[korsondo]

I have an IBM Thinkpad, XP, 20GIG hd, 1ghz.

I have one 256meg chip installed in one memory slot and 128meg chip installed in the other. I noticed while checking my system information, it is only reading 256megs of RAM. I reseated the chips in their respective slots and the reading is the same, 256megs. What could be the problem? Both are new memory modules.

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When you look at the modules, spot the little gold plated notches on the bottom. Are there three missing notches?

If so, you have what's known as SDRAM. If not, it's known as DDR.

SDRAM is one of the most awkward forms of memory that ever existed. Quite a lot of motherboards that take SDRAM don't like memory modules that don't conform to their idea of likeability. Therefore they either refuse to work at all OR only report half of what the stick says it is, so its quite likely that your system doesn't like that 256mb stick and is reading it as 128Mb.

Your best bet would be to look the system up on somewhere like Crucial and buy memory from them to get it to see the full (in your case) 384Mb, as their stuff is guaranteed to work or your money back.

[Neil Jones]

When you look at the modules, spot the little gold plated notches on the bottom. Are there three missing notches?

If so, you have what's known as SDRAM. If not, it's known as DDR.

SDRAM is one of the most awkward forms of memory that ever existed. Quite a lot of motherboards that take SDRAM don't like memory modules that don't conform to their idea of likeability. Therefore they either refuse to work at all OR only report half of what the stick says it is, so its quite likely that your system doesn't like that 256mb stick and is reading it as 128Mb.

Your best bet would be to look the system up on somewhere like Crucial and buy memory from them to get it to see the full (in your case) 384Mb, as their stuff is guaranteed to work or your money back.

[korsondo]

I have an IBM Thinkpad, XP, 20GIG hd, 1ghz.

I have one 256meg chip installed in one memory slot and 128meg chip installed in the other. I noticed while checking my system information, it is only reading 256megs of RAM. I reseated the chips in their respective slots and the reading is the same, 256megs. What could be the problem? Both are new memory modules.

That being the case, I suppose it is DDR. There is only one notch in the gold plated area. Also, I bought my 256meg chip from Crucial. The 128meg chip came with the computer. I just upgraded the memory so I could run XP instead of 98SE.

[MNOB07]

Does this laptop have integrated video? An integrated GPU could be using 128MB for Video rAM,

[korsondo]

Does this laptop have integrated video? An integrated GPU could be using 128MB for Video rAM,

I thought all laptops had integrated video. Is there a way to tell if the video card is using that 128meg of RAM? It showed up 384megs when I installed the new 256meg chip. Then, two days later, it's back down to 256.

[MNOB07]

Not all laptops, but most.

Download CPU-Z:
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

Run "cpuz.exe" found inside the zip archive

The "SPD" tab will give you information about each memory module that is installed. How much MB does each have? Does that seem correct?

----------------------------------------------------
Now:

Start > Run > type "dxdiag" without the quotes > OK > "Display" tab

What is the name of the device? and what is its total memory?
----------------------------------------------------

Finally compare that to the amount of system memory your computer is reporting. this can be found in many places, and should be Memory Module #1 + #2 - total memory of display adapter

right click "My Computer" > properties

CPU-Z > "Memory" tab

dxdiag > "System" tab

to name a few.. tell us if anything seems out of place.

Edited by MNOB07, 07 July 2006 - 10:08 PM.

[korsondo]

Not all laptops, but most.

Download CPU-Z:
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

Run "cpuz.exe" found inside the zip archive

The "SPD" tab will give you information about each memory module that is installed. How much MB does each have? Does that seem correct?

----------------------------------------------------
Now:

Start > Run > type "dxdiag" without the quotes > OK > "Display" tab

What is the name of the device? and what is its total memory?
----------------------------------------------------

Finally compare that to the amount of system memory your computer is reporting. this can be found in many places, and should be Memory Module #1 + #2 - total memory of display adapter

right click "My Computer" > properties

CPU-Z > "Memory" tab

dxdiag > "System" tab

to name a few.. tell us if anything seems out of place.

Ok, I downloaded CPU-Z, ran it and it reports that one slot is "empty". So, I switched modules around (one chip is 128 meg and the other is 256 meg). Now, it is reading only 128megs of RAM. So, is it now obvious I have a bad memory slot? I switched them back and the, apparently, good slot is reading the 256megs of RAM.

[Neil Jones]

Yes, this is pointing now to an issue with one of the memory module slots on the laptop, unfortunately. But there isn't anything you can do with it, short of running with it on 256Mb for the rest of the life of the laptop, or looking at Crucial to see if it supports a 512Mb module.

[korsondo]

Yes, this is pointing now to an issue with one of the memory module slots on the laptop, unfortunately. But there isn't anything you can do with it, short of running with it on 256Mb for the rest of the life of the laptop, or looking at Crucial to see if it supports a 512Mb module.

I was afraid of that. I sincerely appreciate yours and everyone's help with this, regardless. Thanks much.