MB Not Seeing All RAM

[walsh2509]

I have a Gigabyte GA-8IRXP MB , according to what I've seen and read and ran scans on, this MB can take 2gb of DDR. = PC2100 , PC2700 , PC3200.

I had 1gb of RAM PC2100 = 2 x 512mb in the scan they showed up in slots 1 and 3. When I booted my PC the memory counter would run up to 1gb, I also got this on the front page when I opened up my system icon in the control panel.

Today I add 1gb of PC2700 in the empty slot 2, when I rebooted my memory count in boot up only went to 1.5gb.

When I ran another scan, the report showed me the 3 slots. This time though, it reported Slot 1 as having 512mb =PC2100 and Slot 2 having 1gb =PC2700, it said my 3rd slot with the other 512mb in it was Empty?

Now no matter which way I configured these sticks, all it would show was 1.5gb and an empty slot. Take out the 1gb and just have the 2 x PC2100's in any pairing in Slots 1 to 3 and I got 1gb in the boot screen and the system icon front page.


Can someone tell me why a board that can take 2gb of RAM , shows up a full slot as empty when I have the 1gb stick on board, but shows the slot full when I take the 1gb off the board.

Thanks ...

[DavidDavisLeeSomething]

Re: MB Not Seeing All RAM

Are you installing identical memory modules?

Running different size/brand/speed/etc...memory modules will cause problems like that, especially in older boards.

[walsh2509]

Re: MB Not Seeing All RAM

Can't remeber what the original brand was for the 2 x 512mb PC2100 but the 1gb is Kingston PC2700. But I read a scan report and othes about my MB being able to use PC2100, PC2700 and PC3200 as the later two were backward compatible.

If there was a problem with the 1gb stick and the 2 x 512mb PC2100 sticks , be it Brand or because the 1gb is a PC2700, then would not both 512mb sticks not show up in a scan.

1 does the other doesn't ? so 1 of the PC2100's is working along side the 1gb PC2700 stick but no matter the config between the 3 slots, only 1 of the 512mb's show up.

I take out the 1gb and the 2 x 512mb sticks show up in a scan and when the system boots up.

[DavidDavisLeeSomething]

Re: MB Not Seeing All RAM

You cannot run modules of different speeds on the same computer at once. In other words, if you have a PC2700 installed in 1 slot you cannot have a PC3200 in another slot.

Different speeds of RAM require different timings and sub-timings. To my knowledge, there isn't a motherboard in existance that enables the BIOS to configure timings for more than 1 particular speed of RAM at the same time.

Size/Capacity of modules doesn't matter.

[auroa]

Re: MB Not Seeing All RAM

Of course you can have different speeds of RAM on the same computer. The PC3200 will just run at PC2700 speed.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: MB Not Seeing All RAM

Yes, the above is correct by Auroa, the faster stick will just run at the speed of the slowest sticks installed. What does matter though is voltage, if one set (Such as the faster) requires more voltage then the slower modules (Whose voltage will be used) then it will fail.

The only way to correct this would be to set the voltage higher in the BIOS, if your board supports that. And in doing this you may fry the slower sticks

And yes, always best for several reasons to run same speed/timings/voltages and brands together, otherwise there will always be random issues and BSOD's/failures

Being that your board supports ONLY up to PC 2100/266Mhz ram, you may never get PC 3200/400 Mhz ram to work. It does not support DDR 3200/400 or DDR 2700/333, only DDR 2100/266, DDR 1600/200 or less.

This is limited by the chipset, not the BIOS or BIOS settings

I would return this ram if you can, and get the correct speed your board can use >>>

3 x 184-pin DDR DIMMs support up to 2GB of DDR 200/266 memory

GIGABYTE - Product - Motherboard - Specification - GA-8IRXP

[walsh2509]

Re: MB Not Seeing All RAM

I understand what you are saying about conflict and I read that the 2700 will run at the 2100 speed. I mentioned that I read about the 2700 being backward compatible with the 2100.

