Question I installed new RAM (32GB) but only 16 is being detected?

[MichaelJames28]

Hi there. Recently I installed new ram (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0123ZCAKW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) but not all of it is being detected. I physically installed 32 GB in total, but both my BIOS and windows shows that only 16 are being used. I'm not sure if my motherboard can't support this much RAM or what, but I could really use some help on this problem. My motherboard (according to CPU-Z) is the Gigabyte B150M-Gaming-CF. Also, I tried switching the memory profile in my BIOS to 2133 (to utilize the full speed of the sticks), and it seems like it works in BIOS but when I save and reboot into windows, it says that the sticks are only running at 1066, which is what the default RAM was running at. Here's a picture of my BIOS, showing not detection of the other two, 8gb RAM sticks:

Any help would be greatly appreciated! If you need me to provide more pictures/information, please ask!

 

[rgd1101]

2 ram kits?

 

[Lutfij]

Did you buy two kits of the linked ramkit? To get 32GB of physical ram or are you mixing and matching kits/stick of ram? Are you on the latest BIOS update for your motherboard?

 

[MichaelJames28]

2 ram kits?

They are two of the same RAM kits.

 

[MichaelJames28]

Did you buy two kits of the linked ramkit? To get 32GB of physical ram or are you mixing and matching kits/stick of ram? Are you on the latest BIOS update for your motherboard?

They are two of the linked RAM kits. I didn’t know I could update the BIOS for my motherboard. I’m wondering where I could find the update? Would it make a difference?

 

[AllanGH]

They would not be guaranteed to work together and, NO!, don't flip over to flashing a new BIOS.....that won't improve anything at all.

You would have been better-off buying a 32GB kit of 4 DIMMs all together. If you can return what you have and get the 4-DIMM kit, do that, instead.

 

[davew1860]

So the sticks are running at half their rated speed? Is dual channel being recognized in CPU-Z?

 

[coastie65]

What Operating system are you using?

 

[rgd1101]

did you test all 4 stick work in pair?
turn xmp profile on?

 

[MichaelJames28]

did you test all 4 stick work in pair?
turn xmp profile on?

XMP profile is turned on. In BIOS, it shows that 2133 MHz is enabled, but like I said it doesn't show that in programs like Speccy and CPU-Z.

 

[MichaelJames28]

What Operating system are you using?

I am using Windows 10 Home Premium.

 

[MichaelJames28]

So the sticks are running at half their rated speed? Is dual channel being recognized in CPU-Z?

By channels # it says 1, like this:

https://imgur.com/jXoYRs1

View: https://imgur.com/jXoYRs1


What does this mean?

 

[davew1860]

By channels # it says 1, like this:

https://imgur.com/jXoYRs1

View: https://imgur.com/jXoYRs1


What does this mean?

It means the sticks are running at half their rated speed, which is not what we want. We want the channel # to say “dual.” You can do this (hopefully) by putting two sticks in EVERY OTHER slot, not side-by-side.

I know you have four sticks, though. Maybe slots 3 and 4 are defective. Or maybe two of the sticks are defective. You can rule these possibilities out by swapping sticks in and out of the slots and by running MemTest86 to check for RAM errors. That utility requires a blank USB thumb drive. I’d try those methods out first, then determine how to proceed from there.

 

[davew1860]

Another thing: I saw your motherboard manual, and your motherboard should support both 64GB of RAM and 2133MHz RAM speed.

 

[MichaelJames28]

It means the sticks are running at half their rated speed, which is not what we want. We want the channel # to say “dual.” You can do this (hopefully) by putting two sticks in EVERY OTHER slot, not side-by-side.

I know you have four sticks, though. Maybe slots 3 and 4 are defective. Or maybe two of the sticks are defective. You can rule these possibilities out by swapping sticks in and out of the slots and by running MemTest86 to check for RAM errors. That utility requires a blank USB thumb drive. I’d try those methods out first, then determine how to proceed from there.

Great, thank you! I will try these steps and get back to you.

 

[Calvin7]

Unlikely the memory is defective, but you can check that with MemTest86. Memory is guaranteed in the form sold. Use of multiple kits have no guarantee to be compatible together. The problem is your choice of memory - multiple kits.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Any help would be greatly appreciated! If you need me to provide more pictures/information, please ask!

