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Memory Issues


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#1
amw_drizz

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Okay here the deal,

For the past month or so I have been running one stick of my kingston hyperx gaming memory in my hackintosh build. And I ordered what I thought would be fine stick of ram Amp 0 powered by Wintec 2 gb pc 5300 677mghz ram. And the computer only sees half of the amount of ram installed. 1gb instead of 2gb. It has been running my old ram at severly underclocked speeds (about half of its full speed).

I am kind of disappointed that this comp only sees 1gb instead of 2gb.


Any Ideas short of me going out and buying another 2gb stick, while I am stuck with the one I have since Newegg doesn't have a refund policy for ram?

I suppose I could put it in my desktop and risk it being unstable since it is slower than my kingston ram that I have in it.

EDIT :: My Kignston is 1066 (it slowed down to 533 half), new ram is 667mghz running at 533mghz and only half is seen....

Edited by amw_drizz, 07 April 2009 - 05:47 PM.

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#2
cbarnard

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Welcome to Geeks To Go
My name is Cbarnard I hope I may be of service to you.


For the past month or so I have been running one stick of my kingston hyperx gaming memory in my hackintosh build. And I ordered what I thought would be fine stick of ram Amp 0 powered by Wintec 2 gb pc 5300 677mghz ram. And the computer only sees half of the amount of ram installed. 1gb instead of 2gb. It has been running my old ram at severly underclocked speeds (about half of its full speed).

I am kind of disappointed that this comp only sees 1gb instead of 2gb.


Are you using onboard video or video card? if so how much ram is it?

I suppose I could put it in my desktop and risk it being unstable since it is slower than my kingston ram that I have in it.


This is not a good idea. Ram modules that are used in a computer should all match speed and size. By not ensuring this is done can create system instability.

The only time you can use ram that is a different speed and size is when you have a dual channel board. On one channel you can have one speed and size, and the other channel can have a different speed and size. All ram in a given channel must match. But you are better off keeping all the ram the same.

EDIT :: My Kignston is 1066 (it slowed down to 533 half), new ram is 667mghz running at 533mghz and only half is seen....


This ram you are talking about (I assume) is DDR2 ram,
To know what this means you have to understand how memory timing works. If the Ram timing is set at 400mhz with (old ram not DDR) that was the true speed of the ram. But DDR2 (Dual Data Rate) is exactly that dual data. Think of a ram timing like a grandfather clock with a pendulum. Every time the pendulum swings left to right it advances the gears in the clock. It has to return all the way back to the left and then it starts again left to right and it moves the gear again. That is the way old ram timings worked on a one way path. Now with DDR2 ram that same pendulum goes left to right,advances the gear, and the right to left and advances the gear. The speed of the pendulum hasn't speed up, but the gear it is moving speed up 100% it doubled is capability without any effort on every swing. And that is why your ram is running at half is speed, 1066mhz ram operates at 533mh.

I hope this has been helpful, as maybe I got way to deep, But I tried to make it easy, but it gets way deeper and complicated.
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#3
amw_drizz

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Are you using onboard video or video card? if so how much ram is it?

It is an onboard video Card, but only 64mb is alloted to it, and when I was running my Kingston HyperX Ram in it, It still showed the correct amount of ram for the stick of ram it was. Now it is only half.

This is not a good idea. Ram modules that are used in a computer should all match speed and size. By not ensuring this is done can create system instability.

The only time you can use ram that is a different speed and size is when you have a dual channel board. On one channel you can have one speed and size, and the other channel can have a different speed and size. All ram in a given channel must match. But you are better off keeping all the ram the same.

Both machines are dual channel capabale.

This ram you are talking about (I assume) is DDR2 ram,
To know what this means you have to understand how memory timing works. If the Ram timing is set at 400mhz with (old ram not DDR) that was the true speed of the ram. But DDR2 (Dual Data Rate) is exactly that dual data. Think of a ram timing like a grandfather clock with a pendulum. Every time the pendulum swings left to right it advances the gears in the clock. It has to return all the way back to the left and then it starts again left to right and it moves the gear again. That is the way old ram timings worked on a one way path. Now with DDR2 ram that same pendulum goes left to right,advances the gear, and the right to left and advances the gear. The speed of the pendulum hasn't speed up, but the gear it is moving speed up 100% it doubled is capability without any effort on every swing. And that is why your ram is running at half is speed, 1066mhz ram operates at 533mh.

I hope this has been helpful, as maybe I got way to deep, But I tried to make it easy, but it gets way deeper and complicated.

Both peices of ram are DDR2. My Kingston Ram only runs at higher speeds in my other desktop. The top one in my sig (but the ram was suited for that machine in the first place) and when I put the ram in my other desktop(the hackintosh rig in my sig) it only runs at half the speed it runs in my other desktop.

I have even tried setting the CAS Latency timings manually and that didn't help at all either. And the ram is the same size in both ram slots. I am tempted to RMA the ram and see if I the same issues happens with the new stick of ram as well.

