Bios and Windows recognize half of my RAM

[mauzepauzel]

Hello,

I have recently bought a RAM upgrade for my computer, 2x8GB.
I put the 2 sticks in, and when I started it up the Bios said I had only 8GB RAM installed.
I checked the Bios and it said I had 2 sticks of 4GB, instead of 2 of 8.
This is very strange and I have tried to fix it for a while with no success.
My RAM sticks are both:
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My computer is a: HP Compaq 8200 Elite Convertible Minitower.

Any ideas?

 

[Tumeden]

Sounds like you're running a x86 32bit operating system rather then a 64bit operating system. A lot of window 32bit versions only support 8gb of ram.

 

[bgunner]

Do a wipe of the Cmos. The BIOS needs to rescan the system when you add ram like that and wont see or use till the Cmos is reset. This is a common issue.

(EDIT): The only time this does not need to be done is if it scanned all the ram to start with then you remove it. If you reinstall the ram after this it will detect it and use it without the need for clearing the Cmos

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

Sounds like you're running a x86 32bit operating system rather then a 64bit operating system. A lot of window 32bit versions only support 8gb of ram.

Not true, 32-bit Windows only supports 4GB RAM (slightly less actually), but that's got nothing to do with the problem the OP is having. Possible explanations:

May be the new RAM is not compatible so only the original 2 x 4GB is being detected.
or
New RAM may be faulty.

 

[bgunner]

Sounds like you're running a x86 32bit operating system rather then a 64bit operating system. A lot of window 32bit versions only support 8gb of ram.

Just for clarification, 32bit Windows only support 4 GB of ram not 8 GB of ram.

 

[mauzepauzel]

Sounds like you're running a x86 32bit operating system rather then a 64bit operating system. A lot of window 32bit versions only support 8gb of ram.

Not true, 32-bit Windows only supports 4GB RAM (slightly less actually), but that's got nothing to do with the problem the OP is having. Possible explanations:

May be the new RAM is not compatible so only the original 2 x 4GB is being detected.
or
New RAM may be faulty.

The thing is, I never had 2x4gb RAM, I had 3x2GB, wich I removed and then put in the 2x8GB.
The Bios and Windows see it, but only as 2x4GB and not 2x8GB.

 

[mauzepauzel]

Do a wipe of the Cmos. The BIOS needs to rescan the system when you add ram like that and wont see or use till the Cmos is reset. This is a common issue.

(EDIT): The only time this does not need to be done is if it scanned all the ram to start with then you remove it. If you reinstall the ram after this it will detect it and use it without the need for clearing the Cmos

Didn't work, the problem is that it recognizes the sticks but only half of them. Do you have any other ideas?

 

[InvalidError]

Didn't work, the problem is that it recognizes the sticks but only half of them. Do you have any other ideas?

The main possibility I can think of for a board to recognize only half the capacity of dual-sided DIMMs would be if the DIMM slots are only wired for single-rank (single-sided) DIMMs. OEMs that have their own custom boards do dumb stuff like that some of the time.

 

[faalin]

The maximum ram size per slot is 4GB so if your wanting 16GB of ram you will have to run a 4x4GB set.