win7 64bit only recognizing 6gig of my 8gig of ram

[HeroGhost]

I just built a win7 home premium 64-bit system with 8gig(4x2gig sticks) of ram in a triple channel mode. When I use cpu-z to check on my ram, it see's all at gigs at their proper timings and recognizes the triple channel set up. However, windows system configuration is only listing 6gigs. Is there something I'm missing about setting up windows to recognize this? Does windows not recognize triple channel set ups?

 

[HeroGhost]

Never mind. I had to set the DRAM bus voltage manually to 1.65v and now all memory is recognized. Just an FYI if anyone else runs into the same issue.

Scratch that. Now windows only sometimes recognizes all the ram. I'm not sure what's going on, but this is getting frustrated. For some reason it's leaving out 1 stick every other time I turn it on.

 

[HeroGhost]

from a cold start, it will only recognize 6 gig of ram.... From just a restart, all 8 will appear. This leads me to think it's some sort of power issue, but I'm not really sure how to solve it. Any help or insight into what this might be?

 

[stormy13]

Not sure where to point you but this,

I just built a win7 home premium 64-bit system with 8gig(4x2gig sticks) of ram in a triple channel mode. When I use cpu-z to check on my ram, it see's all at gigs at their proper timings and recognizes the triple channel set up.

isn't possible, even more so when only the i7/socket 1366 support triple channel.

MSI USA – Computer, Laptop, Notebook, Desktop, Mainboard, Graphics and more

Main Memory

• Supports dual channel DDR2 533/667/800, using four 240-pin/1.8V DDR2 DIMMs.
• Supports a maximum memory size up to 16GB

Are all sticks the same make and specs?

 

[HeroGhost]

From what you're referencing, I'm assuming you're looking at my specs in my sig, which is accurate for my system, but not the system I just built.

This is the motherboard for the system I'm having problems with:
Newegg.com - ASUS Sabertooth X58 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

and this is the ram:
Newegg.com - CORSAIR XMS3 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX8GX3M4A1600C9

In the bios I manually set the voltage for the ram bus to 1.65 and I set the memory type to ddr3-1600.

Like I said, from a cold boot windows will only recognize the 6 gigs, it's leaving out a stick and I don't know why. From a restart, all of the memory is recognized. I'm not able to tell why.

The full specs of the machine I'm building(I suppose this would've been helpful in the first place):
Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor BX80601950
CORSAIR XMS3 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX8GX3M4A1600C9
ASUS Sabertooth X58 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100281VX-2SR Radeon HD 5870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card ...
Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ...
Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM

 

[stormy13]

Someone needs to update their specs.

Hopefully someone with a similar setup can offer more, but at the moment the only thing I can see is that that memory is not on the QVL for that CPU. It is on the QVL for the Gulftown based one's, but not the Bloomfield one's. The QVL isn't the be all and end all of what will and won't work, but it is a place to start.

 

[HeroGhost]

well I just pulled the stick and reseated it, and then I updated some mobo drivers. At the moment it looks like it's working, but I'm going to leave it off for a while then try again. I think it's the drivers more than the seating, because I checked to make sure it was secure several times. Plus I ran a memory test with MemTest86+ without error and everything was detected. Hopefully the drivers were the issue.

Someone needs to update their specs.

Not keeping it, so I won't be doing that. This is a system for the parents.

 

[Hopalong X]

Ooops!

 

[stormy13]

Hopalong you would thinks so but,



from the manual for that motherboard.

 

[Hopalong X]

Now that is weird. LOL

Before I bought this board I was also looking at a 58 chip set board but not the Sabertooth and it specifically said not do do what you have done.

Different board.
Mia culpa!
My apologies.

Mike

 

[HammerHead]

Question

CPU-Z see all of the memory -- right?
Win sees it sometimes -- right?

What is your Bios seeing, is it all the time or sometimes.

If the bios fails to some times see all the memory. One cause could be some contaminant in the cpu socket that is borderline on shuting off one of the mem sockets. To rule that out you could remove the CPU and inspect the socket with a magnifying glass. You would have to look at it from all angles. This would be small and very hard to see.

I went this route once, and it was a minute piece of packing (foam) in the socket. Really hard to see.

 

[HeroGhost]

Hopalong you would thinks so but,

View attachment 101160

from the manual for that motherboard.

