Solved Win7 x64 only seeing 1 of 2 CPUs installed

[bitfiend]

Hello:
I have a custom built system:
MoBo: Tyan S2895 Thunder K8WE
CPU: Dual, Opteron 280 2.4 MHz Dual Core
RAM: 12GB DDR 400 ECC Registered Corsair
HDD:
C: WD VelociRaptor 150GB
D: WD VelociRaptor 300GB
E: WD VelociRaptor 300GB
Various external HHD's
GPU: NVidia GeForce 7900 GT/GTE
O/S: Win7 x64 Ultimate

I've set up a dual-boot system. the C drive is partitioned and the other O/S is XP Pro SP3 x86. I did this to test audio programs to confirm they are compatible with 7 & with an x64 evniro. Everything has passed testing & I'd like to get rid of XP. However a new issue has come up over the last 3-4 days.
When I boot 7 I'm getting some very odd behavior. The most critical issue is it is suddenly only "seeing" or reporting that I only have 1 CPU (see attached screen-shot 1 & 2). Prior to this it has been reporting 2 CPU's, 4 cores.
The BIOS reports 2 CPU's & if I boot XP it also reports 2 CPU's, 4 cores.
The 2nd issue that I'm experiencing is with RAM. 7 is reporting 32.5GB installed on 12GB usable. I only have 12GB installed. The BIOS passes & reports the full 12GB installed. I have not set any over clocking features in BIOS & the MoBo is old enough that it does not have options to have over clocking controlled/config'd via software. Previously 7 had been reporting 12GB installed/usable. And of course XP only reports 3GB due to limitations of x86.
This computer is primarily used for audio recording/production. There are no out of the ordinary programs installed or used. There have not been any hardware of software changes made for 4-6 wks. The only errors in Event Viewer since 05/17/2011 are in the application log and are regarding SideBySide & VSS.

I've been researching the issues but have not found anything regarding the CPU's. The only info I've found for the RAM is about the O/S not seeing all installed RAM.
Has anyone else experienced this or have any ideas?

 

[dsperber]

Please provide screenshots from CPU-Z, from the tabs for CPU, Mainboard, Memory, and all the SPD slots.

Also, can you please provide a screenshot from task manager: Start -> Run -> Taskmgr, then select Performance tab, and push Resource Monitor button. Then select the Memory tab, and take the screenshot of the bottom of the screen where it shows the color-coded and numeric value memory allocations... including "hardware reserved".

Also, please simply attach your JPG screenshots here directly as "attachments" (using the paperclip button to add them), rather than imbedding them inside of a Word document and posting the word document as the attachment.

 

[bitfiend]

Updates & Requested Screen Shots

I grabbed another HDD, a 74GB WD Raptor I happen to have handy & installed 7 on it w/all the same programs and settings as the dual-boot HDD. It reported dual, dual core CPU's and reported 12GB RAM installed & usable (however its giving me a BSOD error of X0124 which I will research independantly from this thread).
Would running Win Repair resolve the CPU/RAM issue?
I was incorrect on the RAM. I have both Micron & Corsair installed. Just loaded the box up for testing purposes. I will be ordering new RAM once I have all the issues/bugs sorted out.
All requested SS's are included. Thanks for taking a look.

 

[pooch]

I came across this RAM problem very recently and I believe it is due to a mismatch of the installed RAM could it be that you have 1gig and 2gig working together in dual channel? best to consult your MB manual reference installing the RAM
I do not believe that the different manufacturers are playing a role here other than what I have written above. I still recommend using identical sticks tho
I hope this makes sense

 

[whs]

The most reliable information you will get from the Resource Monitor. Go to the CPU tab and see how many CPU graphs you have on the right side. Then go to the Memory tab and the colored bar will show you the RAM story.

 

[dsperber]

The most reliable information you will get from the Resource Monitor. Go to the CPU tab and see how many CPU graphs you have on the right side. Then go to the Memory tab and the colored bar will show you the RAM story.

He already posted that screenshot in response to the original request. It's the last one shown.

Bizarrely, it shows:

hardware reserved - 20994MB
available - 10322MB
cached - 1780MB
total - 12286MB
installed - 33280MB
​

Something's clearly wrong, and it's obviously at the BIOS/hardware level. Obviously, the motherboard manual should be referenced for memory usage information.

I think it is tied to the mismatch in slots #7 and #8 for those two 1GB Corsair cards which are actually different part numbers, and have different sets of JDEC timing numbers.

The pairs of memory cards in #1/#2 seem matched, #3/#4 seem matched, and #5/#6 seem matched.

But #7/#8 seem to be incompatible. Can't help but believe this is directly a factor. These only add up to 2GB anyway, so losing them wouldn't be a major issue in the short term.

It would be worth an experiment to remove the two cards in slots #7 and #8, just to see if things clean themselves up.


Also, the 20994MB "hardware reserved" item in Resource Monitor is obviously bogus. But it would be interesting to see where this memory is theoretically reserved.

Start -> Run -> DEVMGMT.MSC, to get Device Manager. Then View -> Resources by type, and close up any expanded categories except for Memory which should be expanded. The information shown is by hardware device, showing a low-high 64-bit hex address range.

Unfortunately, the subtraction is not shown in a separate column or item which would be very helpful and user-friendly. But it's not. So it's not obvious without using Calculator to do the required hex arithmetic (unless you're familiar with hex in your normal life) and can spot the "culprit" somehow primarily responsible for 20GB "hardware reserved" which should really stand out I would imagine... since only 12GB is actually installed.

