[SOLVED] 16gb RAM not being used!?

[Caliburman]

Hello all, I installed some RAM yesterday and I'm very confused and frustrated now.

Mobo: MSI B450 Gaming Plus, updated BIOS to 7B86v1H1 (2020-12-22)
CPU: Ryzen 5 2600
GPU: Nvidia 1660ti
OS: Windows 10 Pro x64
Original RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 2666MHz C16 (PC4 21300)
New RAM: same as above, just white.

Basically I installed the RAM and only half of it is being used, Windows shows 32Gb installed but 16gb is reserved. The BIOS shows 4-8gb sticks installed but only showing 16gb of ram.
I removed the new ram and now it's only registering half of my old ram, put the new back in and its registering half again.

I've checked the connections and made sure they are all seated properly, and I've removed the CMOS battery for a few minutes. I tried the windows solution as well (msconfig->bootable max ram)

I built my brother's computer (intel) a year ago and got him to check his and his also is only registering half of his installed ram.

This is all very strange, RAM should be an easy installation but it's giving me a big headache. Built this computer less than two years ago, so mobo isn't that old.

Any help is very much appreciated!

 

[rgd1101]

turn on xmp profile?
so you are mixing 2 ram kit?

 

[Caliburman]

turn on xmp profile?
so you are mixing 2 ram kit?

Do the XMP profiles have preset values or do I have manually change them to make it work?
Yes two different ram kits, both are the exact same just different colour.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Basically I installed the RAM and only half of it is being used, Windows shows 32Gb installed but 16gb is reserved.

Test your system. Try with single ram module. Try it in every ram slot. Try every module.
Rule out defective ram module. Rule out defective ram slot.

I tried the windows solution as well (msconfig->bootable max ram)

Max ram checkbox should be unchecked. Reboot after making changes there.

 

[Caliburman]

Yes, I did the unchecking of the max ram, it was unchecked by default.

Upon trial and error I found the left two ram slots work, the right two are recognized but not being used.

So I had taken out the cpu because the casing of the cooler was in the way of the ram and I had turn it around, so I checked the cpu and there was a bent pin, I bent the pin back and it didn't make a difference. Is the cpu no good now? Could it have shorted itself out somewhat or the motherboard?

Thank you all for your help.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Upon trial and error I found the left two ram slots work, the right two are recognized but not being used.

Does your system boot with single ram module, if it is placed in one of those right slots?

so I checked the cpu and there was a bent pin, I bent the pin back and it didn't make a difference. Is the cpu no good now?

Could be some other pin bent or broken off.

 

[Caliburman]

The computer doesn't boot using either one of the modules on the right.

I checked the cpu chip pretty thoroughly, I didn't see any missing pins, there were a couple that were slightly distorted, but the chip still fit into the motherboard smoothly.

I think I'll just return the new ram and live with 16gb using the left two slots. (I used slot 2 and 4 initially, so I don't know why all of a sudden 4 wouldn't work.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I think I'll just return the new ram and live with 16gb using the left two slots. (I used slot 2 and 4 initially, so I don't know why all of a sudden 4 wouldn't work.

BTW - 7B86v1H1 is beta BIOS version.
I'd use latest non-beta instead - 7B86v1E.

 

[Caliburman]

BTW - 7B86v1H1 is beta BIOS version.
I'd use latest non-beta instead - 7B86v1E.

Yes, I did see it was beta. But before I upgraded the firmware and before I upgraded the ram I was using Port 2 and 4. Now 4 (as well as 3) doesn't work at all and I have to use 1 and 2. I can certainly try upgrading the bios to a non-beta version but you would think that between the factory version and the latest(beta) version, the RAM ports would be fully functional.

I'll give it a try and follow up, thank you for the help

 

[Caliburman]

BTW - 7B86v1H1 is beta BIOS version.
I'd use latest non-beta instead - 7B86v1E.

I just tried updating to a few different earlier versions but it's telling me that the updates are not for this motherboard and won't install. I also tried flashing it using the flash button, but it didn't update it either.
The drivers are definitely for this motherboard, are you able to update to earlier versions?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Update to earlier versions might get locked.

I guess - wait for next non-beta BIOS version to get released (or contact MSI support directly for assistance).