Hello all, Hope you are well and that one of you can help me with a slightly irritating issue. Yesterday I installed some extra RAM to increase my total RAM from 3 GB to 6. Now my BIOS will only recognise 4 GB and the system option in WIn 7 says 6 GB is installed but only 4 is available for use. What gives? My board is a Gigabyte EX58 DS4 and I am using the F11 BIOS rev. Does anyone know if the memory in 64 but win 7 runs as in a 32 bit OS (ie max 4 GB usable)? Is there some sort of option I need to select to allow use of the whole shebang? And what do people think about my BIOS? In case it's relevant, the memory is 6 1 GB sticks in two triple channel config. One set of three is rated at 1600 speed and the other three at 1333, but I am running all the memory at 1333 (auto setting in the BIOS runs the memory at 1060). Any ideas you have will be gratefully received! let me know if you need anymore info. Thanks in advance! Leigh
windows 7 64 bit should recognise it straight away without any configuration, I think the lowest limit is 8GB. Which version do you have? What does it say if you go to the memory section of the resource meter? (at the bottom of the performance tab in task manager) Look for the bar underneath all the figures. Anything hardware reserved? What happens if you run them at default settings in the bios? Also how are they installed? e.g. Does each channel have a 1333 stick and a 1600?
16GB is the lowest limit (Home Premium).. Starter edition doesn't count.. as you can't get it. You need Windows 7 64-bit to use more than 4GB of RAM. If you use Windows 7 32-bit, due to CPU limitations and driver limitations, your are limited to 4GB of RAM. Win 32-bit architecture also removed from that 4GB of RAM (when reached), the GPU memory (up to a certain level). So in reality you have 3.2 to 3.7GB of RAM that you actually address.
Saying that though it almost exactly what you'd expect to happen with a 32 bit install of 7, except the full 4GB is available. It is entirely possible to have both 64 and 32 bit windows install files on 1 DVD. Does it definitely say 64bit if you right click/properties on "my computer"?
Ah, the crazy X58 memory issue. First, increase memory controller voltage (up to 1.25V), it will be labeled QPI/Vtt on Gigabyte board if i remember correctly. But even with that, you will sometimes have problems with it. Core i7 9xx memory controller is just that "unreliable". Best thing you can do is get rid of 6 modules and get just 3. We got 6x2GB in our server, and once in a while we get 8GB instead of 12GB after reboot. Then we turn off the PC, take out all RAM modules. We start to put them back in same order, boot after each one and watch the total memory to increase from 2 to 4,6,8,10,12GB. No BIOS settings changed, absolutely no explanation - but we again have 12GB. In few weeks/months, after next reboot, i'm sure we will have 8GB again. And by the way, go to BIOS and check out the memory timings. I'm sure one of the channels will have - instead of timing values. Also on MIT screen you will see all RAM modules in DIMM Slot line, but you will have two of your RAM modules not listed on next line (Enabled Slot). If you get this, then you have the awesome X58 memory controller issue with no solution available, except the possibility to decrease memory controller load (get less memory modules) and switch to different memory brand (Mushkin seems to have this issue less often than other manufacturers, Corsair has this issue often, but that is maybe because Corsair sells more as well).
look for something that is along the lines of remap memory above 4gb, physical limit etc. in your bios and make sure it is enable. many bios are still configured by default for the lowest possible configuration, ie 32bit, slow memory, using serial devices who knows. so its pretty much required to correct a majority of settings by going though every single bios page.
Hmm... Thanks for your thoughts guys. Sorry for the late reply. Yes, I am DEFINATELY running 64 bit Windows 7. There are no further options in the BIOS for changing the memory bus or the amount of memory in play. My MIT screen shows no DIMM indicators at all, just the timings. I will check again to make sure I have not missed anything. Interesting stuff from Faugusztin. I didn't know there was a memory controller issue on the X58 chipset. This seems to be a bit of a flaw! Has anyone raised this with Intel? I may just do that (and die a slow death waiting for a reply). Still, sounds like a fairly clear fault with their product. Wish I had the money to sell my used memory and get three 2 GB sticks instead. Oh well, back to the streets with my fine ass.
Someone else had a similar issue, only occurred after replacing the hard disk with a new one. It was resolved with a bios update.
