[SOLVED] PC has 32GB of RAM installed but only 15.9GB of my Ram is usable?

Jan 17, 2023
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I understand this seems to be a common problem, but none of the common solutions have solved this issue for me. I have 32 GB of ram installed in my PC, my PC recognizes that I should have 32 GB of ram, however, as shown in the screenshot of Task Manager, 16.1 GB are reserved by the hardware.
Here are my specs to start:
Device name ZachsPC
Processor AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Six-Core Processor 3.40 GHz
Motherboard: Gigabyte B450M DS3H f41
Installed RAM 32.0 GB (15.9 GB usable)
Device ID BF540D49-4DC1-4CFA-870C-610F9B4F9BC9
Product ID 00326-10113-47935-AA751
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Pen and touch No pen or touch input is available for this display
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I have four 8 GB ram sticks that I have tied swapping around the RAM Sticks in the ports on my motherboard to no avail. I also tried loading them onto my PC just two Ram Sticks at a time each just to see if I had a faulty RAM stick, but from what I can tell that is not the case. I have checked for a BIOS update for my motherboard but it is fully up to date. I tried msconfig as well.
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Everytime I restart my computer after changing the options Maximum memory would always revert to 0. I have seen some post saying to leave the box unchecked, I have seen some say to make it 32768, both have not stopped the 32.0 GB (15.9 GB usable) issue, always only having 15.9 available for use. I have also gone into my BIOS to enable XMP profile to absolutely no avail either. I have also tried Customize Virtual Memory.
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I will admit when I tried to customize the size I was not particularly sure what numbers to input so I went with Initial Size: 800 and Maximum Size: 22000. This did not work after a reset and neither did selecting no paging file. I have also launched a Windows Memory Diagnostic only for it to say that my PC is perfectly fine with absolutely no issues. I have even tried typing "msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic" in Run to see if that would catch any errors with my PC, but this also did not solve the 15.9 GB available 16.1 GB Reserved. After all of that, I even removed my ram again to clean it out with an air compressor incase it was something as simple as that. Even though way more dust came out of that thing than I anticipated, it also did not solve the issue.
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I have also tried changing the value in ClearPageFileAtShutdown from 0 to 1. I then reattempted the System Configuration steps again also to no avail. I searched around BIOS to see if there were any options that I may have missed but nothing caught my eye. I am pretty out of ideas beyond all of this and do not know what try next. Any help would be incredibly appreciated. P.S. Sorry for all the snippets I was not sure what all people would need to see.
 
Solution
Why don't you clean the contacts on your memory sticks, it's plain as day they are not shiny like they should be. All you do is gently rub a clean pencil eraser up and down the contacts about 30 times. Then clean the debris off with canned air or a spray contact cleaner. Even an anti static brush works. Mine quit working and that fixed it. I think they get stored in humid warehouses or worse close to the ocean. So brand new out of the container can still be oxidized. This is a 10 minute procedure so big deal if it doesn't work. But it did work on mine. Notice the color of the bottom Gskill chips. Much darker, exactly like mine were. That's oxidation and it makes a perfect non conductive contact. And no, contact cleaners rarely works...
Jan 17, 2023
13
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Is this a 4x8 GB RAM kit? If not, how different are the specs? And did this configuration ever work properly? You've provided a lot of info about other stuff, but very little about the RAM itself.
It is 2 2x8GB RAM kits, I bought both the same distributor at the same time. All 4 are the exact same GSkill RAM Sticks the only difference being; two are labeled with a small red mark on it the other two have a small yellow mark. I believe ever since I built this PC I have been running with 32.0 GB (15.9 GB usable)
 
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Nikolay Mihaylov

Prominent
Jun 30, 2022
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I've had a similar situation, atlhough much worse - 4GB usable out of 64GB IIRC. My sysadmin solved it by reinstalling Windows. The fact that Windows reports the expected value (32GB in your case) but cannot use it suggests that it's Windows that is confused about it.

But first I would suggest you boot a live Linux distro and see what it tells you. If it sees the complete 32GB still try to test it in a way that would actually use all of it. Or just fire up memtest86+ to be on the safe side.
 

DSzymborski

Titan
Moderator
It is 2 2x8GB RAM kits, I bought both the same distributor at the same time. All 4 are the exact same GSkill RAM Sticks the only difference being; two are labeled with a small red mark on it the other two have a small yellow mark. I believe ever since I built this PC I have been running with 32.0 GB (15.9 GB usable)

That's very different. There's no such thing as exact same sticks; RAM isn't manufactured like a toaster or a car. Basically, RAM in a binned product, meaning it is tested and assigned a spec and branding based on how well or poorly it performs. RAM with the same model number is simply similarly defective, not an identical model by any means, and whether they were both purchased or even manufactured at the same time doesn't really mean anything. There's zero guarantee that separate RAM kits, even with the exact same branding, will work together.

