[dsenette]

if you had 3 systems in a building built by the same company, and all three had the same problem opening software (such as microsoft office programs locking up when doing things like replying to an email or printing something) and system info shows 512mb of physical memory, but bios, properties of 'my computer' and task manager showed 1024mb of memory (a gig) would you assume that there was a problem with the machine accessing the memory?

[Advertisements]

I am not sure why system ifo only shows 512 mb but the first thing I would do is check the ram with memtest86 from a bootable floppy. Let memtest run for at least 3 passes for a quick check but if these lock ups only occur every so often then memtest should be run for 5 or 6 hours. If memtest only errors on test 5 or test 7 the ram still could be good, for some reason that I can not fully explain but have read about so if you get errors please report how many and on what test the occur

I understand these are computers at work and you may not have access to run memtest but its the first thing that should be looked at.

Are these computers new? If they are maybe a setting in bios needs tweaked
but we would have to know the specs.

Rick

[Doby]

I am not sure why system ifo only shows 512 mb but the first thing I would do is check the ram with memtest86 from a bootable floppy. Let memtest run for at least 3 passes for a quick check but if these lock ups only occur every so often then memtest should be run for 5 or 6 hours. If memtest only errors on test 5 or test 7 the ram still could be good, for some reason that I can not fully explain but have read about so if you get errors please report how many and on what test the occur

I understand these are computers at work and you may not have access to run memtest but its the first thing that should be looked at.

Are these computers new? If they are maybe a setting in bios needs tweaked
but we would have to know the specs.

Rick

[dsenette]

they are new (all purchased around the same time about a month or so ago) i've reset the bios to defaults. i've tried different ram, i tried using some ddr2 in the corresponding slots on the board...still only shows 512....they are locking during memory load. it seems as though as soon as something stacks that 512 limit that the thing craps out...windows stays up...but the program locks...the only program that i can recreate the issue with on command is autocad inventor series....which puts a large load on ram at certain times.

[Doby]

My guess is these are intel machines, I won't be much help with these but it seems to me that a bios setting may need a tweak, if they were Amd I would tell you to up the vdim a little.

Hard to believe 3 mobos would all have the same problem thats why I think its a bios setting

[dsenette]

they are all msi boards with p4's in them....

[biyectivo]

Can you please post the complete specs of these computers?

Sounds like a Windows issue - is there a possibility that the version installed in all three machines is corrupt/pirated/etc.? In my humble opinion I don't think it is a BIOS setting.

[dsenette]

here's the system specs..and no it's not pirated..and shouldn't be corrupt