Not reading entire memory chip

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ron
  • Start date Start date
R

Ron

I am running Windows XP with 256megs of ram. I filled the
other remaining bay with another256 chip but computer is
only reading half. The computer is only recognizing 384mb
instead of 512mb. I went into BIOS but could not arrow
down to the memory information. Any suggestions on how to
get the computer to read the entire 512mb?
Ron
 
Ron, the second memory stick may be bad. Install the second stick only, then
see if it shows as 256.
 
-----Original Message-----
I am running Windows XP with 256megs of ram. I filled the
other remaining bay with another256 chip but computer is
only reading half. The computer is only recognizing 384mb
instead of 512mb. I went into BIOS but could not arrow
down to the memory information. Any suggestions on how to
get the computer to read the entire 512mb?
Ron
.
Run a diagnostic test on the memory, and mayby try
Click to expand...
switching the memory modules positions in the slots, just
swap them with each other. Look here;
http://www.tufftest.com/ttp01.htm or check this site;
http://www.simmtester.com/page/products/doc/docinfo.asp
 
What vintage is your PC?

For example: some PIII PCs with the 440BX chipset can't read high density
DIMMs properly. (I had a system based on a Soyo 6BA+IV board that was like
that.) If you have 8 memory chips on the DIMM, I believe that it's high
density. A low density DIMM would have 16 chips.

The safe way to buy RAM is through a vendor that matches it specifically to
your mainboard. For example, I bought a couple of 256 MB DIMMs for the Soyo
board above from www.crucial.com. Worked perfectly, and the price was only a
bit higher than generic retail.

Good luck.

Bob Knowlden

Spam dodger may be in use. Replace nkbob with bobkn.
 
Ron said:
I am running Windows XP with 256megs of ram. I filled the
other remaining bay with another256 chip but computer is
only reading half. The computer is only recognizing 384mb
instead of 512mb.
Click to expand...


Where are you seeing that? If in system information, that has a bug
that often gives wrong answers. The Control Panel - System - General
page should show at the bottom.

If that is not giving the right answer, then you have an incompatibility
of chips with your motherboard. You *might* get it to work if you sway
around the slots the modules are plugged into
 
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