Only 3,18GB RAM usable out of 12GB on 64bit Windows

[Band1t]

Recently I bought 2 sticks of 4GB RAM in addition to my 2 x 2GB. And I had to reinstall Windows for it to be 64bit. It went without any troubles. But after installing the RAM, PC wouldn't boot up in any mode, even in recovery.
I managed to avoid it by manually changing Max RAM in msconfig to 12288 MB. And now Windows displays that I have 12GB (3,18 GB usable).
memtest resulted nothing, and I can see the RAM in BIOS.

Specs:
Windows 7 Home premium 64bit SP1
Motherboard: Intel DH55TC.
RAM:
Old 2x Kingston KVR1333D3N9/2G .
New: 2x Kingston KHX13C9B1R/4.
CPU: Intel Core i3-530.

 

[Supahos]

Try moving the sticks around IE put the 4gb sticks in slots 1/3 and the 2gb sticks in slots 2/4

Also update your bios if you havn't already as this can help. Set timings to 9-9-9-30, and Dram Voltage to 1.55~1.60 and see if this fixes the situation

 

[MKBL]

Check this out.

https://www.icc-usa.com/ddr3-population

 

[Band1t]

Try moving the sticks around IE put the 4gb sticks in slots 1/3 and the 2gb sticks in slots 2/4

Also update your bios if you havn't already as this can help. Set timings to 9-9-9-30, and Dram Voltage to 1.55~1.60 and see if this fixes the situation

Changing sticks didn't change anything.

And I think I have a bios problem now: it's not updating. exe file installs and reboots the system but the version doesn't change, tried with an USB and F7 method but pressing F7 did nothing (I think it's because of the USB. Going to try again with a disc).

And everything in performance tab is grayed out. Quick google search led me to believe that my bios is unable to change any timing or voltage setting.
Is there a way around it?

 

[Supahos]

Have you tried just running the new sticks? most people never use more than 8gb of memory that may be the best case scenario for you at the moment.

 

[MKBL]

SO when you ran memtest, did it show/test all 4 sticks?

 

[Band1t]

Try moving the sticks around IE put the 4gb sticks in slots 1/3 and the 2gb sticks in slots 2/4

Also update your bios if you havn't already as this can help. Set timings to 9-9-9-30, and Dram Voltage to 1.55~1.60 and see if this fixes the situation

Okay, I've updated my bios and setting the timings didn't do anything.
And now (after bios update) it displays that I have 2,93GB usable instead of previous 3,18GB.

 

[Band1t]

Have you tried just running the new sticks? most people never use more than 8gb of memory that may be the best case scenario for you at the moment.

(Sorry forgot to reply)
It didn't work, now it just shows 8GB (3,18 usable).

Could a new motherboard fix the problem? Because this issue is driving me insane.

 

[Band1t]

I found where the problem was originating from. It was a max memory setting in msconfig. If I set it to 4095MB the computer boots up fine and sees all 12GB of ram, but says 3,18 usable. If I set it higher that that, then after clicking ok and opening it back up the number resets to zero, and computer won't boot in any mode unless there are less than 4GB RAM installed; the same happens when I uncheck the max memory setting.

But I still don't know how to fix it.
Help?

 

[hammereditor]

I have the exact same problem. Windows only recognizes 4 GB of the 8 GB which I have.
But no matter what I do with MS config, 4 GB is still hardware-reserved.
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1884467/reducing-hardware-reserved-ram.html

 

[Band1t]

Noticed that if I try to boot with 2x2GB sticks with max memory unchecked it boots fine, but with one 4GB stick as soon as it gets to the windows loading it restarts; With 2 it crashes and then very slowly boots up only to crash again.
Does that mean that new RAM is broken? Because it registers in BIOS, windows, and in resource monitor as hardware reserved. So it's kinda strange for it to be considered broken.

 

[Band1t]

Crap, I think I broke everything. I've tried lowering the memory timings and now PC won't even go past POST. When I turn it on, nothing happens then after some time processor fan starts spinning a bit faster.
CMOS reset does nothing and plugging different combinations of ram either.
But motherboard does give an error code/beeps when ram is removed.
Help?

 

[hammereditor]

Unfortunately, I think you're doomed.
Can you even enter BIOS?

 

[Band1t]

Unfortunately, I think you're doomed.
Can you even enter BIOS?

No, only black screen.

I suppose it's RAM fault, since motherboard gives an error code when RAM is not inserted.
Right?