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My old computer has 4GB of RAM, (2 sticks, 2GB each) I wanted to add some more to it so I recently bought an extra 2GB DDR2 stick, but I simply couldn't get it to work.

While trying to simply install it in addition to the other two, it actually reduced the amount of RAM that appears on my BIOS (it says I have 3328 available instead of having at least 4gb). In the Windows computer information it says that I have 6GB installed & 3.25GB usable.

I looked online for solutions, among the things I tried are as follows:

  • Verified that my motherboard actually supports more than 4GB of RAM, it seems it does.
  • Updated the BIOS to the latest version
  • Played around with the speed & voltage settings in the BIOS
  • Made sure I connected the stick properly
  • Tried to connect the stick to other ports and move the other ones around as well.
  • Removed the battery on the motherboard to reset the CMOS
  • msconfig - made sure there's no limit.
  • Enabled Memory remapping in the BIOS

When I connected the new stick on it's own, there was no display and the computer wouldn't boot, the fans were running though, no beeps.

What's interesting is that when I place it in with the others, the computer detects it and says I have 6gb installed but it won't accept it for some reason?

I'll be more than grateful to know what I'm missing before I'm returning this to the store.

And just to clarify, the problem is not only in the OS, I'm talking about what I see in the BIOS - it means that the OS isn't even getting that memory, meaning that it can't be using it.

My computer specifications:

  • Motherboard: Asus P5k Deluxe, BIOS Ver.: 1005
  • OS: Windows 7 64 bit
  • CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad
  • 4GB RAM (2x 2GB DDR2 sticks)

The new stick:DDR2 (800) 2GB ELPIDA 2GB 2Rx8 PC2-6400U-666

Old sticks: Kingston 2gb, 9905316-148 A00LF KVR800D2N5/2G 1.8V

Dima
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  • possible duplicate of [Available memory differs by several GiB from what is installed](http://superuser.com/questions/866272/available-memory-differs-by-several-gib-from-what-is-installed) – DavidPostill Jun 27 '15 at 18:41
  • @DavidPostill My problem is that my memory is not available at all, not even to the BIOS. in the question you provided the OS was using that memory, mine isn't even getting it in the first place. – Dima Jun 27 '15 at 18:47
  • " In the Windows computer information it says that I have 6GB installed & 3.25GB usable." says otherwise. – DavidPostill Jun 27 '15 at 18:48
  • @DavidPostill Oh come on.. My actual problem is that the OS isn't even getting that memory, I was just providing extra information about the case. the motherboard itself seems to be having a problem with this stick for some reason – Dima Jun 27 '15 at 18:53
  • @sajinmp But if I currently have 4GB, why would installing an extra 2gb actually lead to the entire memory amount to reduce to 3gb? - When I don't have this new stick installed it clearly says I have 4gb available – Dima Jun 27 '15 at 18:57
  • @Dima Simplest way would be to look at the label on each stick and make sure everything is the same. – oldmud0 Jun 27 '15 at 19:05
  • @oldmud0 Thing is that the labels are quite different, it's different manufacturers so it's hard for me to tell, I'll provide the text on the labels - maybe it'll help you guys tell – Dima Jun 27 '15 at 19:06
  • @Dima The memory reserved for these miscellaneous tasks increase proportionally with memory. Although I might be wrong here. – sajinmp Jun 27 '15 at 19:08
  • Make sure "memory remapping" is enabled in your BIOS. Do not give up until you find this setting. – David Schwartz Jun 27 '15 at 19:16
  • Find the switch in the bios that will fully address the memory there, do not leave the bios until you found it. In that board it is under one more thing (sub-section), which might make it a tiny bit harder to find. I believe it was called "extended memory" in that board. – Psycogeek Jun 27 '15 at 19:17
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    if the stick you recentally got will not work stand alone, why do you continue? A person would expect that every stick would work in every slot, as a method to test both slot and ram sticks. (not overdoing it) – Psycogeek Jun 27 '15 at 19:48
  • @Psycogeek Of course it should work on it's own, I did think that it might require some settings to be changed for it to work, such as voltage and frequency etc' as it does seem like the computer sees it – Dima Jun 27 '15 at 19:52
  • Well if at all possible I would want to have a matching set of memory, either 4gig chunks X2 in the proper channels, or 2Gig chunks in all 4 slots, testing them as I go. Seems like you should be able to get working pulls for a board like that for reasonable prices. And each ram module would have to work at (like you said) at least at a lower rate or varied voltage , IF they did not all start working correct and could be fully memtested on the first try. I would not have "tossed in another module" on the side, but that would also depend on if it works in dual channel or not. – Psycogeek Jun 27 '15 at 20:12
  • @Psycogeek Alright, it does sound good although I wish I could be more certain of what prevented this from working. I'll take it back to the store and see what they say, thanks for your help! I'll update the question once I have more info. – Dima Jun 27 '15 at 20:33

1 Answers1

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The memory stick was faulty.

I had it replaced and got a Kingston KVR800D2N6/2G DDR2 2GB instead.

On a side note I'll also add that even though I have CL5 RAM memory installed, this new CL6 memory worked along with it just fine - all on auto settings without any manual modifications.

Dima
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