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Memory Chip Recognized Incorrectly


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#1
VidenTheColdOne

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I just bought a G-Skill 2gb DDRII 800 PC2-6400. I plugged it in, but it is only recognizing the chip as 1gb, even though it is a 2gb stick. I know for a fact that my motherboard can handle up to 16gb of RAM (which is odd with only 4 slots) Any ideas as to why it's doing this?
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#2
S_t_r_y_k_e_r

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Hi VidenTheColdOne

Have you tried putting the memory stick into each of the slots? That way you can rule out that the memory slot on the motherboard is faulty.
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#3
VidenTheColdOne

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i have 4 slots, the memory takes up 3 slots, i tried a bunch of different combinations, but still nothing. Is there some kind of software i may need to download, or settings that need to be changed in the BIOS or something? Please let me know. I used a memory scanner, and the chip scans as a 2gb chip, but it only shows up as 1gb (its plugged in tightly and everything) Its not as bad as it not coming up at all, 1gb is better than none, but i would like to get what i paid for. Any more ideas? Please help!
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#4
S_t_r_y_k_e_r

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Where are you seeing that its only recognising it as 1GB? Is it in the BIOS?

If you right click My Computer and select Properties, it will tell you how much memory is available. Add the 2GB to what was already there and you should arrive at the same total as what is shown on the properties screen.

You could try a BIOS upgrade, but if you do be very careful to follow the steps on the the motherboard manufacturers website!
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#5
VidenTheColdOne

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It says 3 gb in that window you described. I did a little test of my own, and its confusing. I took out one of the 1gb chips, and booted it back up. I checked the total memory, and it said 3gb with the 2gb chip, and the 1gb chip installed. So, i put the other 1gb chip back in, and it stayed at 3gb. So it certainly doesn't seem as though there is something wrong with the chip, it looks more like the motherboard. I contacted the mobo manufacturer, and i am waiting to see what they say. They tote that their motherboard can handle up to 16gb of ram (Which doesn't make sense since it only has 4 slots, and you would need 4 sticks of 4gb ram, which i have never seen) So 4gb total memory should be no problem. Any other ideas?
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#6
Kazzoo

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Greetings VidenTheColdOne

Yes, 4gb ddr2 ram sticks do exisit. Link to one--------------->http://apcmag.com/4g...tick_of_ram.htm

If you are running a XP os in the 32 bit flavor, Your machine is reporting accurately. 32 bit operating systems can only address 4gb of memory space. Some of that memory you installed will be unusable because some of the physical address space is mapped or reserved for other uses by other devices.

Pci cards, video cards, system roms, pciex all take a address space or spaces. Just because you added Ram beyond the os capability to address it does not mean you got to add extra memory space.

So Xp should report somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.0 gb to 3.5gb or so of availible memory. the rest of the space is already spoken for.

A good read, Link---------------->http://members.cox.n...tteryt/RAM.html

Regards

Kaz
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#7
VidenTheColdOne

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Well, guess that sucks. I guess i will take out a 1gb stick, and put it aside incase something happens to my RAM, or i need it in the future, and use the faster 2gb stick, and the remaining 1gb stick. Thanks for explaining it. ^_^
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