Ram problem

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whippey

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Hey Guys

I am having this problem where my computer says i have installed only 7GB and that only 6GB is usable (I have inserted 9GB). The other 1GB is hardware reserved...

I have mixed the RAM about and got my full 9GB recognizable but only 7.5GB usable, the other 1.5GB is hardware reserved.

Now, my Task manager is telling me that 5 out of my 6 slots have been used even though all my RAM is inserted.

I have 2 different sets of RAM:
3 x 2GB Corsairs running at 1600Mhz
3 x 1GB Patriots running ay 1600Mhz

When I start up its says my Memory frequency is only 1066Mhz?

Must the RAM be stored in a specific order to get all my 9GB usable and running at 1600Mhz?

My computer is currently telling me that 7GB is inserted and only 6GB is usable with 5 out of my 6 slots are used even though all my RAM is in.

MotherBoard: GA-X58A-UD3R
OS: Windows 8 Pro 64Bit (same issue happened with Windows 7 Ultimate 64Bit)

Possibly a motherboard issue?
 
Afaik mixing and matching sizes is a no-no?
 
Whats he bus speed of your motherboard and CPU? Remember, the lowest one win.
Also, mixing ram not good for getting high bus speeds.

EDIT: Try removing 1x1GB and 1x2GB and place the rest of your ram in dual channels, 2x2gb together and 2x1gb together and test the speed then. It can be that the 1GB and 2GB that you have next to each other is not playing nice to one another.
 
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If the BIOS detects all 9GB, then Windows should be able to use all 9GB of it.

There might be a setting in the BIOS that has something to do with memory remapping/reserving which could fix this issue.

With the X58 chipsets, the RAM run at 1066MHz by default. You'll have to overclock the RAM manually or use XMP profiles (only if the latencies & voltages are the same).

WHY DOES EVERYONE GO ON ABOUT MIXING MEMORY IS BAD!?
You shouldn't have any issues mixing memory, as long as the voltages, latencies and speeds are the same. If the latencies are different, then I suggest that you set them manually in the BIOS to the one with the highest latencies.
Alternatively, if you have blue screens due to the memory timings being off, just swap the memory modules to a different colour slot - so that the other pair of memory modules are used to determine the latencies ;)

I'm actually sitting with the situation where my BIOS doesn't always pick up 1 of my 6x RAM modules :(
CPU-z is able to detect all 6 modules though. I think I just need to clean the contacts of the "faulty" module.
I'm using using a 3x 2GB + 3x 1GB combination, but all of mine are Corsair Dominator DDR3 1600Mhz 1.65V CL8 modules.
 
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As Pada mentioned, this seems to be a memory remap issue (the setting is usually in the bios/uefi). I had a similar issue with 8GB installed, only 7.5 usable and the remaining 512MB being 'System Reserved'. After enabling memory remap I had the full 8GB available. I recently added another 2x4GB sticks and Windows reports the full 16GB as usable (not entirely true...33MB is system reserved). Try checking in your BIOS/UEFI for something like 'Memory Remap'
 
U could also try a bios update..(might help).. Do u have the ram matched in the slots? (eg. patriots in blue & corsairs in white)
 
Thanks guys. I shall have a look when I am back home from work.
 
Hi There,
According to Corsair the memory there is 1.5V the Patriot is 1.9V the latency is also different between them so you will need to follow Pada's advvice.

Regards

Tim
 
Ok I have changed the DRAM Voltage to 1.9. It was marked red so I don't know if that is safe?

Also here is a n00b question: What does a latency refer to?
 
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Could you otherwise run CPU-z and go to the SPD tab and then post 2 screenshots - showing the different RAM models that you have?
Like I installed 4x 4GB Skill memory modules in a colleague of mine's PC yesterday and some of his applications are crashing because the Sandy Bridge motherboard/CPU that he has detected the latencies incorrectly.

Update:
The SPD tab shows all the timings, and not just the CAS# Latency.

Typically the shops/suppliers just include the CL (CAS# Latency) value in the description.
The SPD tab has a drop-down list, where you can pick the memory slots and then it'll show you the values for the RAM in that slot.
Unfortunately it does not show the actual speed at which the RAM is running - for that you'll have to go to the Memory tab in CPU-z.

Please just take note that the DRAM Frequency is half of what it is actually running at. So if you're using DDR3 1600MHz modules, it should show about 800MHz in the DRAM Frequency field.
 
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Pada said:
Could you otherwise run CPU-z and go to the SPD tab and then post 2 screenshots - showing the different RAM models that you have?
Like I installed 4x 4GB Skill memory modules in a colleague of mine's PC yesterday and some of his applications are crashing because the Sandy Bridge motherboard/CPU that he has detected the latencies incorrectly.

Update:
The SPD tab shows all the timings, and not just the CAS# Latency.

Typically the shops/suppliers just include the CL (CAS# Latency) value in the description.
The SPD tab has a drop-down list, where you can pick the memory slots and then it'll show you the values for the RAM in that slot.
Unfortunately it does not show the actual speed at which the RAM is running - for that you'll have to go to the Memory tab in CPU-z.

Please just take note that the DRAM Frequency is half of what it is actually running at. So if you're using DDR3 1600MHz modules, it should show about 800MHz in the DRAM Frequency field.
Click to expand...

Well when i select the memory slot selection, apparently slot 3 hasnt gotten a memory module...

Could be faulty...

I shall see tonight after dinner.
 
Pada said:
Could you otherwise run CPU-z and go to the SPD tab and then post 2 screenshots - showing the different RAM models that you have?
Like I installed 4x 4GB Skill memory modules in a colleague of mine's PC yesterday and some of his applications are crashing because the Sandy Bridge motherboard/CPU that he has detected the latencies incorrectly.

Update:
The SPD tab shows all the timings, and not just the CAS# Latency.

Typically the shops/suppliers just include the CL (CAS# Latency) value in the description.
The SPD tab has a drop-down list, where you can pick the memory slots and then it'll show you the values for the RAM in that slot.
Unfortunately it does not show the actual speed at which the RAM is running - for that you'll have to go to the Memory tab in CPU-z.

Please just take note that the DRAM Frequency is half of what it is actually running at. So if you're using DDR3 1600MHz modules, it should show about 800MHz in the DRAM Frequency field.
Click to expand...
Corsair.jpgPatriots.jpg

The latency's shown their correspond with the latency shown on the ram.

I have tired each slot and they are all working. I had to have one 2GB corsair in and then tried each slot with another corsair and all are working, when i hit the last ram slot it gave me the 2GB hardware reserve problem. I then took that RAM out and inserted all my other ram in. So i now have 2 x 2GB corsairs and 3 x 1GB Patriots, and its giving me 1GB reserve.

But if I put in all my ram, the computer only recognizes 7GB (with 6GB usable) even though their is 9GB in...this could mean my one corsair is faulty? I have looked at CPU-Z and it says only 5-6 slots have been used even though all my ram is in...

does this make sense ?
 
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