Window detects 3.25GB RAM when I installed 4GB

[qwertymaster]

I have Dell inspiron 535s it was running well at 800mhz with 2gb of ram(1
+1) .when I installed 4gb ddr2 800 mhz (2+2)it ran at 667 mhz and window showed 3.25gb usable Ram.There is no way I can correct it from BIOS as I didn't find any option of memory remapping or overclocking it.Is there any way I could raise the speed of my Ram and also Raise it to 4gb usable???By the way I am running win7 ultimate.

 

[Mark56]

First, your system only showing usable memory at 3.25GB is perfectly correct. You cannot do anything about that unless you use 64bit windows.

I suspect that the new memory you have fitted has a higher voltage rating and is therefore running at a lower clock speed. Check the voltage rating on the manufacturer's site and then make the adjustment in the Bios.

 

[Lokalaskurar]

What Mark56 wrote sums it all up perfectly.

32 bit operating systems can only allocate** just over 3 gigs of RAM. Everything above that will not be usable. 64 bit operating systems can allocate** up to nearly 16 exabytes of RAM, which is about 4 times the total of what humanity produced in data 2010.

**Dear TechSpot:ers - correct me if I'm using the wrong word for this.

IF you are using a 32 bit OS, then you cannot allocate** more than 3 gigs. If you are however running a 64 bit OS, then something is wrong, and we'll look into it.

Question time:
-Are you running a 32 bit, or 64 bit operating system?

Windows Ultimate comes in a 32 bit and a 64 bit version. Which of these are you running?


------------------------------

I am also a bit concerned about the 800MHz to 667MHz drop in speed... that could be totally unnecessary. What voltages are you RAM sticks calibrated for? (Check the manufacturers website or equivalent, please).

 

[qwertymaster]

You are right I am running win7 32 bit...I was considering switching back to win Xp Sp3 ,in that case how much Ram would it allocate? The RAM is simmtronics made 2 GB ddr2 800mhz.

 

[Lokalaskurar]

Ordinary XP (home, pro, mce, tpce) will do you no good. XP is soledly based on 32 bit, except for the 64 bit XP. Only the 64 bit XP can allocate more than 3 gigs.

I think the 64 bit XP version is called "Itanium"? Only 1% of all XP's are 64 bit...

Edit:
Scratch that 1%, it's actually 0,9%... D'oh.

 

[qwertymaster]

i cant find the voltage rating any where..

 

[Mark56]

All you had to do was look on the Simmtronics site, they state a max voltage of 1.9V so set it below that level and see if it then shows 800MHz. It may even be written on the card, check it to be sure.

 

[qwertymaster]

My RAMs are currently running at 1.8v,Please assist me in changing voltage settings in BIOS...thank you for your help...

 

[Mark56]

What is your Bios? Go into your Bios at boot up and tell me what is written at the top of the screen.

 

[Lokalaskurar]

My RAMs are currently running at 1.8v,Please assist me in changing voltage settings in BIOS...thank you for your help...

Ey, Mark56: I've heard that anything above 1,65V can be seriously harmful for the RAM, do you have any input on this ?

--------------------------

qwertymaster: Changing the RAM voltage is actually not standard, so there is a chance that your BIOS does not support changing the voltage.

For now: we are curious as for which BIOS are you using?

Example: I boot up, I can see that in the top of the white text-screen that it says: "Phoenix BIOS revision 5.1", and on my brother's PC: "American Megatrends BIOS version 3.2" and so on.

The BIOS is written usually on top of the white-text screen that appears when you boot up.

Edit:
This white-text screen is in fact the BIOS's log!

 

[Mark56]

Ey, Mark56: I've heard that anything above 1,65V can be seriously harmful for the RAM, do you have any input on this ?

I think you will find that most RAM runs at 1.8V, my system has Kingston sticks and they are rated at 1.9V some sticks are 2V+. I've not seen any sticks rated as low as 1.65V

Here is just one example of sticks runing at 1.8V and above http://www.kingston.com/HyperX/products/khx_ddr2.asp

 

[Lokalaskurar]

I think you will find that most RAM runs at 1.8V, my system has Kingston sticks and they are rated at 1.9V some sticks are 2V+.

Ah, I see. Guess you learn something every day.

On the contrary to what you said,

I've not seen any sticks rated as low as 1.65V

I've never seen sticks rated for MORE than 1.65V :haha: -- it was when I asked "why" that I got the response that it's harmful. Oh well, guess each manufacturer has its own specialities.

 

[mailpup]

DDR2 and DDR3 RAM use different voltage standards. DDR3 are commonly rated for 1.65V or 1.50V.

