I installed 16GB (2x8GB) Ram, but Windows only shows 8GB though can read 16?

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Aug 30, 2018
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So, this is my very first PC build, I got some help from a more savvy friend and things went smoothly.

I recently purchased a second ram stick, same exact type and brand as the one I know works.

I have a mATX board, which only has 2 DDR4 DIMM's. The board I know supports UP TO 32GB of memory, so, 16 should be fine? Heres a link to both the MB and Ram

MB: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/sfcMnQ/asrock-ab350m-micro-atx-am4-motherboard-ab350m

Ram: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/4CyxFT/crucial-memory-bls8g4d240fsb

Now, I also took some advice from others, I used CPU-Z to see, and the system does say I have 16GB in dual

Windows task manager's memory performance tab also can recognize i have 16 total and that each DIMM is populated
However the "graph" (which is peaking at 70% with just chrome, which is why i bought a second stick in the first place) only shows "7.9" or the one 8GB stick.

Is this normal?
Or is windows just that bad at reflecting the change?

Screen to show: https://gyazo.com/ff7475c39737c936f4728831adef194c
 
Solution
Look on the bottom right corner of your screen shot. It says 8.1 GB Hardware reserved. So, you have 7.9 GB available to software (OS, programs, etc) and 8.1 GB reserved for hardware (Usually this is RAM saved for the frame buffer of your integrated graphics ... normally set in BIOS) which equals 16GB.

Do you play games with this PC? If so, you want to keep the frame buffer a reasonable size (2 - 4 GB depending on the game and texture settings ... sometimes more), but 8 GB is probably a bit higher than you need. If you don't play games, then 256 MB is just fine.
Look on the bottom right corner of your screen shot. It says 8.1 GB Hardware reserved. So, you have 7.9 GB available to software (OS, programs, etc) and 8.1 GB reserved for hardware (Usually this is RAM saved for the frame buffer of your integrated graphics ... normally set in BIOS) which equals 16GB.

Do you play games with this PC? If so, you want to keep the frame buffer a reasonable size (2 - 4 GB depending on the game and texture settings ... sometimes more), but 8 GB is probably a bit higher than you need. If you don't play games, then 256 MB is just fine.
 
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Aug 30, 2018
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I do actually, so thats why its reading that way?
How do I change the buffer then?

Imo: I run a Ryzen 5 1600
and have a GTX 1060 6GB GPU
if that helps
 
Aug 30, 2018
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You think the system would have it? Cause I do know this mb doesn't have any video connectors on the IO, I mean I'm looking but yeah
 
I have an Asrock AB350 Pro and was just doing some checks with it. My BIOS also does not have the option. Did some quick forum reading and there people saying that this can happen if a memory stick is not fully inserted, in the wrong slot, or bad. I would shut down, unplug the computer and pull the memory and reinstall. See if that fixes it. Still weird, why would it show all 16 if one stick was not in all the way or defective?
 
Aug 30, 2018
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I'm not sure, even the me reconizes it: http://tinypic.com/r/27yplea/9

Though it says single channel? I followed the manual, it's the same type, speed, brand and such.

Not like it's in a wrong slot. Only have the 2
 
Aug 30, 2018
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Question is: How and Where?
messing in this BIO's is abit much for me as a newcomer and this manual (I have the print one infront of me) doesn't explain the bios, just installation and general support work
 
Aug 30, 2018
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and lowered again to the last one, 1866
https://gyazo.com/e2bdb75273651afee73542134bf637be No change it seems

You think its a bad stick?
I mean it looks like it properly works, the OS reads it, just strange..
I feel the initial of the 8.1 for hardware reserved might be the real problem, I just wish I knew how to change that in bios
 
Aug 30, 2018
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So, Funny thing:
https://gyazo.com/5fb1f3432328c074d6d1b5a036dc3263 This is in system properties
It CAN read it, and the missing amount relates to the hardware reserved.

So it IS that, but I just need a way to tweak it, question now remains of how to adjust it in my bios, since "Share Memory" is gone

EDIT: https://gyazo.com/9d478157f43d1ccf8dd0431578a87267 In Resource Monitor
IT IS THE HARDWARE RESERVE
All 16 are there.
Now.. to figure out how to get to that
 
Aug 30, 2018
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So, I looked more into it, and found out how to change system hardware reserved DRAM
and low and behold, it worked!

https://gyazo.com/2b2ce155179f48492159207d362b5567 thank you!
 
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