Question Inconsistent info on memory installed... whats the problem?

[yoji]

OK... quick question, before I try and dig deeper..
I have an old PC (Circa 2010)... which has 6GB of memory installed (3 x 2GB).. on a ASUS PT6 Deluxe V2 Motherboard.
The problem is.. when it boots.. BIOS only shows 4GB avail.. and when it gets into Windows (10 64bit)... it confirms only 4GB
So I assume a bad stick... or bad slot... (I have tried reseating... 3 times.. no improvement)
However, when I used CPU-Z .... that reported 6GB and showed info on 3 modules.
So does that make sense? what issue would account for BIOS and windows not showing all... but CPU-Z does?
Is it poss that CPU-Z can see a defective module.. that BIOS/Windows rejects as faulty?

Have not got round to swapping out sticks into different slots to try and isolate...
Just trying understand .. so I can focus troubleshooting efforts more quickly/accurately.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.
Cheers

 

[Ralston18]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

The guiding document is the motherboard's User Guide/Manual.

The User Guide/Manual should list the supported RAM and supported RAM installations.

And the User Guide/Manual will likely refer you to the motherboard's manufacturer's website for more information and updated information.

Check there as well.

And it would be helpful if you can swap the current RAM sticks in and out in a methodical manner to determine if one of them is indeed defective.

 

[yoji]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

The guiding document is the motherboard's User Guide/Manual.

The User Guide/Manual should list the supported RAM and supported RAM installations.

And the User Guide/Manual will likely refer you to the motherboard's manufacturer's website for more information and updated information.

Check there as well.

And it would be helpful if you can swap the current RAM sticks in and out in a methodical manner to determine if one of them is indeed defective.

Sorry.. I could have been clearer, by saying I have had this machine since new.... its been working fine (with this mem and mem config).. it been shut down for a couple of months.. and just exhibited the issue since startup.
Mem in same place/slots as always..
It did look like BIOS had reset (so assume battery died.. so I have replaced).. and reconfigured BIOS.. but think standard default BIOS config would not account for one stick not showing.
As I said.. its Win 10 64 bit (just to reassure you its not the 4GB 32 bit limit issue).. its Prof 20H2 fully patched (well... it was patched as of 2 months ago.. and I updated to newest and still shows mem issue)
I also said I not got round to messing with removing modules/changing slots to isolate yet.... but had reseated a number of times.

Because I was really trying to understand how CPU-Z can see the mem... yet the BIOs and Windows could not.... what could explain that?

Anyway... I did do the swap outs today.. and found the module that was not working... but when I swapped it (with another module from the same set of 3 modules)... they both started to show in BIOS/Windows...
So as of now.. I have my 6GB back.. not swapped back to see if it a specific "this module in this specific slot does not work"
its 10 years old.. so can expect it to be getting a bit decerped!!

Anyway - still interested in why I was seeing it in CPU-z but not BIOS/Windows.

Cheers

 

[Ralston18]

Hopefully just a slight misfit of RAM to slot.

Maybe some piece of debris interfering with connectivity and got pulled out or pushed aside while swapping modules.

As for why CPU-Z sees the memory and BIOS / Windows do not/did not - I cannot answer.

Most likely some difference in how the presence or non-presence of a memory module is determined.

I will have to defer to others for the applicable explainations.