I know a bit about computers, and I have tried a few things in the BIOS to get the ram to see its correct settings. But still no luck.
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#4
cbarnard

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Both peices of ram are DDR2. My Kingston Ram only runs at higher speeds in my other desktop. The top one in my sig (but the ram was suited for that machine in the first place) and when I put the ram in my other desktop(the hackintosh rig in my sig) it only runs at half the speed it runs in my other desktop.


The ram that is compatible with your hacintosh is PC-4200,that is the max speed of ram your computer will operate at. that is 533mhz in ddr2, meaning 266 clock speed. If you put ram in with higher speed than this it will default to this speed, as it doesn't support faster speeds.

If the ram is from the other computer is PC-8500 that is 1066mhz ram, with a clock speed of 533mhz. and what you are seeing is correct.

As for the amount of ram you are seeing:

Your computer has many methods in which to use memory. There is memory storage and caches all over the motherboard. These devices contain some of the below method of storage:

  • RAM
  • ROM
  • Cache
  • Dynamic Ram
  • Static Ram
  • Flask Memory
  • Virtual Memory
  • Video Memory
  • BIOS

For example, your sound, video, keyboard, chipset caches, I/O controller (IDE, SATA, etc) caches . . . These devices with discrete and cache RAM need to have their "Addresses" so that the computer knows where they are in order to query and access them.

You computer also has System Resource Memory. This an index of addresses that tell the computer where everything is for access as mentioned earlier. The computer needs to know that a certain boundary of addresses will contain certain functions to perform when commanded.

Memory-mapped devices (such as your video card) will use some of that physical address space, as will the BIOS ROMs. After all the non-memory devices have had their say, there will be less than 4GB of address space available for RAM below the 4GB physical address boundary. Now a 32bit Operating system such as Windows XP 32bit and VISTA 32bit have the ability to access 2^32 bits = 4GB. Now if you have an 8800GTX with 768MB of DRAM, then that memory must be addressed in the space of the 4GB and you lose some of the system dram to the addressing. This continues with all other devices, leaving you with less than the 4GB. Since Windows can address up to 4GB, then with 3GB, there will be the 3 --> 4GB mapping so you should not lose that DRAM with 3GB unless your devices demand it. For example, SLi with 2 X 8800GTX 768MB will certainly take away from the 3GB.

If you had a 2 GB system, then the addressing is done in the discrete video card DRAM.

I hope this info helps...

Cbarnard
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#5
amw_drizz

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So your saying my 1066 is running actually at 533 even though in my main desktop it is running at 1066?

I must be dunce, or something. I figured that the 667 would slow down to 533 while keeping the same amount of ram size. Even with everything on the system I should still have over 1.5 gigs for normal system ram.

So next time I get ram for this system (hackintosh) should I just get another Kingston hyperx set similar to what is in my desktop since that ran at full capacity? I've been tempted to get 2x2gb sticks of ram since the system will support 4gb DDR2 533mghz.

So just bare with me, I am just debating if I should try and sell the ram I just acquired to help cover the cost of another set of ram sticks. Since I can't return it only exchange it for the same item.

Edited by amw_drizz, 08 April 2009 - 09:03 PM.

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#6
Ferrari

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amw_drizz,

This is a great way to find out the kind of RAM (memory) you have, what kinds you can use, and how much of it your motherboard will support. If your RAM is different than what it suggests, I'm surprised the computer even boots. You can't just mix and match RAM with whatever computer you want. Motherboards require exact certain kinds, speeds, and sizes. Some motherboards even require that you have exact matching pairs bought together as a kit.

Go to www.crucial.com. Use their Online System Scanner. After this, Crucial should have recommended what the maximum amount your computer can handle and the specifications of the kind of RAM that will work in your computer.

You may notice that different kinds are compatible. i.e. pc 2 3200 or pc 2 5300. The 3200 in this case is a slower speed. If you use the 5300, it will be backwards compatible and run at the 3200 speeds.

Good Luck!
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#7
cbarnard

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Hello,

I see that you have not replied to this post. Do you still need assistance?

If the problem has been resolved please post a reply stating this is resolved. If the problem resurfaces again please reference this thread in the new thread you start.

If you continue to need assistance please reply back.

I like to hear how things are going for the people I'm assisting, please let me know how it is going good or bad!!!

Thank you very much and good luck

Cbarnard
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#8
amw_drizz

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Sorry for the lack of reply, but for now I have given up at trying to fix the error. Since it appears to be at my fault for buying the wrong kind of ram for the machine. So right now I am just going to deal with it, until more money starts coming in for other parts for the rig I am making out of it.

I am looking at making it a media center style of a machine. Although I just might be better off to build a new machine and sell this machine to help cover the costs.
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#9
cbarnard

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Thank you amw-drizz

I hope all goes well, good luck with your endeavors. If you need any other assistance I will be happy to help you...

Cbarnard
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