 drrickEarth's mightiest hero.Premium
join:2002-07-09
Chicago, IL | [memory] P4c800 Deluxe & 4GB RAM
Memory tab | | 
SPD tab; all 4 slots return the same info | | 
System Properties |
I am having issues with my motherboard recognizing 4GB of RAM like it's supposed to. I have 4x1GB modules installed with Corsair part number TWINX2048-3200C2PT. (I installed two of these identical matched pair 2GB kits.)
CPU-Z running in Windows XP SP3 can see all four 1GB modules in all four slots, their part numbers, SPD settings, etc. just fine and returns a total system memory amount of 4096MB. Each slot returns the same exact info. When the computer boots, however, BIOS counts up only 3071MB. Windows XP System Properties only shows 3.00GB. See screen captures. Testing only one 2GB pair at a time in all four different RAM slots works just fine. I also had the same problem when I tried 4GB of Corsair VS1GB400C3 (2x 2GB matched kits which are actually 4x1GB modules).
Any ideas as to what the issue might be? Could this have anything to do with my Sapphire HD3850 512MB video card? I'm stumped.
Thanks in advance. Happy New Year!
Rick
System Configuration:
*P4 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB
*Enermax EG465P-VE (460W) PSU
*Asus P4C800 Deluxe w/ onboard Gigabit LAN, latest BIOS
*4GB Corsair TwinX 400MHz (2x TWINX2048-3200C2PT)
*SATA Western Digital Raptor SE 10,000 RPM 36GB HD (WD360GD)
*PATA Seagate Barracuda 300GB 3.0GB/sec
*ATA/133 Western Digital 250GB HD (WD2500JB)
*Sapphire ATI HD3850 512MB (AGP)
*Sony DVD RW DW-G120A/DRU-120C
*Dell 24" Widescreen LCD
*Memorex 40MAXX 1248AJ
*SB Audigy 2 Platinum
*Lian-Li 6070A Silent Case
*Logitech G5 Laser Gaming Mouse
*Logitech G11 Gaming Keyboard
*Klipsch THX 2.1 Speakers or Bose QC2 Headphones
*Zalman CNPS7000-Cu Silent HS/F
*ThermalTake Silent Case Fan IIs
*Vantec Fan Bus Manual Controller
*ATech 11 in 1 Card Reader
*NOT Overclocked
*WinXP Pro SP3/ Ubuntu
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Soy el dentista! |
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srr2
join:2001-12-20
Bethlehem, PA Reviews:
 ·RCN CABLE
| It's probably a BIOS limitation. I have an ASUS board very similar to this one (P4P800MX) and had NOTHING but trouble trying to get it to work with 4GB of quality RAM. It would run only with the RAM underclocked, and IIRC, it gave the same measurements you see when it decided to work. I replaced it with an Intel board with the same components plugged in and all is well.
One thing you might try is to enable Physical Address Extension in the boot configuration (boot.ini) and see if that helps. You do that with the /pae switch in System Properties/Advanced/Startup and Recovery dialog. |
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| reply to drrick
You're running a 32bit os.
Install xp 64bit or vista 64bit (any flavor) to have all of your ram recognized.
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Insanity is living in a state of disillusion. |
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drrickEarth's mightiest hero.Premium
join:2002-07-09
Chicago, IL | reply to drrick
Hmmm... I'm beginning to wonder more about the memory my GFx card has and it's play in everything here. Thinking in terms of memory addresses, would it make sense that the total amount of memory attached to the motherboard is actually 4.5GB (4x1GB RAM modules + 512MB GFX memory)? That way, if the actual motherboard's cap is 4GB, then it might knock off that last ram module for a total of 3.5GB (3x1GB RAM modules + 512MB GFX memory).
Hmmmm...
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Soy el dentista! |
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| Besides video, there's other things that get mapped into the lower 4GB as well, such as the I/O for peripherals, pci bus, etc.
According to asus, the max mem supported by your board is indeed 4gb. I'm not 100% sure if it will let you use the actual 4gb of ram, even if you were to install a 64 bit os.
Some board have an option in the bios to remap all the i/o stuff above the actual installed memory.
Good luck.
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Insanity is living in a state of disillusion. |
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 yuutomoThe Wonder KitterPremium
join:2001-08-27
Missoula, MT
1 edit | reply to drrick
you will need to buy XP Pro 64bit to see and be able to access all of your 4GB of ram, and your Video Card's ram is not accessible as system memory, do try and learn before you start tinkering with hardware. |
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 CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | I will reiterate a 3rd time and point out that all the OP needs is a 654 bit OS for the OS to see all 4 gigs. |
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srr2
join:2001-12-20
Bethlehem, PA Reviews:
·RCN CABLE
| reply to drrick
said by drrick:Hmmm... I'm beginning to wonder more about the memory my GFx card has and it's play in everything here. Thinking in terms of memory addresses, would it make sense that the total amount of memory attached to the motherboard is actually 4.5GB (4x1GB RAM modules + 512MB GFX memory)? That way, if the actual motherboard's cap is 4GB, then it might knock off that last ram module for a total of 3.5GB (3x1GB RAM modules + 512MB GFX memory). Hmmmm... No, that's not the way it works. Did you do what I suggested? |
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| reply to CylonRed
He cant run a 64 bit OS on the CPU/Mobo because IIRC, no 64 bit socket 478 CPUs were made.
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Microsoft gives you Windows; Linux gives you the whole house. |
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CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
1 edit | Then there is nothing they can do to make 4 gigs visible to Windows.
For some reason "P4 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB" did not click as it should have... |
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 Tursiops_GTechnoidPremium,MVM
join:2002-02-06
Norwalk, CT
4 edits | reply to drrick
Also, MOST 32-Bit Windows Applications Can't address more than 2GB of Physical Memory (leaving anything over 2GB to be used only by the Windows Kernel itself), so having More than 3GB of available RAM in a 32-Bit Windows OS usually doesn't offer any real performance advantage... 
(Edit): One of the Few exceptions is Adobe Photoshop... It Is capable of addressing up to 3GB of RAM (but only if you add the /3GB switch to the Windows' Boot.ini file), but that may or may Not work properly with some Motherboards. 
-Tursiops_G.
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If You're Unsure, "RTFM"... If You're SURE, "RTFM" Anyway.  |
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| reply to jsolo1
said by jsolo1:You're running a 32bit os. Install xp 64bit or vista 64bit (any flavor) to have all of your ram recognized. or 2k3 Enterprise, or any version 2k8 Server (all 32-bit)
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