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Community Newsletter: Q&A: Installed more ram, but system still says 1 GB
Installed more ram, but system still says 1 GB
by hahork - 8/16/08 2:45 PMI just replaced my 2 512 mb "sticks" of ram with 2 1gb DDR2 on my HP slimline s7700n. It seems to be running fine, but under system properties, it still says 1gb. Does this not automatically update? Is it not recognizing one of the sticks?
thanks
BIOS check.
by white-bread - 8/20/08 11:12 PM In reply to: Installed more ram, but system still says 1 GB by hahorkWhat does the BIOS have as installed RAM?
Do you know how to test to see if it is the hardware or OS?
Installed more ram, but system still says 1 GB by hahork
by gilbery01 - 8/23/08 10:48 AM In reply to: BIOS check. by white-breadi had same proplem recently please check the motherboard number you can find it on the mb itself then d/load the new updates for it make sure you use the number on the mb not what it says on the manual i actually spoke to the tech support staff but they said it was memory compatability causing the proplem it was only by chance i saw a number in the faq,s page that i remembered seeing a number similar to one on my mb
BIOS check
by white-bread - 8/20/08 11:14 PM In reply to: Installed more ram, but system still says 1 GB by hahorkCheck the memory in the BIOS.
Do you know how to trouble shoot the hardware and software through a Linux or other unix environment?
do not know how much you installed but try this...
by kazoomi - 8/22/08 7:31 PM In reply to: Installed more ram, but system still says 1 GB by hahorkGo to windows put in 3GB switch it will explain who to set and use the ram.
bios
by time_out - 8/22/08 7:40 PM In reply to: Installed more ram, but system still says 1 GB by hahorkYou may have to reset the CMOS jumper. To do this unplug the power supply and move the Cmos jumper over to the other pins for a minute. Then move it back to the original position. That should do it. There is usually 3 pins. The jumper is on pin 1&2, move it to pins 2&3. Or remove the battery for a minute or two. It does the same thing. You will loose any special bios settings and have to turn them back on so maybe note the settings and be careful. You can also try one stick at a time to test each one. Maybe try different slots or slot combinations. See what it says it has on bootup before the hard drive detection. You may have to hit tab or something to see the info.
Try one stick at a time
by cyberdave03 - 8/22/08 7:51 PM In reply to: bios by time_outI thought ddr2 had to be placed in pairs?
ddr2 in pairs
by time_out - 8/23/08 12:00 PM In reply to: Try one stick at a time by cyberdave03ddr2 works like other ram in single or multiple sticks. Dual channel needs 1 or 2 matched pairs, pair being the key as each stick is it's own channel for the dual channel. My new build wouldn't work in the first two slots so I put them in the second set of slots. These are color coded yellow for the first pair so I put them in the other slots which are black. Usually they need to go into the same color.
Back to the thread...also try just one stick and see if it still says 512 or 1g.
Check your page file!
by dadrcrpntr - 8/22/08 11:02 PM In reply to: Installed more ram, but system still says 1 GB by hahorkWindows has a nasty habit of claiming a chunk of installed Ram and using it for Paging amung other things!
It shouldn't be using a Gb, though.
Anyway, It wouldn't hurt to check the size of your page file that windows is using!
With 2Gb, you might be able to drop it, completely!
If you want to temporarily change thew size or whatever, hoover your mouse over START then Right-click , a pop-up menu will appear with several choices, select, "explore".
A window will open with the directory tree of your HD on the left side.
Hoover your mouse over "My Computer" and Right-click bringing up another pop-up menu, select "Properties".
This will open up your Systems Properties dialog.
That's the place you need to be!
The System Properties dialog will have seven tabs, choose the ADVANCED tab.
This will give you the opertunity to adjust three settings, but you are only conserned with "visual effects,processor scheduling,memory usage....",or the first setting called "Performance".
Performance options are divided into three tabs,select "Advanced".
This is divide into three more sections, you want the section on the bottom "Virtual Memory".
It will say,"total paging file size for all drives"
You can stop here, if you want or clink the link "change".
You can check to see if Windows is actually controlling it or manually change the size smaller or stop it completely.
Remember, every time you boot-up windows, it does a memory check and calculates the optimum size, of your page file, depending on what it recognizes!
Pagefile not in RAM
by DOSpower - 8/23/08 7:36 AM In reply to: Check your page file! by dadrcrpntrTo avoid any confusion, the pagefile (a.k.a. virtual memory under Windows) occupies hard drive space and swaps data from RAM onto disk. This will have nothing to do with your system recognition (or otherwise) if installed RAM.
The other suggestions are ones I would follow. It is either a limitation of the system, a BIOS setting, a poorly seated RAM module or a 'dead' module. You might want to check the user guide or manufacturer website just to be on the safe side as some systems are have RAM limitations, although usually much higher than 2 GB on more recent machines.
You might try removing one of the modules an see how the system reacts. If it works well with both then the system (BIOS) is the limiting factor. If it works only with one and not the other, then I would put my money on a dead module.
Update BIOS..
by PECONET - 8/23/08 4:21 AM In reply to: Installed more ram, but system still says 1 GB by hahorkIf you have not done so, then you will need to update your bios.
Go to the makers website and download the bios update. Put this onto a floppy, you will have to get a external floppy drive for this, then boot into your bios and go to the update section for the bios, since you will be using an external floppy drive, this will be marked as "B" drive. You will need to (with the keyboard arrow and tab keys) access this drive and then when asked to update select "Y" or "YES". This will update your bios to a new setting of where your ram will be detected. Hope this helps you out.
Could be a .....
by kanehi - 8/23/08 5:55 AM In reply to: Installed more ram, but system still says 1 GB by hahorkbad RAM! If the BIOS doesn't recognize the RAM then it might be bad. Could also be that the RAM wasn't seated correctly or it's not the correct one for your system.
motherboard trouble
by repete_smile - 8/23/08 7:51 AM In reply to: Installed more ram, but system still says 1 GB by hahorkhow much RAM does your mobo support?
check seating of the stick
by GENE8 - 8/23/08 10:47 AM In reply to: Installed more ram, but system still says 1 GB by hahorkTry to check to see if one of your sticks is seated properly in the slot. It must be seated all the way in the slot with the plastic side clips snapped down firmly in place to secure it. If one of the clips is not snapped in place properly, the computer may not detect the stick, even though the stick may appear to be firmly in the slot.
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