My MB cut both of my RAM sticks down to half?

[CloudedVengeance]

So I have a A88XM-A motherboard. I just got it about 2 days ago. I have 2 4GB 1333 MHz sticks into the DIMM_A1 slot and the other one in the DIMM_B1 slot. For some reason when I go to BIOS, it shows both of the sticks as only 2048mb 1066 MHz (2GB), when it should be 4096mb 1333MHz (4GB) for both sticks. And when I go into Windows 7 (Home Premium)>Computer>Properties it only shows 4GB (3.19 available) When it should be near 8GB (7.19 available) or something like that. My motherboard supports my sticks completely. Can someone help me fix it so my motherboard will read both of the sticks as 4096mb 1333MHz? Please?

 

[Valnac]

Have you tried to manually set the timings in BIOS? You check and make sure clock and voltage were correct? If it's XMP memory and you can't load the XMP profile from bios you will have to enter the timings manually.

 

[i7Baby]

Have you got a 32bit OS?

 

[volcanoscout]

First thing you should do is reseat the sticks in either A1 and B1 (the two black memory slots), or A2 and B2 (the gold slots), then check your numbers again once you power up. Right now you're running single channel.

 

[Alin Prema]

Because you've put them wrong. Put them on A1 and B1 or A2 and B2 and they will work in dual-channel. It should solve your problem.

 

[Valnac]

Actually what i7baby asked is a very important question, as 32 bit OS's can only read up to 4 gigs of memory. What slot they are in would only affect whether you get dual channel out of them , shouldn't affect clock speed.

 

[volcanoscout]

Actually what i7baby asked is a very important question, as 32 bit OS's can only read up to 4 gigs of memory. What slot they are in would only affect whether you get dual channel out of them , shouldn't affect clock speed.

From the OP's statement about 3.19GB available, I'm assuming he is indeed running a 32bit OS. As i7baby had already asked that question, repeating it would have been redundant. I was simply pointing out an installation error. If it's a 32bit OS, it won't matter at all. If it turns out that he's actually running 64-bit, it may still be an academic point but leaving them in sub-optimal slots certainly won't help anything.

 

[Valnac]

Actually what i7baby asked is a very important question, as 32 bit OS's can only read up to 4 gigs of memory. What slot they are in would only affect whether you get dual channel out of them , shouldn't affect clock speed.

From the OP's statement about 3.19GB available, I'm assuming he is indeed running a 32bit OS. As i7baby had already asked that question, repeating it would have been redundant. I was simply pointing out an installation error. If it's a 32bit OS, it won't matter at all. If it turns out that he's actually running 64-bit, it may still be an academic point but leaving them in sub-optimal slots certainly won't help anything.

Yup. He asked what could cause the issue he was having so I was clarifying that what slots they were in had nothing to do with it. Didn't want to disseminate misinformation on the subject.

 

[volcanoscout]

Actually what i7baby asked is a very important question, as 32 bit OS's can only read up to 4 gigs of memory. What slot they are in would only affect whether you get dual channel out of them , shouldn't affect clock speed.

From the OP's statement about 3.19GB available, I'm assuming he is indeed running a 32bit OS. As i7baby had already asked that question, repeating it would have been redundant. I was simply pointing out an installation error. If it's a 32bit OS, it won't matter at all. If it turns out that he's actually running 64-bit, it may still be an academic point but leaving them in sub-optimal slots certainly won't help anything.

Yup. He asked what could cause the issue he was having so I was clarifying that what slots they were in had nothing to do with it. Didn't want to disseminate misinformation on the subject.

You're right - the slots they're in shouldn't have anything to do with the speed they're running at. And neither will the OS, as far as I know. It may affect the system speed, since some OS's use more RAM capacity than others, but not the RAM's measured effective speed. So yes, the OS question addresses half of the OP's question, namely why won't the system recognize the correct capacity. For the speed issue, the OP should put the sticks in the proper slots and then make sure his BIOS DRAM settings are correct. Depending on the mobo, RAM can default to 1333 or to 1066. If the RAM's rated speed is greater than either of those, but is running at a slower speed, settings have to be changed.