I have it set up like the lower left, and I did this because of what the manual said.

 

[HeroGhost]

CPU-Z see all of the memory -- right?
Win sees it sometimes -- right?

What is your Bios seeing, is it all the time or sometimes.

If the bios fails to some times see all the memory. One cause could be some contaminant in the cpu socket that is borderline on shuting off one of the mem sockets. To rule that out you could remove the CPU and inspect the socket with a magnifying glass. You would have to look at it from all angles. This would be small and very hard to see.

I went this route once, and it was a minute piece of packing (foam) in the socket. Really hard to see.

I might leave this as a last resort.
CPU-Z always sees it, and the bios always sees it. I've even run memtest86+ to double check the ram and I get no errors. Windows will always see it from a warm or restart, but will not see it on a cold start.

 

[HeroGhost]

i'm having a hard time gauging when the problem is happening now. I've just tried some cold boots and restarts and the ram is always showing up correctly. However before that I had left the computer off for several hours and when I started it up the ram wasn't visible to windows. I'm going to leave it off for a couple hours again, and then check the bios when I turn it on. Could it possibly be some a bent pin or something that's only hitting the ram stick onces it's warm?

it's throwin me for a loop.

 

[sygnus21]

OK, I'm confused.... If you have a 1366 system that uses triple channel memory... why are you only using 8gig? Sort of like using 3gig on a 4gig board.

You might want to check with the manufacture but, I would think that board would like either 6 or 12gig of RAM, 8 is one of those 'tweena issues that's probably confusing the system.

1- Also how did you purchase your memory? Was it in pairs?
2- And pairs of what? - 2gig packs, 3gig packs, or what?

Edit: You have the wrong memory package! Even though that memory supports i7 it is packaged and designed for the i7-800 series processors (P55 chipset) Dual channel.

Since you have a X85 chipset MB, you'd have to have an i7-900 series processor which would be a triple channel memory.

You should have got something like this... Newegg.com - CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C8D

Thus my questions above about the memory pairs

 

[HeroGhost]

OK, I'm confused.... If you have a 1366 system that uses triple channel memory... why are you only using 8gig? Sort of like using 3gig on a 4gig board.

You might want to check with the manufacture but, I would think that board would like either 6 or 12gig of RAM, 8 is one of those 'tweena issues that's probably confusing the system.

1- Also how did you purchase your memory? Was it in pairs?
2- And pairs of what? - 2gig packs, 3gig packs, or what?

You can see the purchases from the links in the previous posts. one pack of 4 sticks memory. I suppose it's possible that it's confusing the system, but it supposedly would be able to handle it. Did I buy the wrong ram? Shoot, i probably did.. My thinking was that the only difference between the dual and triple channel was how many sticks there were in the pack. I didn't think it would have an adverse effect on the system.

 

[sygnus21]

My thinking was that the only difference between the dual and triple channel was how many sticks there were in the pack. I didn't think it would have an adverse effect on the system.

Well.... :shock:

This is the motherboard for the system I'm having problems with:
Newegg.com - ASUS Sabertooth X58 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

and this is the ram:
Newegg.com - CORSAIR XMS3 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX8GX3M4A1600C9

You've got the wrong package. You'll want to go with either a 6gig or 12gig config. And you want them in a set.

And you want something like this... Newegg.com - CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C8D

 

[HeroGhost]

My thinking was that the only difference between the dual and triple channel was how many sticks there were in the pack. I didn't think it would have an adverse effect on the system.

Well.... :shock:

This is the motherboard for the system I'm having problems with:
Newegg.com - ASUS Sabertooth X58 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

and this is the ram:
Newegg.com - CORSAIR XMS3 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX8GX3M4A1600C9

You've got the wrong package. You'll want to go with either a 6gig or 12gig config. And you want them in a set.

Well crap. Guess I might return and pick up the other kit. I'm inquiring with corsair to see what the hardware difference really is, or if it's just a "pack". I've read that the sticks themselves aren't different, it's the memory controller that's different. Where did you see about the chipsets? I don't see anywhere that specifies the P55 i7800 vs the other in the ram details.

 

[DocBrown]

Do you have Maximum Memory set to zero (0) ? Like in my snip ?

 

[HeroGhost]

Do you have Maximum Memory set to zero (0) ? Like in my snip ?

it looks like your screenshot