RAM Detection

Talk about computers, hardware, applications, and consumer electronics.
User avatar
Depressing
Posts: 1977
Joined: 2008.09.26 (06:46)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/rennaT
MBTI Type: ISTJ
Location: Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Postby Tanner » 2010.11.02 (20:11)

Hey dudeskis.

I don't know if anyone will be able to help me with this but I figured I'd ask. My desktop computer is only detecting half of the RAM installed in it. Turns out it's been like this since I bought it second hand from a friend and I just hadn't noticed. The RAM is installed correctly, the computer detects both of them (there are two sticks), but they are labeled as 1024MB sticks and the computer sees both as 512MB. I've tested them for problems using a variety of tools off the UBCD and they seem to be perfectly healthy. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is it possible that they're just mislabeled? It would be far too late to return them if they are.

Edit: I can get any other information you might need to help me here. Just ask.
Image
'rret donc d'niaser 'vec mon sirop d'erable, calis, si j't'r'vois icitte j'pellerais la police, tu l'veras l'criss de poutine de cul t'auras en prison, tabarnak

User avatar
Lifer
Posts: 1099
Joined: 2008.09.26 (21:35)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/smartalco
MBTI Type: INTJ

Postby smartalco » 2010.11.02 (20:30)

That... is really weird. I can't think of any good explanation for that happening other than them being mislabeled...
Image
Tycho: "I don't know why people ever, ever try to stop nerds from doing things. It's really the most incredible waste of time."
Adam Savage: "I reject your reality and substitute my own!"

User avatar
Not So Awesome Blossom
Posts: 2529
Joined: 2008.09.26 (21:28)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/
Steam: www.steamcommunity.com/id/
Location: USA

Postby Vyacheslav » 2010.11.02 (21:09)

Motherboard?
Image

User avatar
Didn't get a name change in the middle of the TF2 thread.
Posts: 514
Joined: 2008.09.28 (04:50)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/heatwave21
MBTI Type: INFJ
Location: Visconsin
Contact:

Postby heatwave » 2010.11.02 (21:28)

oeuvre wrote:Motherboard?
That's the first thing my mind went to.
spoiler

Part of this community since 2007. — Play Subvein


User avatar
Depressing
Posts: 1977
Joined: 2008.09.26 (06:46)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/rennaT
MBTI Type: ISTJ
Location: Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Postby Tanner » 2010.11.02 (23:58)

oeuvre wrote:Motherboard?
It's a Machspeed mk8-939a. The ram is Ultra 333MHz DDR 1024MB, one stick in DIMM 1 and one stick in DIMM 3, just as it should be.
Image
'rret donc d'niaser 'vec mon sirop d'erable, calis, si j't'r'vois icitte j'pellerais la police, tu l'veras l'criss de poutine de cul t'auras en prison, tabarnak

User avatar
Not So Awesome Blossom
Posts: 2529
Joined: 2008.09.26 (21:28)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/
Steam: www.steamcommunity.com/id/
Location: USA

Postby Vyacheslav » 2010.11.03 (00:04)

What happens if you put it in DIMMs 2 and 4?
Image

User avatar
Queen of All Spiders
Posts: 4263
Joined: 2008.09.29 (03:54)
NUMA Profile: http://www.freeWoWgold.edu
MBTI Type: ENFP
Location: Quebec, Canada!

Postby SlappyMcGee » 2010.11.03 (00:08)

Maybe this is just me... what is the difference they are referring to in the manual between 64 and 128 bit? Because 128 bit is used with the first two slots, as opposed to the first and third, as in 64 bit. Just a thought.
Loathes

User avatar
Depressing
Posts: 1977
Joined: 2008.09.26 (06:46)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/rennaT
MBTI Type: ISTJ
Location: Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Postby Tanner » 2010.11.03 (01:03)

oeuvre wrote:What happens if you put it in DIMMs 2 and 4?
It's not meant to be used in those slots. Like Slaps pointed out, it's 64-bit ram which, according to the motherboard manual, should be placed in the first and third slots when using two sticks.