And the 1gb 2700 is working with the 2100 but what I can't understand is that its only working with 1 of the 2 I have on the board. If there was a conflict , then I take it the 2700 would not work with any of the 2100's I have on the board. But the fact is , it is working but with only 1 of them. Now if the 2700 can and it does work with a 2100, why only 1 of them and not the 2.

The board can take 2gb of DDR , 1 slot has 1gb and the other 2 slots have 1 each of 512mb, but only 1 of the 512mb 2100's is working along with the 1gb 2700.

And that's got me confused. Fine if the 2700 would not work with a 2100 but it does, but only 1 of them and that is what I can't understand.

Why with 2gb on the board 1 x 1gb 2700 and 2 x 512mb 2100 do I only get 1.5gb when I boot up and when i go into the system icon in the control panel on the front of that it has 1.5gb. And the tests I run say 1 of the slots is empty.

For what I see here , the 2700 is working and not in conflict with the 2100, but for some reason the 2700 is only working with 1 of the 2100s.

When I take the 1gb 2700 out and reboot , I get the memory counter running up to 1gb, it see the 2 512mb again. And then I run the tests , there are the 512mb in there slots. The only empty slot is the one i took the 1gb 2700 out of. Put the 1gb back in and 1 of the 512mb disappear again.

Anyway , thanks for all your replys ..

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: MB Not Seeing All RAM

Unsupported hardware can cause many of these issues. You should get ram that is supported by your board really

[VorLonUK]

Re: MB Not Seeing All RAM

I understand what you are saying about conflict and I read that the 2700 will run at the 2100 speed. I mentioned that I read about the 2700 being backward compatible with the 2100.

And the 1gb 2700 is working with the 2100 but what I can't understand is that its only working with 1 of the 2 I have on the board. If there was a conflict , then I take it the 2700 would not work with any of the 2100's I have on the board. But the fact is , it is working but with only 1 of them. Now if the 2700 can and it does work with a 2100, why only 1 of them and not the 2.

The board can take 2gb of DDR , 1 slot has 1gb and the other 2 slots have 1 each of 512mb, but only 1 of the 512mb 2100's is working along with the 1gb 2700.

And that's got me confused. Fine if the 2700 would not work with a 2100 but it does, but only 1 of them and that is what I can't understand.

Why with 2gb on the board 1 x 1gb 2700 and 2 x 512mb 2100 do I only get 1.5gb when I boot up and when i go into the system icon in the control panel on the front of that it has 1.5gb. And the tests I run say 1 of the slots is empty.

For what I see here , the 2700 is working and not in conflict with the 2100, but for some reason the 2700 is only working with 1 of the 2100s.

When I take the 1gb 2700 out and reboot , I get the memory counter running up to 1gb, it see the 2 512mb again. And then I run the tests , there are the 512mb in there slots. The only empty slot is the one i took the 1gb 2700 out of. Put the 1gb back in and 1 of the 512mb disappear again.

Anyway , thanks for all your replys ..

I haven't looked at the manual for your motherboard or to see if there are any bios updates, but my guess is there is a limitation to the memory capacity vs the number of modules you use.

For instance, 2GB might only be attainable by using 2 x 1GB modules and NOT spreading it out over 3 modules.

There could also be an issue with the possibility that you could be mixing double sided with single sided modules - something the board may not like.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: MB Not Seeing All RAM

Yeah the 845 chipset is pretty crippled compared to todays chipset features

[jfk&g]

Re: MB Not Seeing All RAM

I agree with VorLonUK. That 1gb stick sounds like it's using high-density modules, making it single-sided (SS). There's a good chance that a 1gb low-density double-sided (DS) stick would add the full amount to the existing 2x512mb pair, resulting in 2gb total. That's a common problem going waay back, and is the reason why low-density dimms are more expensive. hth

[walsh2509]

Re: MB Not Seeing All RAM

c Thanks guys for all your replys and help. I will be going out and buying another 1gb stick seems the only way to get up to 2gb.

[VorLonUK]

Re: MB Not Seeing All RAM

Page 10 has all the info:-

http://china.giga-byte.com/FileList/Manual/motherboard_manual_8irxp_e.pdf

Seems the board can take 3 x Single Sided Dimms, but only 2 x Double Sided Dimms....