Realtek HD Audio incompatible with 4GB RAM?

Rokhjin · 22 Jun 2011

Greetings!

I've recently bought a second stick of 2GB RAM. Now, when I put both sticks in, the Realtek HD Audio device simply vanishes from my device manager and, therefor, cannot be installed (and doesn't work).

If I pull out one of the sticks and replace it with a 1GB stick that was already in there, the audio works fine.

I've searched around on the internet for a solution and haven't found one yet so I was wondering if any of you could help a guy out?

Thanks very much in advance!

-Rokhjin.

DocBrown · 22 Jun 2011

Welcome Rokhjin

Could you give us ful details on each ram stick ? Mfg, type, speed, etc.

A screen snip of CPU-Z details would be great

Realtek HD Audio incompatible with 4GB RAM?-cpu-z_amdx6_1100t_mem_day_2011.jpg

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MultiCat · 22 Jun 2011

I couldn't find anything on the site that said it was incompatible with 4GB of RAM.

That being said, I'm also having trouble with Realtek after I upgraded to 64bit Windows which gives me access to all 4GB of my RAM, instead of the usual 3.3GB.

Have you tried downloading from the PC manufacturer's website?

Dwarf · 22 Jun 2011

I have 4GB of RAM and run both 32-bit and 64-bit OSes with no problems whatsoever regarding Realtek audio and the drivers from Realtek. Having said that, my memory is a 2 x 2GB kit (4GB total) so the modules are matched. Is it possible that a slight mismatch between modules could be causing the problem? Remember that memory problems can manifest themselves in any number of ways.

@Rokhjin: You've stated that you recently bought the 2GB module. When you bought it, did you match up all the required parameters? It is not enough to match the operating frequency, the timing parameters have to match as well. Have you tried that stick on its own just to eliminate the possibility of it being faulty?

Rokhjin · 22 Jun 2011

I have in fact tried either memory stick and they seem to work as intended. Both are 2GB DDR2, 800MHz sticks from the same shop. Except for their height (for some reason the second one is only half of the first one yet the same length and connection) they pretty much look the same.

The computer detects both sticks of RAM and windows 7 is definitely telling me that all 4 GB are there (though, of course, only 3 GB is usable). The only problem I have is the audio problem.

CPU-Z:

Dwarf · 22 Jun 2011

So the new 2GB stick works, although not in conjunction with the existing one? I've noticed from your snips of CPU-Z that there is a 2 year difference in manufacturing date between the modules and that the physical dimensions, as regards height, are different.

True, the BIOS will, in most cases, recognise the total amount of RAM installed, even if it is not a 100% match, as it gets that information from the SPD chips on the modules.

I still think that this is a memory incompatibility issue, given the 2 year difference in manufacturing date.

Perhaps someone else can offer an opinion on this, as this is the only thing that I think it could be.

Rokhjin · 22 Jun 2011

While it definitely could be a possibility I think it would be strange that the newest (smaller) one would work fine with an old 1 GB stick from 2006 yet causes errors with the newer 2GB stick from 2009.

Dwarf · 22 Jun 2011

Tolerance limitations. The 1GB stick is able to work with either of the 2GB sticks because the tolerance differences between the 2 sticks falls within an acceptable limit to enable both modules to work satisfactorily. However, the tolerance difference between the two 2GB sticks probably falls outside this limit, hence the problem.

When the memory manufacturer is preparing multi-module kits for dual/triple mode, they are in fact looking to match modules that have as low a tolerance difference between them as possible. The main reason why modules are rejected for this purpose, despite them being 100% working as an individual, is because the tolerances between them are too great.

seavixen32 · 22 Jun 2011

MultiCat said:

I couldn't find anything on the site that said it was incompatible with 4GB of RAM.

That being said, I'm also having trouble with Realtek after I upgraded to 64bit Windows which gives me access to all 4GB of my RAM, instead of the usual 3.3GB.

I'm just wondering if the RAM issue is a red herring. You say you've gone from 32 to 64-bit Windows so have you checked in Device Manager that your Realtek audio drivers are up-to-date?

Is it possible you need updated chipset drivers?

Dwarf · 22 Jun 2011

You can't upgrade (or downgrade) from 32-bit to 64-bit (or vice-versa) because of the difference in system architecture. Either way, it has to be a clean installation.

The drivers from Realtek include both 32-bit and 64-bit versions, and I use the same package (only downloaded once) with Vista, W7, and Windows 8 both 32-bit and 64-bit editions without any problems.

You have a valid point about chipset drivers, and it would be worth checking to see if they are upto date.