Need some help with some RAM issues

I installed a new 1 Gig stick of RAM (DDR 2700) to add to the other RAM sticks I have (2 DDR 2700 sticks). The problem is the BIOS and Everest say I only have a single Gig, when it should be 2 gigs, yet all 3 sticks shows up when Everest lists all the RAM I have plugged in.

Is there some sort of limitation, or option to the ammount of RAM you can have, or is there something I need to modify or install? I know the 1 Gig RAM is working because I only put a single 512 MB stick in before and it showed up as 1 Gig with both RAM sticks showing up. The thing is, the manual says it can hold up to 4 gigs of RAM.

Can you help me, ASSEMber members?

 

Depends on the board and the OS.

Gimmie some specs and I'll ponder it.

 

The OS is Windows XP Home Edition
The board type is a Chaintech VNF4 Ultra ZENITH VE

 

Try looking for a BIOS update for the board on the site. Read what the revisions do before installing it though, no need to risk upgrading if you dont need to

 

Upgrade the BIOS, verify that your board can handle that much RAM, make sure that the secondary slots your putting the RAM into isn't Dual Channel only or make sure that if your primary is dual channel that you've got the right RAM in the right places.

 

OK, I downloaded the BIOS update, but it is a .BIN file. I have never updated the BIOS on a computer, and I don't want to screw anything up (Plus, the Chaintech website's instructions are no help). Where do I put it?

 

Is there a bios updater?

More than likely what you're going to have to do is boot from a floppy and install the update form there.... Gimmie a few min and let me look for something that might help.

 

Don't see a BIOS updater, and I don't have a floppy drive. Would buring it on a disc and loading the disc when the computer first starts work?

 

BIOS .bin file:
http://www.chaintechusa.com/tw/eng/Download/dl_LI.asp?DISNo=734

BIOS updater:
http://www.chaintechusa.com/tw/eng/Download/dl_LI.asp?DISNo=704

Utilities page in general:
http://www.chaintechusa.com/tw/eng/Download/dl_desc.asp?DCSNo=6&PISNo=318

Get the updater, it should ask for a .bin file. Not sure if it'll work in Windows or if it'll only work in DOS. Prolly DOS though....

 

Can you boot from a USB drive?

 

You should be able to boot from a USB thumbdrive, if not you're going to have to make a bootable DOS cd with those updater files on it.

 

Updated the BIOS, but it still shows only a Gig of ram instead of 2. Should I change around the RAM's locations on the RAM Slots and see if that works?

 

is it cheapy brand? or both are the same?

 

chaintech boards arnt the best. How old is this board and what processor are you running on it.

The board may not be able to handle more than a gig. Although if its running 2700 then I should think that it would. Also if the new ram is dual channel then some socket (all???) 754 AMDs cant use dual channel. Thats why they switched to skt 939.

So if you are running a AMD Athlon xp or 64 bit socket 754 then it may not allow you to use dual channel.

 

No, I am running a 939 AMD Athlon 64 3000+. However, here is the weird thing.

I tried Quake 4 on Ultra settings and 4X Anti-Alasting. Usually, even with the AA turned down, Quake 4 runs on a very unstable framerate with Ultra on. However, it was actually at a very smooth framerate with some small lag when shooting for the first time (Usually, it lags on unplayable levels). Could it be that it says I only have 1 Gig when it doesn't? I'm going to try some other games and see.

EDIT: Same with HL2. Everything turned up, and the game runs and loads much better then before I installed the new RAM. Going to try Lost Coast and see how well that fares. I want to try Oblivion, but my DVD Drive is acting up.

 

depending on what video card you have you should have been able to run those games maxed before the ram upgrade.

Have you checking in windows to see if it says you have more than a gig. If windows says you do and things run better then I wouldnt worry about it.

 

7800GT with 256 MB

Even then, I tried those games before with the 7800GT with only the gig and those settings, and they ran worse then they do now. I just tried Oblivion, and even that runs smoother. Just to make sure, i'm going to run Lost Coast and see what type of framerate I get with that.

 

Obviously the board doesn't detect 1gig RAM sticks from BIOS. But if Windows and "everest" detect all the memory you have installed, then you're ok.

With some motherboards if you fill up all the DIMM slots with 1gig RAM sticks, and have a total of 4gbs of RAM, the BIOS will show like 3gb or 3.8gb and that is perfectly ok according to the motherboard manufacturer. Read the motherboard manual to see if it can take single 1gig DDR RAM sticks.

There could also be a BIOS setting you have to change.

 

The manual is sort of vague when it comes to instructions. It only says not to put 333 (2700) in all 4 slots and not to put certain RAM and certain slots. It doesn't say anything about rejecting 1 Gig RAM sticks.

 

Right click on "My Computer", click properties, and tell us how much RAM is reported.