ASRock G31M-S R2.0: problems handling 8GB RAM as specified

[vince_]

Hi all,

First of all, here are the specs of my config:
ASRock G31M-S R2.0
BIOS 2.10
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650
4GB RAM (2x2GB) PC2-6400
750 Watts PSU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480
SATA 120GB SSD disk #1
SATA 2TB disk #2
IDE DVD-RW
Windows 7 Pro 64 bits

I was very happy with my config until I decided to upgrade the RAM from 4GB (2x2GB) to 8GB (2x4GB).

This mobo supports 8GB maximum as specified on ASRock website:
http://www.asrock.com/MB/Intel/G31M-S%20R2.0/index.asp

Within this document from the ASRock website, several references of DDR2 4GB modules compatible with ASRock G31M-S R2.0 mobo are listed:
http://www.asrock.com/mb/memory/G31M-S%20R2.0.pdf

As everybody knows, it is very difficult to find 4GB DDR2 modules, especially if you are hunting against a specific reference, but I was enough lucky to find and buy two modules totally new (sealed boxes) officially supported by my mobo:
(label on the boxes)
Kingston KVR800D2N6/4G
4GB PC2-6400 CL6 240-Pin DIMM

Yes, you guessed right, it does not work...

Symptoms:
- boot with 1x4GB (module 4GB #1): does not work at all! (no beep, no POST, nothing...)
- boot with 1x4GB (module 4GB #2): does not work at all! (no beep, no POST, nothing...)
- boot with 2x4GB (both 4GB modules): does not work at all! (no beep, no POST, nothing...)
- boot with 1x2GB+1x4GB (module #1 or #2, same behaviour): 2048MB at POST display, and when I enter BIOS: 2GB module is recognized as 2048MB and 4GB module is recognized as 2MB!!!

When I start PC with 2GB+4GB modules:
- Windows 7 Pro 64 bits system recognizes only 2GB amount of RAM (4GB module is not used),
- CPU-Z (last version 1.73.0.x64) finds both 2GB and 4GB RAM modules (logs ok),
- memtest86+ (last version 5.0.1) finds both 2GB and 4GB RAM modules (all the tests run ok).

It seems to me the two 4GB modules are ok, but the BIOS cannot handle them properly.
Is there any beta BIOS handling 4GB modules as specified by official specs of the mobo?
Does anybody have any idea about what I missed?

Thanks,

Vince

 

[Tradesman1]

Do you have the latest BIOS, might also try just clearing the CMOS then install the 4GB stick(s)

 

[vince_]

I have the last BIOS version.
I tried to clear the CMOS with the 4GB modules.
I've also manually set the voltage of the memory(1.8V).

Thanks for your reply.

 

[Tradesman1]

If still problems, may need to raise the NorthBridge (NB) voltage a tad to help the MC (memory controller along with the full load 😉

 

[vince_]

If still problems, may need to raise the NorthBridge (NB) voltage a tad to help the MC (memory controller along with the full load 😉

Unfortunatelly, I played with the voltage parameters all the evening, without any kind of success.

 

[Victor_10]

Experiencing the same problem here. Except that I'm using two 2GB modules. CPU-Z sees the total RAM but Windows only sees 2050MB (2048+2MB).
This is one messed up motherboard. We all know Asrock should be called Assuck but this is beyound belief.
I would never use an Asrock board but this is my sister's PC and I bought an extra 2GB of DDR2 667Mhz just because she had only two GB and that renders a Windows system unusable (unless you're using Windows 98). Even Windows XP runs slow with that much memory.

 

[dutchnet13]

I have put just put 8gb in mine, to enable win 10 x64 to recognise it properly i had to enable memory remapping in the bios.Anybody else thinking of putting the max 8gb on this motherboard should be aware that the cheaper 4gb modules will not work, you need the more expensive intel compatible modules.