My computer can't use all it's Ram (Windows 7 64 bit)

Kyriptonite · 29 Jun 2012 at 11:00

Hello. I just recently installed 4gb extra RAM to put it up to 8gb but for whatever reason its only using around 6gb of it. The system Information tells me exactly "8gb (5.75 usable)" and in the BIOS it tells me there is only slightly over 6gb on the main screen but then again when I go into the advanced setting it showed all DIMM slots have 2bg cards in them.

I am really confused about this and have looked around the internet but to no avail. These are the things I've tried: I have swamped out RAM using them all one at a time in different DIMM slots and the computer booted fine using all 2 gb of RAM. I have looked in my BIOS advanced setting for Memory Remapping and its enabled. And in MSConfig the use maximum RAM is unchecked. I have also read that Integrated Graphics Cards can use some of the RAM but my MOBO dose not have one.

One more thing thats making me more nervous is on the BIOS is tells me the RAM is or only using 1333mhz but on the website here (where i got them from) says they are 1600mhz. Is my computer under-clocking them or is something more devious at work?

My computer specs are:
Asus M5A97 Pro
AMD FX-100 Quad Core
ATI Radeon HD 6850
8gb Kingston Hyper X Genisis DDR3
OCZ ZS Seris 650W 80 Plus Bronze
Windows 7 Professional 64 bit

Kyriptonite · 29 Jun 2012 at 12:12

@jeff6475 Is there any way to see whats going where? And I think the differences is in memory is because the bios and windows reads memory differently like when you but a 750gb hard drive but it actually only has like 700gb. Thats because a lot of companies rate a gig and 1000mb when a matter of fact its 1028mb or around that.

@m3csl2004 I have updated my BIOS to the latest one no that long ago and I have tried the memory remapping thing already to no avail.

I also found something new. In the resource monitor it says:
Hardware Reserved: 2102mb
In Use: 1422mb
Modified: 256mb
Standby: 1444mb

Available: 4343mb
Cached: 1743mb
Total: 6090mb
Installed: 8192mb
Free: 2969

Kyriptonite · 29 Jun 2012 at 12:39

currob said:
The Asus M5A97 pro board will clock your DDR3 RAM at 1333mhz as default (if you have just added RAM to the system it may have defaulted back to 1333mhz). You can change the speed in bios to run at 1600mhz without needing to overclock (just triple check they are 1600mhz rated modules though). If the system runs, recognises and utilises each 2gb module seperately but with all 4 installed it only recognises/utilises 3 modules then it could be a problem with the board itself rather than memory. I would check each module using memtest first just to exclude them from list of probable causes.

My board dose recognize all of the RAM but just to be on the safe side I will run Memtest tonight, before I go to bed to let it run a good while. And about the RAM speed. I dont really like Overclocking unless I need it so if the Motherboard like running the ram at 1333mhz, I ain't gonna argue haha. But i'ts nice to know I have that bit of extra power when needed

Kyriptonite · 29 Jun 2012 at 12:41

Hostile-17 said:
Have you checked the advanced settings in msconfig?

Under Boot tab > Advanced options make sure Maximum memory is unticked. If its ticked untick and re-start, Windows should then show all the available RAM.

I have and it's un-ticked, but did I not say that in the OP? If not I'm going to go edit it now.

Kyriptonite · 29 Jun 2012 at 12:54

Hostile-17 said:
Apologies if you did, read the post on phone

I did but I'm not going to shout at you for trying to help. No apologies needed.

Kyriptonite · 29 Jun 2012 at 13:35

I believe I found the cause. Three marks on one of the Ram sticks gold plated connectors. I have removed the stick now and everything is looking like its supposed to. Thanks for telling me to run memtest with one stick at a time Wazza300 otherwise I might have never known. Now I do believe I would not be able to RMA this stick but dose OC do returns on accidental damage? Or is there a way to "clean" it?

Edit: Okay. As it turns out one of the gold plated connectors was just dirty. Looked damaged but its amazing what a little bit of toilet paper can do. So just proves, the simplest explication is usually correct. Everything working now. Will keep an eye on it though. Thanks for helping an idiotic computer user.

Kyriptonite · 29 Jun 2012 at 16:44

m3csl2004 said:
Friday job done - pack up & head to the pub.

Glad you got it sorted OP - I have had no end of issues with AM3 and RAM - I might try this when I get home.

Pub sounds nice. Could use a nice cold beer

But anyways I think I just got very lucky from what it could have been. Thanks again to everyone who helped. If I was on my own my computer would have made it way out the window with the amount of problems I have had with it haha.