Question Weird Memory Problem

[phillipknowsnothing]

Hi, my laptop had 10GB of DDR3 RAM (1x8GB and 1x2GB), but I had to remove the 8GB stick, because that stick gave me a lot of crashes even after swapping slots, but the laptop worked fine with only the 2GB stick inserted, so I assumed the 8GB stick was just done.
I put another 2GB stick I had lying around inside the laptop, until I could order some new RAM.

After inserting the new 2GB inside the laptop, I got a "Your PC needs to be repaired" Blue screen when I booted up. So, I took out the new stick and booted up with just the old 2GB stick which booted up fine, but it showed that I had 6GB installed (In Windows and BIOS). So, I ran a Windows Memory Diagnostics test and the test found no errors (still showed 6GB installed). Then I booted up the laptop with the old 2GB stick inside the other slot. Now it showed that I had 4GB installed (again in Windows and BIOS). After that I put the old stick back into Slot0 and the new 2GB stick inside Slot1. Booted up fine now, and showed in Windows and BIOS that I had a combined 8GB installed. (All these times the amount of RAM installed was also available to use, showed in Task Manager as well etc).

To be honest, I have no idea what's going on. I'm gonna order some new RAM for the laptop as I was going to do so anyway, but I just wanna hear if anyone can help me, because I don't know if this is a problem with the memory modules themselves or maybe with the slots or something else. This might be something small I'm missing, but thanks for reading.

Some screenshots:
Old stick inserted into slot0
Old stick inserted into slot1
Old stick in slot0 and new stick in slot1

My device specs:
Lenovo ThinkPad W510
Intel Core i7 Q720 1.60 GHz
NVIDIA Quadro FX880M
Old RAM stick - NANYA 2GB 1Rx8 PC3-10600S-9-10-B2 1333
New RAM stick - SAMSUNG 2G 2Rx8 PC3-8500S-07-10-F2
Windows 10 Pro 22H2

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

booted up with just the old 2GB stick..showed that I had 6GB installed
put the old stick back into Slot0 and the new 2GB stick inside...showed in Windows and BIOS that I had a combined 8GB installed.

seems this system has been set to use an additional "virtual" 4GB either from disk space, some cache, etc.

normally it would be a setting located within a Lenovo advanced setup option or through the BIOS.

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

You might want to stop mixing and matching rams. Following that, check and see if you have any BIOS versions pending update on your laptop. As for your ram, look into a matched kit.

Per this info;
https://www.manua.ls/lenovo/thinkpad-w510/specifications
your workstation pedigree laptop's memory can be maxed out to 16GB. This kit should run at DDR3-1033MHz.

 

[phillipknowsnothing]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

You might want to stop mixing and matching rams. Following that, check and see if you have any BIOS versions pending update on your laptop. As for your ram, look into a matched kit.

Per this info;
https://www.manua.ls/lenovo/thinkpad-w510/specifications
your workstation pedigree laptop's memory can be maxed out to 16GB. This kit should run at DDR3-1033MHz.

Thanks for the reply! I just checked now and my BIOS is up to date, but I'll def be buying a matching kit now.

 

[phillipknowsnothing]

seems this system has been set to use an additional "virtual" 4GB either from disk space, some cache, etc.

normally it would be a setting located within a Lenovo advanced setup option or through the BIOS.

Thanks for the reply! I see what you're saying, would that be the same amount shown in Windows? Because in windows it shows that my allocated virtual memory is around 1200MB. I cant find anything about Virtual Memory in my BIOS

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

would that be the same amount shown in Windows? Because in windows it shows that my allocated virtual memory is around 1200MB. I cant find anything about Virtual Memory in my BIOS

no. Windows Virtual Memory wouldn't be the same thing.
it wouldn't show in the BIOS either.
why i used quotation marks, just to insinuate that it is a similar thing.

possibly just something built-in by Lenovo to ensure it had enough RAM.
could be anything under 8GB of physical RAM triggers a "virtual" addition.

if installation of a new 2x8GB(16GB) kit leads to the same issues;
try a fresh installation of the OS,
resetting BIOS Optimized Defaults,
and just considering this old laptop is ready for retirement.

 

[phillipknowsnothing]

no. Windows Virtual Memory wouldn't be the same thing.
it wouldn't show in the BIOS either.
why i used quotation marks, just to insinuate that it is a similar thing.

possibly just something built-in by Lenovo to ensure it had enough RAM.
could be anything under 8GB of physical RAM triggers a "virtual" addition.

if installation of a new 2x8GB(16GB) kit leads to the same issues;
try a fresh installation of the OS,
resetting BIOS Optimized Defaults,
and just considering this old laptop is ready for retirement.

Ok, will try, thanks for the help