4GB of Ram Installed but only 1.49GB usable.

PCNoob1992 · 11 Aug 2011 at 23:10

Okay, once im in that how will i know whats what like if the ram is working gahh so confused o.O! lool

TNGL · 11 Aug 2011 at 23:14

Well, it won't exactly tell if you if it's working or not, you just have to see what it's saying, is it running at 1600Mhz like it's supposed to? Is it running at 1.65v like its supposed to? Is it running at 7-7-7-20 timings?

PCNoob1992 · 12 Aug 2011 at 23:23

Have yet to try "attempt" to fix this issue if it does excist. The computer runs super fast and the Windows widget says im accessing 60% of my memory.

TNGL · 13 Aug 2011 at 00:04

Hmm, 60% memory usage isn't good if you haven't got anything else running other than explorer and the other standard Windows processes. With 4GB of RAM, you should be running at around 19% memory usage when you don't have anything else open other than the standard processes.

PCNoob1992 · 14 Aug 2011 at 15:11

Yesterday, I turned my PC off to enable a Windows Update. I booted it back up shortly after it had completed and got 3 short beeps which indicates faulty RAM. Took one of the pieces of RAM out and the system booted up fine, does that mean that bit of RAM was faulty but surely if it was faulty it would have been faulty from the beggining rather than deciding it was faulty after a few boot up's and shut downs of the system.

Perhaps I've got the RAM is the wrong slots or is it more than likely that one bit of RAM is faulty. I have the RAM in the 2 blue slots on my MSI A75MA-G55 AMD Hudson D3 (Socket FM1) DDR3 Llano MIcro-ATX Motherboard.

Really don't want to wait around and mess about with Overclockers but I'd like to be certain before ringing them first thing tommrow to try and resolve this issue.

bremen1874 · 14 Aug 2011 at 15:19

Try each stick of memory on it's own. This will allow you very quickly prove whether you have faulty a stick.

Surveyor · 14 Aug 2011 at 15:19

So everything is OK with one stick currently installed?

If so swap the stick you've taken out with the one which is now working and use the same RAM slot.

If the error comes back you know you have a faulty stick of RAM.

PCNoob1992 · 14 Aug 2011 at 15:22

Oh the stick in the computer ATM works. If i take that out and put the other one i get the BEEPS so i guess it's 100% FAULTY.

Hmm, might buy some different RAM and just get a full refund on the stuff I got ATM just my luck

..just don't know why it was acting ok up to this point then suddenly does that now?

Surveyor · 14 Aug 2011 at 15:26

PCNoob1992 said:
Oh the stick in the computer ATM works. If i take that out and put the other one i get the BEEPS so i guess it's 100% FAULTY.

Hmm, might buy some different RAM and just get a full refund on the stuff I got ATM just my luck ..just don't know why it was acting ok up to this point then suddenly does that now?

Perhaps it was never acting properly and was part of your "only 1.49GB usable" problem.

It's now given up the ghost completely.

PCNoob1992 · 14 Aug 2011 at 15:30

Hmmm, do you suggest I just order new sticks as I've heard getting a new set of RAM/general products will take a while. And should this experience put me off purchasing the same RAM? or was I just unlucky

bremen1874 · 14 Aug 2011 at 15:32

According to the manual you should populate dimm4 first which should be the slot furthest from the processor. The second stick should then presumably be in dimm2.

Surveyor · 14 Aug 2011 at 15:37

PCNoob1992 said:
Hmmm, do you suggest I just order new sticks as I've heard getting a new set of RAM/general products will take a while. And should this experience put me off purchasing the same RAM? or was I just unlucky

You were unlucky if you got faulty Corsair XMS3.

It can take a while to sort out an RMA depending how long they take to test it and if they replace it out of stock or have to wait for some from Corsair.

The option with the least downtime is to buy some more and return the faulty RAM but ask for a refund rather than replacement. If you've not had it long there shouldn't be a problem getting a refund.

If you're thinking of buying some new sticks perhaps consider if you'd benefit from 8GB.

Very good price on these at the moment:

Kingston HyperX Genesis Grey 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit

PCNoob1992 · 14 Aug 2011 at 15:46

bremen1874 said:
According to the manual you should populate dimm4 first which should be the slot furthest from the processor. The second stick should then presumably be in dimm2.

They were in those slots.

PCNoob1992 · 14 Aug 2011 at 15:47

Surveyor said:
You were unlucky if you got faulty Corsair XMS3.

It can take a while to sort out an RMA depending how long they take to test it and if they replace it out of stock or have to wait for some from Corsair.

The option with the least downtime is to buy some more and return the faulty RAM but ask for a refund rather than replacement. If you've not had it long there shouldn't be a problem getting a refund.

If you're thinking of buying some new sticks perhaps consider if you'd benefit from 8GB.

Very good price on these at the moment:

Kingston HyperX Genesis Grey 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit

Yeah, sounds like the best plan. But 8GB of RAM is that really that nessecary but I suppose it's future proof but then again I only; play runescape browse web/ record in game footage etc. Not too demanding but pretty cheap at same time

could order today and get it by Tuesday and it'll be all sorted *fingers crossed*

bremen1874 · 14 Aug 2011 at 15:55

PCNoob1992 said:
They were in those slots.

That's okay then. In your earlier post you said you were using the blue slots. From the available pictures this would have been slots 1 and 3.

Surveyor · 14 Aug 2011 at 15:58

PCNoob1992 said:
Yeah, sounds like the best plan. But 8GB of RAM is that really that nessecary but I suppose it's future proof but then again I only; play runescape browse web/ record in game footage etc. Not too demanding but pretty cheap at same time could order today and get it by Tuesday and it'll be all sorted *fingers crossed*

I'm not saying it's necessary. Just get whatever suits your use, or anticipated use over the life of the PC, best.

A lot of people get 8GB now while it's so cheap.

It's easier to get 8GB in one go rather than trying to add more later.

PCNoob1992 · 14 Aug 2011 at 16:15

bremen1874 said:
That's okay then. In your earlier post you said you were using the blue slots. From the available pictures this would have been slots 1 and 3.

Im using the blue slots WTF so they go in black slots o.O so confused!

PCNoob1992 · 14 Aug 2011 at 16:16

PCNoob1992 said:
Im using the blue slots WTF so they go in black slots o.O so confused!

is that why there not working, but why would they work in blue?

bremen1874 · 14 Aug 2011 at 16:33

Ignore the slot colours and read the labels printed on the motherboard. According to the manual you should populate slots 2 and 4 first.

Machines will often work with the memory in the 'wrong' slots, but it's best to follow the manufacturer's guidelines.

In this case I sounds like you do have a bad stick of memory. Individually check each stick in slot 4 to make sure.

I’d agree with Surveyor and recommend that you take advantage of the current memory prices and get a 8GB (2 x 4GB) kit.

Surveyor · 14 Aug 2011 at 16:39

The manual for your motherboard suggests using the black slots first.

If the blue slots work then that's not a problem.

Just to confirm you have a faulty stick put the known working stick in one of the black slots. If the system works you know that that configuration is OK.

Now remove the known working stick and put the stick you think is faulty in the same black slot. If the system won't work you know you have a faulty stick.