Test with single ram module. Try it in all slots.
If it works in one slot and doesn't in another, that could mean bent cpu socket pins.

Test with all modules (one by one) to rule out defective ram module.

BTW - CPU-Z showing DRAM frequency 1066mhz, means effective frequency is 2x1066=2133mhz (double data rate - 2 data transfers per clock).
Single channel means - modules being detected are in same DRAM channel.

 

[MichaelJames28]

Unlikely the memory is defective, but you can check that with MemTest86. Memory is guaranteed in the form sold. Use of multiple kits have no guarantee to be compatible together. The problem is your choice of memory - multiple kits.

I'm not sure if I was clear enough in the OP but, the RAM that I am using is all the same. I am trying to use four, eight gigabyte sticks of the same type of RAM (the RAM in the Amazon link I provided).

 

[MichaelJames28]

Test with single ram module. Try it in all slots.
If it works in one slot and doesn't in another, that could mean bent cpu socket pins.

Test with all modules (one by one) to rule out defective ram module.

BTW - CPU-Z showing DRAM frequency 1066mhz, means effective frequency is 2x1066=2133mhz (double data rate - 2 data transfers per clock).
Single channel means - modules being detected are in same DRAM channel.

I will try testing out single modules (one stick in each slot, one at a time). So, my RAM is or isn't running at 2133 MHz? If they're in the same DRAM channel, what exactly does that mean?

 

[SkyNetRising]

So, my RAM is or isn't running at 2133 MHz?

It is.

If they're in the same DRAM channel, what exactly does that mean?

It means - ram bandwidth is only half of what it can be.

 

[Dragos Manea]

They would not be guaranteed to work together and, NO!, don't flip over to flashing a new BIOS.....that won't improve anything at all.

You would have been better-off buying a 32GB kit of 4 DIMMs all together. If you can return what you have and get the 4-DIMM kit, do that, instead.

Not true, in dual channel you can mix dual channel kits (2 kits of 2 sticks) as long as they have same latency and same speeds. What you are refering to is quad channel, which you must buy a 4 sticks kit to guarantee they work together. Dual channel access 2 sticks in the same time so it is not needed to buy a 4 sticks kit, quad channel access 4 sticks at a time which needs that all 4 sticks to work correctly together thats why you need a 4 sticks kit (quad channel kit).

 

[MichaelJames28]

It is.

It means - ram bandwidth is only half of what it can be.

Then I guess that is part of what I am trying to fix. Thanks, hopefully I can figure it out.

 

[coastie65]

Then I guess that is part of what I am trying to fix. Thanks, hopefully I can figure it out.

You have 4 DIMM slots. With ASUS running from the slot closest to the CPU socket, moving right, they are A1, A2, B1, B2. One Channel would be A1 & B1 and the other A2 and B2. When you buy your ram, you should buy it in a matched set of two, if that is what you intend to use or 4 if you are using 4. With ASUS, if you are using a single stick, it would go into DIMM slot A2. I am pretty sure that is standard. Hopefully you will find this helpful with the other suggestions.

 

[MichaelJames28]

You have 4 DIMM slots. With ASUS running from the slot closest to the CPU socket, moving right, they are A1, A2, B1, B2. One Channel would be A1 & B1 and the other A2 and B2. When you buy your ram, you should buy it in a matched set of two, if that is what you intend to use or 4 if you are using 4. With ASUS, if you are using a single stick, it would go into DIMM slot A2. I am pretty sure that is standard. Hopefully you will find this helpful with the other suggestions.

So when I bought the RAM, it came in packages of two 8 GB sticks. I'm just use two packages to provide 4 sticks of RAM that are all completely the same. Are you saying I should have bought one package containing four sticks? Appreciate the explanation.

 

[rgd1101]

So when I bought the RAM, it came in packages of two 8 GB sticks. I'm just use two packages to provide 4 sticks of RAM that are all completely the same. Are you saying I should have bought one package containing four sticks? Appreciate the explanation.

correct 4x8GB kit is not the same as 2 kit of 2x8GB