Question though, I was looking back through the mobo manual and it explicitly says that it supports dual channel ram. The stuff I have installed right now is single channel. Does dual channel support implicitly support single channel as well or could this be a problem? Does anyone know for sure? I'm not having much luck with google.
Image
'rret donc d'niaser 'vec mon sirop d'erable, calis, si j't'r'vois icitte j'pellerais la police, tu l'veras l'criss de poutine de cul t'auras en prison, tabarnak

User avatar
Not So Awesome Blossom
Posts: 2529
Joined: 2008.09.26 (21:28)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/
Steam: www.steamcommunity.com/id/
Location: USA

Postby Vyacheslav » 2010.11.03 (02:04)

For dual channel to work, your RAM must be exactly the same, eg. same speed, mb/gb, timings, brand, model, etc. and in your case it should be placed either in slots 1 and 3 or 2 and 4... Have you seen anything in the BIOS settings that you can configure or does it have one of those OEM restricted BIOSes?
Image

User avatar
Depressing
Posts: 1977
Joined: 2008.09.26 (06:46)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/rennaT
MBTI Type: ISTJ
Location: Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Postby Tanner » 2010.11.03 (03:05)

oeuvre wrote:For dual channel to work, your RAM must be exactly the same, eg. same speed, mb/gb, timings, brand, model, etc. and in your case it should be placed either in slots 1 and 3 or 2 and 4... Have you seen anything in the BIOS settings that you can configure or does it have one of those OEM restricted BIOSes?
I don't really get the question. What sort of setting would I be looking for that would half the ram detected? Like I've already said, I have single channel ram installed, just in case you misread.
Image
'rret donc d'niaser 'vec mon sirop d'erable, calis, si j't'r'vois icitte j'pellerais la police, tu l'veras l'criss de poutine de cul t'auras en prison, tabarnak

User avatar
Not So Awesome Blossom
Posts: 2529
Joined: 2008.09.26 (21:28)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/
Steam: www.steamcommunity.com/id/
Location: USA

Postby Vyacheslav » 2010.11.03 (03:15)

Single channel doesn't make a difference; it should still see 1GB each instead of 512mb
Image

User avatar
Depressing
Posts: 1977
Joined: 2008.09.26 (06:46)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/rennaT
MBTI Type: ISTJ
Location: Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Postby Tanner » 2010.11.03 (03:55)

oeuvre wrote:Single channel doesn't make a difference; it should still see 1GB each instead of 512mb
Well then this is a real wtf for me.
Image
'rret donc d'niaser 'vec mon sirop d'erable, calis, si j't'r'vois icitte j'pellerais la police, tu l'veras l'criss de poutine de cul t'auras en prison, tabarnak

User avatar
Queen of All Spiders
Posts: 4263
Joined: 2008.09.29 (03:54)
NUMA Profile: http://www.freeWoWgold.edu
MBTI Type: ENFP
Location: Quebec, Canada!

Postby SlappyMcGee » 2010.11.03 (04:29)

Okay, here's my question; when you run on only one stick, how much?
Loathes

User avatar
Depressing
Posts: 1977
Joined: 2008.09.26 (06:46)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/rennaT
MBTI Type: ISTJ
Location: Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Postby Tanner » 2010.11.03 (06:23)

=w= wrote:Okay, here's my question; when you run on only one stick, how much?
512MB. I've tried both stick independently and they both gave me 512MB when they were the only one in there.
Image
'rret donc d'niaser 'vec mon sirop d'erable, calis, si j't'r'vois icitte j'pellerais la police, tu l'veras l'criss de poutine de cul t'auras en prison, tabarnak

User avatar
Queen of All Spiders
Posts: 4263
Joined: 2008.09.29 (03:54)
NUMA Profile: http://www.freeWoWgold.edu
MBTI Type: ENFP
Location: Quebec, Canada!

Postby SlappyMcGee » 2010.11.03 (13:09)

hairscapades wrote:
=w= wrote:Okay, here's my question; when you run on only one stick, how much?
512MB. I've tried both stick independently and they both gave me 512MB when they were the only one in there.
Huhhhhh.