What are the exact model numbers of the RAM? It'll look something like CMK16GX4M2B3200C16.
 
Jan 17, 2023
13
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I've had a similar situation, atlhough much worse - 4GB usable out of 64GB IIRC. My sysadmin solved it by reinstalling Windows. The fact that Windows reports the expected value (32GB in your case) but cannot use it suggests that it's Windows that is confused about it.

But first I would suggest you boot a live Linux distro and see what it tells you. If it sees the complete 32GB still try to test it in a way that would actually use all of it. Or just fire up memtest86+ to be on the safe side.
I tried the memtest and there were no errors, however, memtest only recognized my pc as having 16GB of RAM which is a bit confusing. I am not entirely sure how to do a live Linux distro but I am looking into it, If worst comes to worse I will reinstall windows but this is not ideal as I would like to keep my files.
 

DSzymborski

Titan
Moderator
I tried the memtest and there were no errors, however, memtest only recognized my pc as having 16GB of RAM which is a bit confusing. I am not entirely sure how to do a live Linux distro but I am looking into it, If worst comes to worse I will reinstall windows but this is not ideal as I would like to keep my files.

Windows install shouldn't be affecting seeing the RAM in BIOS. It would be premature to reinstall Windows when we still don't even have all the basic information of the RAM sticks.

When did you run Memtest?

However, you ought to have backups of important files at all times. If reinstalling Windows would make you lose any important files, then something's gone seriously wrong with your backup practices. And a serious problem with your backup plan is a far more urgent matter than only having 16 GB of RAM instead of 32 GB.
 
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Jan 17, 2023
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I tried the memtest and there were no errors, however, memtest only recognized my pc as having 16GB of RAM which is a bit confusing. I am not entirely sure how to do a live Linux distro but I am looking into it, If worst comes to worse I will reinstall windows but this is not ideal as I would like to keep my files.
twra1EJ.jpg

Sorry I am not particularly sure which number is the model number so I just sent a picture of all the information on them. I believe it may be 04240M8410C and 04266M8410C.
 
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Jan 17, 2023
13
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Windows install shouldn't be affecting seeing the RAM in BIOS. It would be premature to reinstall Windows when we still don't even have all the basic information of the RAM sticks.

When did you run Memtest?

However, you ought to have backups of important files at all times. If reinstalling Windows would make you lose any important files, then something's gone seriously wrong with your backup practices. And a serious problem with your backup plan is a far more urgent matter than only having 16 GB of RAM instead of 32 GB.
I ran memtest 45 minutes ago and let it run for 15 minutes before I realized it was looping and waiting for me to tell it to stop. Also this PC is only my gaming PC not my work Computer. Losing all my files would not be bothersome as there is no important files on my PC I do have a Backup I just would not want to spend the time redownloading every single game
 
I have 32 GB of ram installed in my PC, my PC recognizes that I should have 32 GB of ram, however, as shown in the screenshot of Task Manager, 16.1 GB are reserved by the hardware.
Update BIOS to latest version.

Note #1. In msconfig/boot/advanced - number of processors has to be unchecked.

Note #2. You can not disable pagefile. This introduces virtual memory related errors. Set it to 1GB initial 16GB max.
Partition C: requires at least 16MB pagefile or else core dumps can not be created.
 
Jan 17, 2023
13
0
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Update BIOS to latest version.

Note #1. In msconfig/boot/advanced - number of processors has to be unchecked.

Note #2. You can not disable pagefile. This introduces virtual memory related errors. Set it to 1GB initial 16GB max.
Partition C: requires at least 16MB pagefile or else core dumps can not be created.
My Bios is up to date. I also unchecked the number of processors and set the virtual memory to 1GB initial and 16GB max, however this did not solve the issue. Should I try running a memtest now that I have changed the virtual memory?
 

Nikolay Mihaylov

Prominent
Jun 30, 2022
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I tried the memtest and there were no errors, however, memtest only recognized my pc as having 16GB of RAM which is a bit confusing. I am not entirely sure how to do a live Linux distro but I am looking into it, If worst comes to worse I will reinstall windows but this is not ideal as I would like to keep my files.

A live Linux distribution is one that you save on a USB Flash drive and boot from it. It requires no installation or changes to your existing storage setup, that's why I suggested it. There should be plenty of tutorials on the Internet. If you don't feel comfortable doing this, that's fine. It was just a suggestion that could provide an additional data point. There you can also look at the kernel boot log to see if it reports anything suspicious.

As for reinstalling Windows, you can remove your current drive and replace it with another one on which to install. You can always bring back your original drive and it will be as if nothing happened.

I would definitely try to clean the DIMM contact pads with isopropanol or at least ethanol. RAM can be finicky. Also, definitely try to clear the CMOS so you can be sure that memory training starts from scratch.

