Windows 7: 6 GB Installed (3 GB usable)

Howdy!

So I've read up a bit on this from other posts of the same problem and here's what I've tried:

• Tried msconfig---every time I try to set the amount to anything above 2048 it resets. Tried deselecting "Max Memory" and it shows the same amount.
• Updated BIOS (Which only detected 3063 TOTAL)
• Looked up 'System Information' (See Attached Picture)
• Looked up 'Resource Monitor' (See Attached Picture)
• Looked up 'Control Panel -> System & Security -> System (See Attached Picture)

What I have not tried is unseating and reseating the RAM for two reasons; 1) I would have to remove the Video card (which sits so close to the RAM locking arms they would hit the back if I tried opening them) and the HDD (because it hangs over the Video Card) which I'm not entirely sure would work because 2) Windows seems to know there's more there.

It detects it in Control Panel, System Information, and System Resources. I just can't get it to use it for anything other than BIOS.

So, I would be tremendously grateful for any other suggestions to try before I go yanking the guts of my PC out. Thank you.

***Edit: Did some more reading --- The RAM came straight from the store the way it was. From what I can tell, there are two red colored banks and two black colored banks. The 2 2-GB sticks appear to be in one color and the 2 1-GB sticks appear to be in the other. ***

***Update: Think two of the slots might have been bad---I now have 4 usable GB of RAM, instead of 3. It still detects all of it, it's just not usable at the moment.***

Have you seen this thread - 4 GB of Physical Memory but 1.74 GB Usable

My post - 4 GB of Physical Memory but 1.74 GB Usable

download CPUID program cpuz and look to see what the memory and spd tabs have showing for each slot...

@ sygnus21 --- Yes, I am absolutely positive it's not clicked. I've restarted 4 or 5 times, and just now I went into msconfig, saw that it was blank, clicked it, the number "6144" popped up (which is not the first time I've seen it do it, because I did it, unclicked it again and restarted it just to be sure all it needed was a little reboot---no luck)

@DMHolt57 --- Okey dokey, will do. I ran the utility that is available on the Dell site, and it said:

DIMM1, Capacity: 2048 Mb, Speed: 1066 Mhz
DIMM2, Capacity: 2048 Mb, Speed: 1066 Mhz
DIMM3, Capacity: 1024 Mb, Speed: 1066 Mhz
DIMM4, Capacity: 1024 Mb, Speed: 1066 Mhz

If that helps while I download and run CPUID

@DMHolt57 --- Memory tab shows 6144 MBytes as its Size, DDR3 as it's Type---SPD tab shows Module Size 2048 - DDR3 in Slot #1 and Slot #3; In Slots #2 and #4 are the 1024 modules, also DDR3.

***Edit: Just restarted the whole shooting match again, this time with max memory clicked and set to 6144, but it doesn't look like it's sticking---went back in and it was changed to 2048. Bios still reads 3074 (3063 available). If the memory modules are in the wrong slots, would that produce only 3 GB? I mean, if two slots could only read 1GB amounts, and one of them had a 2 GB stick in it, wouldn't that leave 4 GB's left? Because the slot that had a 1 GB stick where a 2GB stick ought to go would still read it, correct? Or is that incorrect? Just seems like there should be 2 GB's TOTAL or 4 GB's total, not a random odd number like 3.)***

Okey dokey, so I just switched all the RAM sticks around, and it's still showing 3 GB available, and the other 3 are for when the Rapture comes. They were numbered exactly as the Dell site listed them---The 2 GB sticks were in slots 1 and 2, the 1 GB sticks were in slots 3 and 4. I'm wondering what Dell did differently from CPUID, because CPUID lists them slot 1 and 2 having a 2GB stick and 1GB stick, respectively. Ditto for slots 3 and 4. I'm gonna take everything back out, and try moving it the way CPUID says they're laid out.

The fact that Resource Monitor is showing 6gig of RAM says the motherboard is reading the all the RAM installed. You really didn't need CPU-Z for this issue but it didn't hut to post what you saw.

Anyway I suggest you go back through that thread I referenced to and look it over. Also DO NOT tick that Max Mem box, or the Processor box as they WILL cause you issues.

You probably need to look through yor BIOS and check what memory setting you have set. Again look through that thread I referenced to.

BTW you need to get a little more specific on you motherboard specs. What's a 0X231R ???

Let me know.

All right, so, I switched the RAM sticks according to the way dell says they should be laid out and the way CPUID says they're laid out. I restarted it after the dell layout, messed with msconfig, reboot, nothing. Laying it out the way I (guess) CPUID has it laid out gives me: 4048 detected in bios, and 4087 total physical memory. So, that means either A) The two 2-GB sticks are working (which would suggest TWO dead slots) or B) One of the 2-GB sticks is working and BOTH of the 1-GB sticks are working, which suggests ONE dead slot.

Considering the max the Dell documentation this PC is designed for is 16 GB's, I'd wager that all of these slots are designed to work with 4 GB modules. UNLESS I'M WRONG (which happens more than I'm willing to admit), I can only think of a couple other configuration that adds up to 16 total gigabytes using 1-, 2-, 4-, and 8-GB sticks (An 8, a 4, and 2-2's) OR 4 4-GB sticks, which makes me think that all of these slots can take at least a 4-GB stick. Unless one slot's max is 8, the next two slots' max are 4, and the last is 2. Which makes me think one slot on the PC went out and the 2 1-GB sticks + 1 2-GB stick are doing their duty and the last stick is sitting idle in a dead slot.

So, if I'm right, and it's just one dead slot, and the worst case scenario means even the very weakest, lowest-capacity slot can hold the BIGGEST stick of RAM I have, then I might be able to crank out 1 more GB of RAM by moving the 2-GB stick out of the dead slot, one of the 1-GB sticks in.

***On second thought, if three slots worked, I would've had 5 GB of ram available to begin with, not three. So when I switched the 1-GB stick and the 2-GB stick, I would've had just the 2-2 GB sticks working, right? Certainly not the 2 1-GB sticks + 1 2-GB stick.***

The motherboard number I referenced is the only thing I could find for my motherboard. That's just the model-number, and it seems like it's a dell product. Entering in that number along with the terms 'Dell XPS Studio 8000' yields replacement motherboards for my computer.

This might help with those specs,

System Info - See Your System Specs