Anyway, looking at this memory assignment should be very interesting.


But first, I'd pull the two mismatched 1GB Corsair memory cards in slots #7 and #8 and see what happens.

 

[dsperber]

I came across this RAM problem very recently and I believe it is due to a mismatch of the installed RAM could it be that you have 1gig and 2gig working together in dual channel?

The MEMORY tab screenshot shows DDR, not DDR2.

All his memory sticks are also shown as just DDR.

I don't think this memory configuration is working as expected (obviously!).

 

[bitfiend]

RAM is not the reason for the dropped CPU

I appreciate the help with this but I'm not a newbie. Prior to posting I did begin troubleshooting this. The RAM isn't the issue. I've already pulled all RAM from the MoBo and booted to XP & 7, 1 stick at a time. All work just fine. When I take out the Corsair RAM, 7 reports 8GB installed & usable. The RAM is not the issue as to why suddenly 7 is not reporting/"seeing" both CPU's. Keep in mind until just a day or two ago 7 in the current config was reporting both CPU’s & all 4 cores.
And yes all RAM is DDR. This is an older MoBo by Tyan and older Opteron CPU's.
I guess I worded the RAM part incorrectly in my initial post. For that part I just wanted to know why 7 is reporting 32GB installed but only 12GB usable. Why wouldn’t' it just error out or not even been reported by 7? I know all about miss-matched RAM, MoBo settings, etc. I loaded all compatible (with MoBo) RAM just until I'm done testing.
This is really getting some distance from the really critical issue of my initial post. Hopefully to direct this the right way; I need some help or direction as to what the next step should be to get both CPU's recognized & usable by 7. I did run the win repair earlier today and it didn't find anything to fix.
As already stated, if I boot to XP, both CPU's & all 4 cores are reported. If I boot to 7 on the other HDD I installed it on today, both CPU's & all 4 cores are reported. It doesn't matter if I have only the Micron or the Corsair or mixed sticks of RAM on the board. It still boots up just fine and reports both CPU's are there and usable.

And just in case I've included an SS of the CPU tab in RM.

 

[bitfiend]

It's not BIOS/Hardware level

Something's clearly wrong, and it's obviously at the BIOS/hardware level. Obviously, the motherboard manual should be referenced for memory usage information.

I'm not seeing how it's "obviously" BIOS/HW level. The only change that I've deviated from in the default BIOS config/settings has been changing the setting for O/S type from x86 to x64. This was done per the manual so "obviously" the manual has been referenced along with Tyan's website.
Additionally I've attached SS of DM, By Type, Memory.

 

[gazz9496]

might sound weird but if you have a spare hdd you could install windows 7 to that and see what happens.

i know it's not the most techy of idea's but if your windows install is gibbed then at least you'll know.

 

[Britton30]

If I boot to 7 on the other HDD I installed it on today, both CPU's & all 4 cores are reported. It doesn't matter if I have only the Micron or the Corsair or mixed sticks of RAM on the board. It still boots up just fine and reports both CPU's are there and usable.

And just in case I've included an SS of the CPU tab in RM.

Sounds like the initial Win 7 install is corrupted in some way.

 

[bitfiend]

Issue Resolved

might sound weird but if you have a spare hdd you could install windows 7 to that and see what happens.

Gazz9496 that’s already been done as stated in an earlier post & 7 reported 2 CPU's & all 4 cores. And no that doesn't sound weird as with any problem of this nature I've experienced in the past, resolution only seems to come once all other possibilities have been eliminated. By installing 7 on the 2nd HDD it's eliminated several things and is pointing me to either the O/S its self or the original HDD XP & 7 are installed on.

Dang, I was hoping that posting this would flush someone outta the woodwork that had dealt with this as well. Oh well.....

At any rate this is resolved. How you might ask. I have no bloody idea! I have been trying just about anything I can think of or run across researching this (which is next to nil....actually nil).
Just as a shot in the dark I booted into safe mode (again) and poked around. As usual I didn't find anything new or unusual so I re-started.
I booted to 7 and once the O/S came up I checked taskmgr>performance (tab) as has become habit after every re-start or cold boot. Low & behold it was reporting 4 cores in CPU usage history. I checked the System panel and it's reporting Dual Core AMD Opteron Processor 280 2.41 GHz (2 processors).
Unfortunately I have no idea why. I've been in and out of Safe Mode several times a day since this started occurring. This last time I didn't alter any settings or configs.
The computer has been up & running stable for just over 48 hrs as well. I'll report back if anything should change.
Oh regarding the RAM issue. It's the one stick of the Corsair XMS RAM that is throwing the count off & causing 7 to report 32.0 GB installed **GB usable. I've removed it a couple of times and every time I do 7 reports 11GB installed & usable. When I re-install it 7 reports 32GB installed 12GB usable.

Britton30 that was my initial thought as well. I was hoping to find out I was incorrect for thinking that but no such luck. I’m worried that still may be the case since all reports from XP & the 2nd HDD with 7 installed were/are correct. The rock solid solution will be to go ahead and switch to the clean install of 7 on the 2nd HDD once I finish installing all needed software & drivers to it.

Thanks for your responses everyone,
Bit

 

[Britton30]

Well Bit, I'm very glad you have sorted, sort of, for now.
Windows, while not Artificial Intelligence, seems to have a mind of its own sometimes.