 

[CloudedVengeance]

Have you tried to manually set the timings in BIOS? You check and make sure clock and voltage were correct? If it's XMP memory and you can't load the XMP profile from bios you will have to enter the timings manually.

Have you got a 32bit OS?

Actually what i7baby asked is a very important question, as 32 bit OS's can only read up to 4 gigs of memory. What slot they are in would only affect whether you get dual channel out of them , shouldn't affect clock speed.

From the OP's statement about 3.19GB available, I'm assuming he is indeed running a 32bit OS. As i7baby had already asked that question, repeating it would have been redundant. I was simply pointing out an installation error. If it's a 32bit OS, it won't matter at all. If it turns out that he's actually running 64-bit, it may still be an academic point but leaving them in sub-optimal slots certainly won't help anything.

I have x64 bit.

 

[CloudedVengeance]

Actually what i7baby asked is a very important question, as 32 bit OS's can only read up to 4 gigs of memory. What slot they are in would only affect whether you get dual channel out of them , shouldn't affect clock speed.

From the OP's statement about 3.19GB available, I'm assuming he is indeed running a 32bit OS. As i7baby had already asked that question, repeating it would have been redundant. I was simply pointing out an installation error. If it's a 32bit OS, it won't matter at all. If it turns out that he's actually running 64-bit, it may still be an academic point but leaving them in sub-optimal slots certainly won't help anything.

Yup. He asked what could cause the issue he was having so I was clarifying that what slots they were in had nothing to do with it. Didn't want to disseminate misinformation on the subject.

You're right - the slots they're in shouldn't have anything to do with the speed they're running at. And neither will the OS, as far as I know. It may affect the system speed, since some OS's use more RAM capacity than others, but not the RAM's measured effective speed. So yes, the OS question addresses half of the OP's question, namely why won't the system recognize the correct capacity. For the speed issue, the OP should put the sticks in the proper slots and then make sure his BIOS DRAM settings are correct. Depending on the mobo, RAM can default to 1333 or to 1066. If the RAM's rated speed is greater than either of those, but is running at a slower speed, settings have to be changed.

I made 1 spelling error. I meant DIMM_B1 not DIMM_B2. But can I get some solutions?

 

[CloudedVengeance]

First thing you should do is reseat the sticks in either A1 and B1 (the two black memory slots), or A2 and B2 (the gold slots), then check your numbers again once you power up. Right now you're running single channel.

What does single channel mean? And how do I reset them?

 

[i7Baby]

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/A88XMA/specifications/ says dual channel, 4 dimm slots

You need to either use 2 x 4gb or 4 x 2gb to keep the memory controller happy. Just use identical ram sticks in each slot.

 

[CloudedVengeance]

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/A88XMA/specifications/ says dual channel, 4 dimm slots

You need to either use 2 x 4gb or 4 x 2gb to keep the memory controller happy. Just use identical ram sticks in each slot.

I do have 2 x 4GB sticks. If that's the case then why in the BIOS is it counting both of them as 2 x 2GB sticks? Might I just have to update the BIOS or something?

 

[CloudedVengeance]

Have you tried to manually set the timings in BIOS? You check and make sure clock and voltage were correct? If it's XMP memory and you can't load the XMP profile from bios you will have to enter the timings manually.

I have no idea what any of that means. I'm not good with this kind of stuff.

 

[i7Baby]

Have you put the ram in the correct slots - per your mobo manual?

Make sure the slots are clean and that they are fully in the slots.

Download and run Memtest86 (http://download.cnet.com/Memtest86/3000-2086_4-10524193.html)

 

[CloudedVengeance]

Have you put the ram in the correct slots - per your mobo manual?

Make sure the slots are clean and that they are fully in the slots.

Download and run Memtest86 (http://download.cnet.com/Memtest86/3000-2086_4-10524193.html)

Kk, but what does it do exactly?

 

[i7Baby]

Strangely enough it Tests your Memory.