Memory Only half my RAM being utilised

start > msconfig > Boot > Advanced options... > Maximum memory

It's unticked - Cheers anyway.

Starting to seem like the most likely option might be that one of my pins is bent. It's really hard to tell with LGA 1156 though, imo.

 

Open Resource Monitor. Click on Memory tab. Take a look at Physical Memory chart. Is 4GB of your 8GB there as hardware reserved (grey) ? Then it is a hardware issue - memory module issue, memory controller issue, low Vtt voltage, low RAM voltage, maybe some other secondary voltage is not enough and stopping memory controller to work correctly, bent board (if you overtightened the CPU cooler), bent pins, and then there is a possibility memory incompatibility.

And why Windows knows that there is 8GB of RAM ? Because SPD works, but memory controller is unable to use the other two modules.

 

Yeah. 4GB is hardware reserved.

VTT and RAM voltage are ruled out. Bent board shouldn't be the case, although the CPU cooler is a pushpin one so I can't really do a great deal about tightness of the cooler.

 

have you tried dropping the speed of the memory, have seen boards that can only access higher amounts at lower speeds, the manual tells you normally if that is the case

 

You can make a live linux cd for use on a usb btw if your optical drive is done for.

 

I only have a .5GB USB drive since I lost my last one ;(

 

Puppy Linux, DSL, and a whole myriad of other distributions will still fit on there.
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/

 

Interestingly, I just ran the Windows Experience Index test, and the detailed results show:

Total available graphics memory: 2811 Mb.
Dedicated: 1024 Mb

Shared system memory: 1787 Mb.

It would appear that for some reason either the hardware has assigned a chunk of my unused memory to the graphics, or that windows just thinks it has :/

 

Windows most likely thinks that it's been hardware assigned.

I had the same issue, interestingly enough with a MSI board as well. In the end I reinstalled windows as it broke itself in the way it usually does. If you are having other troubles with it as well, then maybe it is best to put a fresh install on the machine. It's a pain in the bits, but it might be better in the long run.

Hope this helps
Enterobsidian

 

Interesting. A fresh install of windows worked for you? I was strongly leaning toward the idea that this was hardware and not a software issue.

 

If you get a Linux live environment running, then we can find out exactly if it is a hardware or software issue.

 

just been looking at the manual, 1600 is overclocked speed, and according to the manual, they all have to be the same specification, there is supposed to be an approved list of parts somewhere on the msi website.

i just found the approved memory listing Here

 

Personly I'm thinking its the ram itself two different makes, speed, and voltage.

 

Ok. Booted into Puppy, and it was seeing about 3.4 or 3.6 (I forget which) gigs of RAM.

I also tried kicking the RAM speed down to 960 Mhz, but that made no difference, so I kicked it back up to 1600. The sticks don't appear to conflict according to MSI, so I'm just starting to think either my mobo or CPU hates me.

 

I know we're beginning to catch at straws here, but have you considered trying to pair one stick from each set to see how much combined memory you get?

 

Done that, I get 4GB.

 

http://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=131134.0

Did you try that "add one by one" method ?

 

Sorry, didn't realise you'd updated your first post.

Any chance of you specifying exactly what memory modules you're using. As much of whatever printed information there is would be nice. I'm leaning toward the assumption that, while both sets of memory have the same memory size, they're organized differently internally.

Also, if you enter the BIOS and go to the Cell menu, what is listed when you select the Memory-Z option?

Last but not least, from what I can see BIOS 1.1 is far from the latest for your board. It's the one called 1.B and between versions 1.1 and 1.B memory compatibility is mentioned several times as being fixed. Might be worth flashing to the latest version.

 

Sorry, I have another thread about this elsewhere so I forget to update on some info.

The Memory-Z option just lists all four DIMM's with their relevent timings (9-9-9-24), and (8-8-8-24) if I leave it on AUTO for the second channel.

I'm considering the density of the DIMM's may be different, not sure though since they've both got stupid huge coolers on them.

The BIOS is indeed actually 1.B, I think. I used MSI's live updater to flash the latest. In the BIOS itself it writes 1.11, but the MSI software reports it as being 1.B so I think I probably have 1.B.

As for the adding one by one method: The system will not boot with three sticks of RAM in, so this is kind of a no-go.

 

Yes, you are correct. BIOS 1.B is internally labeled 1.11. Just checked. Shame! I really was hoping it could be as simple as updating to the latest BIOS version...