P7P55LE and 4GB memory limit

[PilgrimToHyperion]

So Esquire has some amazing specials on. I popped in and got a few HDD's (R877 for 2GB Seagate) and 4GB of Patriot 1333Mhz DDR3 RAM.

Slotted the RAM in and booted. Windows 7 x64 Ultimate reports this : 8.00GB(4.00GB Usable). WTH?

I googled a bit and tried to do what most people recommend ie. update Bios. Disabled / Enabled memory mapping in the BIOS. I haven't reseated my CPU, because I can't see how that will change anything?

Anyone else experience this?

Motherboard Asus P7P55LE
RAM 2x2GB Corsair Extreme 1600Mhz and now the Patriot 1333Mhz DDR3
CPU Intel I5

Please advise.

 

[Archer]

You're not usually meant to mix different brands of RAM, and when you do, you should try and get RAM at the same spec. Are your RAM settings set up manually in the BIOS? If not manually set it all to the lower speed and try again. Also, is it a single 4gb stick, or 2x2gb sticks (the Patriot RAM)?

 

[bin3]

RAM 2x2GB Corsair Extreme 1600Mhz and now the Patriot 1333Mhz DDR3

Is a recipe for heartache -- you have to get them to run at the same speed. Try to run them both at 1333MHz and see if it makes a difference.

 

[PilgrimToHyperion]

Fixed!

I should have posted this earlier. Always works like that. Ask someone then right after the problem is solved before they can answer.

I removed the Corsair chips and tried to boot with just the Patriot RAM. Nothing.
Then I moved the Patriot to the slots where the Corsair was. Great, 4GB.
Added the Corsairs back into the slots where the Patriot RAM was. 8GB in Windows!!

I don't get it, but it works.

Thanks for the advice Archer. I shouldn't mix the RAM, but ja, it was dirt cheap... btw, to answer your question, the chips are 2x4.

@bin3 - perhaps swopping the Patriots to the primary slots (I think that is what they are) forced the speed down to 1333?

 

[nakedpeanut]

you most propably never had them in the slots properly thats all, or they supposed to be in a1 b1 and the others in a2 b2 or what ever