Did you try them on another mobo? That would be the last test to see if they're mislabeled. :)
Loathes

User avatar
Depressing
Posts: 1977
Joined: 2008.09.26 (06:46)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/rennaT
MBTI Type: ISTJ
Location: Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Postby Tanner » 2010.11.03 (14:27)

Unfortunately I don't have another motherboard that'll fit this ram. I may just buy more ram and see. Worst comes to worst, I can just take it back if the problem isn't resolved. Thanks guys!
Image
'rret donc d'niaser 'vec mon sirop d'erable, calis, si j't'r'vois icitte j'pellerais la police, tu l'veras l'criss de poutine de cul t'auras en prison, tabarnak

User avatar
Depressing
Posts: 1977
Joined: 2008.09.26 (06:46)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/rennaT
MBTI Type: ISTJ
Location: Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Postby Tanner » 2010.11.04 (18:28)

UPDATE

So I went out and, because I don't have another mobo to fit the RAM in question, purchased a gig stick of 400mHz DDR. Went home, pulled out the other RAM, stuck the single stick and bam, 1GB of RAM shows up. So either the RAM in question is mislabeled, damaged, or not compatible with this motherboard in some incredible way. So tomorrow I'mma go out and pick up another one of these gig sticks and I should be where I want to be. Thanks for being the sounding board on this one, guys.
Image
'rret donc d'niaser 'vec mon sirop d'erable, calis, si j't'r'vois icitte j'pellerais la police, tu l'veras l'criss de poutine de cul t'auras en prison, tabarnak

User avatar
Queen of All Spiders
Posts: 4263
Joined: 2008.09.29 (03:54)
NUMA Profile: http://www.freeWoWgold.edu
MBTI Type: ENFP
Location: Quebec, Canada!

Postby SlappyMcGee » 2010.11.04 (20:28)

hairscapades wrote:UPDATE

So I went out and, because I don't have another mobo to fit the RAM in question, purchased a gig stick of 400mHz DDR. Went home, pulled out the other RAM, stuck the single stick and bam, 1GB of RAM shows up. So either the RAM in question is mislabeled, damaged, or not compatible with this motherboard in some incredible way. So tomorrow I'mma go out and pick up another one of these gig sticks and I should be where I want to be. Thanks for being the sounding board on this one, guys.
Is cool. I hope the new RAM is not GSKILL, and wish you the best of luck.
Loathes

User avatar
Not So Awesome Blossom
Posts: 2529
Joined: 2008.09.26 (21:28)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/
Steam: www.steamcommunity.com/id/
Location: USA

Postby Vyacheslav » 2010.11.04 (21:11)

Just out of curiosity, how much did you buy that 1GB PC400 RAM?
Image

User avatar
Depressing
Posts: 1977
Joined: 2008.09.26 (06:46)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/rennaT
MBTI Type: ISTJ
Location: Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Postby Tanner » 2010.11.04 (22:50)

35 bucks.
Image
'rret donc d'niaser 'vec mon sirop d'erable, calis, si j't'r'vois icitte j'pellerais la police, tu l'veras l'criss de poutine de cul t'auras en prison, tabarnak

User avatar
Not So Awesome Blossom
Posts: 2529
Joined: 2008.09.26 (21:28)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/
Steam: www.steamcommunity.com/id/
Location: USA

Postby Vyacheslav » 2010.11.04 (22:57)

Ouch. I know you can get 1gb DDR2, maybe even DDR3 RAM for $20... but DDR1 prices are high these days
Image

User avatar
Depressing
Posts: 1977
Joined: 2008.09.26 (06:46)
NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/rennaT
MBTI Type: ISTJ
Location: Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Postby Tanner » 2010.11.05 (00:46)

It's basically legacy equipment now. You know, like how cassettes cost more than CDs. Still cheaper than buying a new PC.
Image
'rret donc d'niaser 'vec mon sirop d'erable, calis, si j't'r'vois icitte j'pellerais la police, tu l'veras l'criss de poutine de cul t'auras en prison, tabarnak


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 11 guests