It's not unheard of for some memory modules to not play toghether nicely. What is baffling here is that Windows reports 32GB wehereas other tools like the memtest you ran report only 16GB. Maybe you are just being unlucky and you really cannot use all these modules in your MB.

Fingers crossed.
 
Jan 17, 2023
13
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A live Linux distribution is one that you save on a USB Flash drive and boot from it. It requires no installation or changes to your existing storage setup, that's why I suggested it. There should be plenty of tutorials on the Internet. If you don't feel comfortable doing this, that's fine. It was just a suggestion that could provide an additional data point. There you can also look at the kernel boot log to see if it reports anything suspicious.

As for reinstalling Windows, you can remove your current drive and replace it with another one on which to install. You can always bring back your original drive and it will be as if nothing happened.

I would definitely try to clean the DIMM contact pads with isopropanol or at least ethanol. RAM can be finicky. Also, definitely try to clear the CMOS so you can be sure that memory training starts from scratch.

It's not unheard of for some memory modules to not play toghether nicely. What is baffling here is that Windows reports 32GB wehereas other tools like the memtest you ran report only 16GB. Maybe you are just being unlucky and you really cannot use all these modules in your MB.

Fingers crossed.
Thank you for your help. I will watch a tutorial on live Linux distribution, and hopefully that will solve the issue.
 

Alan Alan

Prominent
Aug 9, 2022
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Why don't you clean the contacts on your memory sticks, it's plain as day they are not shiny like they should be. All you do is gently rub a clean pencil eraser up and down the contacts about 30 times. Then clean the debris off with canned air or a spray contact cleaner. Even an anti static brush works. Mine quit working and that fixed it. I think they get stored in humid warehouses or worse close to the ocean. So brand new out of the container can still be oxidized. This is a 10 minute procedure so big deal if it doesn't work. But it did work on mine. Notice the color of the bottom Gskill chips. Much darker, exactly like mine were. That's oxidation and it makes a perfect non conductive contact. And no, contact cleaners rarely works without rubbing the contacts. I used a small hand held eraser and they came out nice and shiny. I have an air compressor and blew off the eraser remains so it was really easy and boy was I happy to see that work. Sometimes the simple things are often overlooked. Don't touch those contacts with your fingers either. After cleaning hold in one hand and touch the computer with the other to discharge any static first; Then insert them.
 
Solution
Jan 17, 2023
13
0
10
Why don't you clean the contacts on your memory sticks, it's plain as day they are not shiny like they should be. All you do is gently rub a clean pencil eraser up and down the contacts about 30 times. Then clean the debris off with canned air or a spray contact cleaner. Even an anti static brush works. Mine quit working and that fixed it. I think they get stored in humid warehouses or worse close to the ocean. So brand new out of the container can still be oxidized. This is a 10 minute procedure so big deal if it doesn't work. But it did work on mine. Notice the color of the bottom Gskill chips. Much darker, exactly like mine were. That's oxidation and it makes a perfect non conductive contact. And no, contact cleaners rarely works without rubbing the contacts. I used a small hand held eraser and they came out nice and shiny. I have an air compressor and blew off the eraser remains so it was really easy and boy was I happy to see that work. Sometimes the simple things are often overlooked. Don't touch those contacts with your fingers either. After cleaning hold in one hand and touch the computer with the other to discharge any static first; Then insert them.
I will go and by an air compressor as soon as I am off of work. I hope it really is something as simple as this. Thank you for your help.
 
Jan 17, 2023
13
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Have you tried running Linux from a USB drive?
I’ve tried running a live linux distribution but to be perfectly honest I do not understand it completely and need to do more looking into it. I believe it created a dump on my usb but I am still not entirely sure what the information means.
 

Alan Alan

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Aug 9, 2022
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I will go and by an air compressor as soon as I am off of work. I hope it really is something as simple as this. Thank you for your help.
Lol, you can use canned air, it's a lot cheaper. An antistatic brush is cheap too. You need a clean pencil eraser, I hoped mine would work and it most definately did. So good luck.
 

Kona45primo

Honorable
Jan 16, 2021
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Don't use an actual mechanical air compressor. They spit out a fair amount of oil and water. Compressed air in a can is the best, hold any fans still when doing it if you happen to clean them too. Spinning fans in a computer create electrical currents that are not necessarily good for your computer.
 
Jan 17, 2023
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Don't use an actual mechanical air compressor. They spit out a fair amount of oil and water. Compressed air in a can is the best, hold any fans still when doing it if you happen to clean them too. Spinning fans in a computer create electrical currents that are not necessarily good for your computer.
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Thank you for the help I appreciate the warning before I ruin my computer lol.
 

Alan Alan

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Aug 9, 2022
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Thank you for the help I appreciate the warning before I ruin my computer lol.
Did you have any trouble finding a pencil eraser. lol Shines them up real good. That oxide is hard to get off sometimes. A metallurgist once told me oxides can be harder than the metal itself. Gee, and I thought all metals just rusted. lol