 

[Lokalaskurar]

DDR2 and DDR3 RAM use different voltage standards. DDR3 are commonly rated for 1.65V or 1.50V.

Oh, also: didn't TechSpot cover the upcoming DDR4 standard a while ago? Wasn't it supposed to be typically rated merely 1,35V?

Edit:
Of course, our voltage-ranting does not help qwertymaster at all, but it gives us something to do while he/she checks his/her BIOS.

 

[Mark56]

I was only referring to DDR2 which is what the thread is about. I've not had any experience with DDR3 and wasn't even aware there is a DDR4. Shows how much I know

 

[qwertymaster]

Well when I opened the Bios at rhe top it was written...CMOS setup utility-Copyright (C) 1985-2008,American Megatrends,Inc v2.59...I just had another problem this morning I experienced a BSOD,I am attaching the .dmp file ,Idont have resource to read the file If anyone could help me locating the problem..

 

[Mark56]

This crash is a result of your Ethernet adaptor driver or may be wireless adaptor, either way follow this.

Go into Device Manager and locate the Network Adaptors, open the list and you should find a Broadcom device, right click on it and then select uninstall. Reboot the PC and the drivers should reload.

Before going into your Bios settings, why have you not got your system up to date, you should be on SP1. Find Windows Update in the Control Panel, open it and then select Change Settings in the left hand pane. In the first setting click the list to open it and select Install Updates Automatically, check all the other boxes and set a time to install updates, click OK and then close the next box.

I'll see if I can find a guide for the Bios.

Also, can you give us the full part number that is written on the label on the new RAM sticks.

 

[Lokalaskurar]

Are you sure about that Mark56? Because if his/her network drivers does not reload, qwertymaster will not be able to access the Internet = cannot re-download the drivers NOR write on the TS forums :dead: .

Edit:
I'm also looking for a guide to the American Megatrends v2.59 BIOS...

 

[qwertymaster]

Thank you for your precious help sir...
I have just started to update windows...
I use a data card (a pendrive like device)for internet connection,could the drivers for that device be the result for the BSOD???Should reinstall them ,I do have the driver disk with me...

 

[Mark56]

There is no reason why they should not reload, I've used that solutions many times when a BSOD has been caused by the drivers.

I found one guide for the Bios but it was for a more recent version and did not explain wher to find the RAM voltage settings.

 

[qwertymaster]

So is there any wai I could run my RAM at 800 mhz?2gb Ram 800mhz RAM or 4GB 667mhz which one is faster?

 

[Mark56]

I did the last debug in a rush but have now had a closer look, my verdict is the same but I am more sure now that it is the drivers for the wireless card. I can only assume as you are using a dongle the PC does not have a built in wireless card so it must be the drivers for the USB dongle.

Qwertymaster, I know this thread is going quite fast but you missed my question in post 17, can we have the full number off the RAM stick label.

 

[qwertymaster]

Here are the numbers:Simmtronics 2gb ddr2 800mhz
SG10-172606 and SG10-172636

as far my ethernet is concerned there is one called realtek RTL8102e/RTL8103E family PCI-E Ethernet NIC(NDIS 6.20)...

 

[Mark56]

Two different numbers? Is that one on each or are both of those numbers on each stick.

Has it actually got 800MHz written on it somewhere? I got nothing back on searching for those numbers so seem to have reached a dead end.

The only information I got for your Bios was from a later version and it gave no details about RAM voltage settings, although the settings must be there somewhere, you may just have to hunt through the various pages in the set up, probably a section with Power in the name.

Have you replaced the old sticks or are you running them side by side with the old ones as that would make them run at the same speed as the slower sticks.

I am sure your Ethernet is fine the driver in the BSOD definately related to a wireless device.

 

[captaincranky]

I was only referring to DDR2 which is what the thread is about. I've not had any experience with DDR3 and wasn't even aware there is a DDR4. Shows how much I know

That's because there isn't actually a "DDR4", at least not yet.

Video graphics RAM has both >G<DDR4 and GDDR5. As I understand it, these are based in DDR3 tech, bit access is (up to?) 256 bits, unlike system RAM which is fixed at 64 bit access.

You are right I am running win7 32 bit...I was considering switching back to win Xp Sp3 ,in that case how much Ram would it allocate? The RAM is simmtronics made 2 GB ddr2 800mhz.

You're starting to ask the same question over, and expecting a different answer. Regardless of the Windows version, (XP, VIsta, Windows 7), a 32 bit OS can only access, (or allocate if you prefer), 4GB of total memory, with memory addresses subtracted for all the hardware attached to the system. In plain words, that leaves about 3.25 GB of usable RAM