actually there are two 512Mb sticks!

This leads me to conclude that Windows is running on sub-optimal resources, and I'd like to fix it! :D

Any ideas on what could be going on?

I run Windows XP Pro on a 900MHz Intel Celeron.
Motherboard: VIA Technologies VT8601

**wrench97** · 11-03-2009, 01:42 AM

VIA Technologies VT8601 is the chipset not the motherboard model, is this a branded PC like a Dell, HP, Gateway Etc?

What brand and part number sticks did you buy?

It sounds like maybe you have dual sided sticks and the Motherboard only accepts single sided, but the brands and models are need to know for sure.

Insomnolence · 11-03-2009, 10:40 PM

Okay yeah my bad, motherboard model is actually M6VLQ, manufactured by the BIOSTAR Group. The RAM sticks are double-sided yes, and have SAMSUNG printed on them, but CPU-Z reports the manufacturer as Infineon. The PC has a "Microbits" sticker on it that I presume is the brand you mean?

Um, and I'm not sure about the part number. Do you know how I could find that out? If it's written on the chips it means I'll have to open the box again, and I'd rather not do that if I don't have to haha...

Thanks for your help!

**wrench97** · 11-04-2009, 01:37 AM

Run CPUz to get the part numbers of the sticks, it'll be on the SPD tab.
I think you have the wrong sticks the board can only take double sided or low density at 256 per side, you may have single sided or high density sticks which read as 512 per side.
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

Insomnolence · 11-04-2009, 05:29 AM

Part number is greyed out for both sticks in CPU-Z, only the serial number is visible which is 005F21C2 for both.

Damn... so it looks like I'll have to get a new motherboard to get this RAM working hey?

It's actually my Mum's PC, she was complaining about how slow it was, no wonder with only 256Mb RAM, so I though I'd order her some more and wack it in before I shipped out for Uni ;)

**wrench97** · 11-04-2009, 11:44 AM

I would get different sticks, it will speed it some but being a Pentium III board it will still seem slow, I have a PIII 700 as a file server and it has trouble with even internet browsing any more with all the Flash and Java on the pages now.
Generally cheap ram found on eBay is low density server ram most PC's won't run it.

Use this as a example of a memory configuration utility this gives you the correct Crucial Part Number for the ram you need> http://www.crucial.com/store/listpar...iostar&cat=RAM

Insomnolence · 11-06-2009, 11:54 PM

It just seems kind of strange that CPU-Z is able to read the full memory of the sticks, but nothing else...

**wrench97** · 11-07-2009, 02:23 AM

If you have fast boot enabled go into the Bios and disable it, then reboot see if it counts up the full ram when booting.

Insomnolence · 11-08-2009, 07:48 PM

Alright so I went into the BIOS and disabled quick boot, and when I saved and exited, the computer rebooted, but then stopped at a white BIOSTAR screen with a logo and a homepage on it. I left it for half an hour, nothing... no audible disk activity at all. So I restarted and went back into the BIOS and enabled quick boot, and now it boots again normally! So, I'm completely puzzled as to what is happening there

Computers suck

**wrench97** · 11-09-2009, 01:20 AM

Sounds like it's getting stuck trying to count the ram, I think you need a different pair.

11-03-2009, 01:19 AM	#1 (permalink)
Insomnolence Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 5 OS: XP SP2	RAM issue I bought two new sticks of Samsung 512Mb DDRAM the other day. After installation, Windows only registers 504Mb instead of the actual ~1Gb. CPU-Z reports the full 1024Mb but the BIOS also only reports 504Mb. I tested it with Memtest86 and it found no errors with the sticks, however it too only reported 504Mb. In Windows XP Manager, in the system information section, under memory, it tells me that there is two 256Mb sticks installed when actually there are two 512Mb sticks! This leads me to conclude that Windows is running on sub-optimal resources, and I'd like to fix it! :D Any ideas on what could be going on? I run Windows XP Pro on a 900MHz Intel Celeron. Motherboard: VIA Technologies VT8601

11-03-2009, 01:42 AM	#2 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,868 OS: Win7	Re: RAM issue VIA Technologies VT8601 is the chipset not the motherboard model, is this a branded PC like a Dell, HP, Gateway Etc? What brand and part number sticks did you buy? It sounds like maybe you have dual sided sticks and the Motherboard only accepts single sided, but the brands and models are need to know for sure. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

11-03-2009, 10:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
Insomnolence Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 5 OS: XP SP2	Re: RAM issue Okay yeah my bad, motherboard model is actually M6VLQ, manufactured by the BIOSTAR Group. The RAM sticks are double-sided yes, and have SAMSUNG printed on them, but CPU-Z reports the manufacturer as Infineon. The PC has a "Microbits" sticker on it that I presume is the brand you mean? Um, and I'm not sure about the part number. Do you know how I could find that out? If it's written on the chips it means I'll have to open the box again, and I'd rather not do that if I don't have to haha... Thanks for your help!

11-04-2009, 01:37 AM	#4 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,868 OS: Win7	Re: RAM issue Run CPUz to get the part numbers of the sticks, it'll be on the SPD tab. I think you have the wrong sticks the board can only take double sided or low density at 256 per side, you may have single sided or high density sticks which read as 512 per side. http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php __________________ Power Supply and Selection

11-04-2009, 05:29 AM	#5 (permalink)
Insomnolence Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 5 OS: XP SP2	Re: RAM issue Part number is greyed out for both sticks in CPU-Z, only the serial number is visible which is 005F21C2 for both. Damn... so it looks like I'll have to get a new motherboard to get this RAM working hey? It's actually my Mum's PC, she was complaining about how slow it was, no wonder with only 256Mb RAM, so I though I'd order her some more and wack it in before I shipped out for Uni ;)

11-04-2009, 11:44 AM	#6 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,868 OS: Win7	Re: RAM issue I would get different sticks, it will speed it some but being a Pentium III board it will still seem slow, I have a PIII 700 as a file server and it has trouble with even internet browsing any more with all the Flash and Java on the pages now. Generally cheap ram found on eBay is low density server ram most PC's won't run it. Use this as a example of a memory configuration utility this gives you the correct Crucial Part Number for the ram you need> http://www.crucial.com/store/listpar...iostar&cat=RAM __________________ Power Supply and Selection

11-06-2009, 11:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
Insomnolence Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 5 OS: XP SP2	Re: RAM issue It just seems kind of strange that CPU-Z is able to read the full memory of the sticks, but nothing else...

11-07-2009, 02:23 AM	#8 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,868 OS: Win7	Re: RAM issue If you have fast boot enabled go into the Bios and disable it, then reboot see if it counts up the full ram when booting. __________________ Power Supply and Selection Last edited by wrench97; 11-07-2009 at 02:24 AM.

11-08-2009, 07:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
Insomnolence Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 5 OS: XP SP2	Re: RAM issue Alright so I went into the BIOS and disabled quick boot, and when I saved and exited, the computer rebooted, but then stopped at a white BIOSTAR screen with a logo and a homepage on it. I left it for half an hour, nothing... no audible disk activity at all. So I restarted and went back into the BIOS and enabled quick boot, and now it boots again normally! So, I'm completely puzzled as to what is happening there Computers suck

11-09-2009, 01:20 AM	#10 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,868 OS: Win7	Re: RAM issue Sounds like it's getting stuck trying to count the ram, I think you need a different pair. __________________ Power Supply and Selection