Installed new RAM, shows 8GB installed but still says (2.75GB)usable.

[dijon6444]

Ok I will check what version it is and try the BIOS thing again but the BIOS does not boot up the to the USB with the BIOS update I made on it with Rufus. I went into setup and put in USB option (well it did not say USB said "Removeable" but it was the only option I thought was the USB) in the BIOS sequence and I pressed F10 to save and then went out and restared my PC. it just came with an a quick Error message I had to presss eneter too (it would not allow me to press anything else) then went to the OS? I dont know if this is a first case scenario but I have legit tried everything, I've hopped from forum to forum and they all say this is weird.

 

[Megahertz07]

Dijon, you must fist find out what MB you have to find the right BIOS for it. John wrote on post #19 how to find out.

The file you download from MSI site can be an executable file or a binary file.
If it is a binary file you copy to a flash drive and, from BIOS, you launch the BIOS update then browse to the file on the flash drive.

 

[johnhoh]

Ok thanks for all the help, my current BIOS level (I just check using the Post11# for help), it is "6.00PG".

Its good that you have not been able to update bios yet because 6.00PG says you do not have the board we thought you had, which has a max bios version of 3.3



You need to go to the Medion site and determine exactly what model you have and post it here.



You might also try formatting your USB with a format type of fat32.


In order to maximize your chances of success, its best to reply to each suggestion with your exact results so we can all know what does not work and why. That is, I can't tell of you did the msconfig suggestion from earlier, or if you physically inspected your motherboard for its model number. Your issue of excessive hardware reserved memory is not uncommon and we should be able to figure it out. Usually its incompatible memory. I would try different installing just 2 or 3 dimms at a time and see how much hardware reserved you get each time.

 

[dijon6444]

Ok John in respons to your question the USB did not work I tried in another PC, it did so there is a fault within the PC but I found the Version of the Motherboard. It says, "MS-7358 Ver: 1.1". So its not the version you found in that picture.

 

[Megahertz07]

You're mixing the problems.
Lets try to fix the Memory problem.
You wrote you have 4x2G. Did all came with the computer or it came with 2x2G and then you added more 2x2G?

It seems that both hardware versions uses BIOS V3.3 http://download.msi.com/archive/mb/bos_exe/7358v33.zip

That make me conclude that your BIOS version isn't "6.00PG"

 

[johnhoh]

Ok John in respons to your question the USB did not work I tried in another PC, it did so there is a fault within the PC but I found the Version of the Motherboard. It says, "MS-7358 Ver: 1.1". So its not the version you found in that picture.

Please look at post #19 again. The MS-7358 part if not what we are looking for. Post 19 says Q35MDO V2, written between the PCI slots on the bottom of the pic. Is that what is written on your motherboard?

But all that notwithstanding, I urge you to use the Medion MSN lookup to identify your machine, and only use the Medion website to get your bios.
MEDION UK - Driver

Have you done the msconfig steps I mentioned earlier?

The USB may have worked in another PC. The problem is not with the USB, its that I think your computer, which is old, probably wants the USB formatted in FAT32. You need to find the bios update instructions on the Medion website for your exact computer.

edit: had a typo in the first version of this post so had to re-do it...

 

[dijon6444]

Ok so in response to both of your questions, this PC came with 4x1GB, I took all the original RAM out, and put new ones (same model and everything just higher speed which I can assure you the motherboard did say it can handle) 4x2GB to make 8GB in total. And yes it does say "VER 1.1" written between the PCI slots. And yes I have tried the Msconfig thing many times and it has not worked.

 

[Megahertz07]

Start the computer. During POST, enter BIOS.
When you enter BIOS, how much memory it say you have?

 

[dijon6444]

Sorry for the late reply Im having visitors at the momet so I cant do it right now, but if you wait a few more hours I will be back to you, thanks for the previous help though Megahertz.

 

[dijon6444]

Ok guys tried it as I said, used guides and such, it said I have 8192MB. But when I restarted it again, yep still "8GB installed (2.75GB usable). I have found something intresting though. I called the guy who sold this PC to me 2 Years ago. And he said he bought it brand new with Windows Vista 32 bit. Then he said he upgraded it too Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit. Could this be a major factor in the problem or not? Many Thanks for the replies last time.

 

[johnhoh]

I'm unable to help without being able to use the Medion website for your machine. It does not show anything when I look up MT7 490G, or MT7, or 490G. I think you need to post your Medion MSN number, which is found here:

MEDION - MSN Number

MEDION UK - Driver

If the machine came with 32-bit windows then yes its possible that only the later bios levels of the motherboard support 64-bit. But you need to get the bios from Medion and can't do that without being able to find your machine on medion's website.

 

[dijon6444]

Ok Im so sorry for not posting it before, here is the MSN number from my MEDION PC: MSN = 10010513

 

[johnhoh]

I saw your post on linustechtips. The bios you downloaded and were trying to install is the correct one. But your machine would prefer to install the bios from the hard drive rather than a USB drive, which is why you got the "verifying DMI" error. So I would try that same bios install advice you got on linustechtips, but with two modifications:

1) try putting the bios file on the hard drive (in C:\, the root directory, or D:\ if you have a D
2) If that does not work, you might be able to install from the USB drive IF it is formatted in FAT32 mode, AND it is set within your bios boot settings as "HDD mode". That way the bios load program will think the USB drive is a hard drive.

 

[dijon6444]

Thanks for checking the other forum out. Yes.. I have not tried that out before, for now unfortunatly I cannot try as I am busy studying. I should be able to do it in a few hours, if not tomorrow. But you say to put the HDD as first in boot sequence? I did format it using the FAT32 option but I did not put it in the Crive. I will do this though ASAP.

 

[johnhoh]

But you say to put the HDD as first in boot sequence? .

No what I meant was that when you want to boot from a USB, you may be given multiple options such as USB-FDD, or USB-HDD. This may be in the bios under boot sequence or it may be in the boot menu you can get to by pressing F11 (I think its F11, might be F8 or F12). USB drives require special drivers once you are in windows, but if you want to boot from them your bios needs to treat them as either a removable (floppy) drive or a fixed (HDD) drive. You want to choose USB-HDD, which tells the computer to treat the USB drive as a hard disk drive on bootup.

 

[dijon6444]

Ah ok in my BIOS it only says "Removable", which comes closest to USB (this is with the USB in PC). But ok now I get what you mean, if this method does not work, do you think that the motherboard is malfunctioning?

 

[dijon6444]

Also in my BIOS, BIOS Sequence is in the BIOS menu, F11, F12, F8, F2 and Delete all send me to the BIOS menu which contains the BIOS sequence.

 

[johnhoh]

We want the computer to boot from the usb while seeing it as a hard drive, not as a removable drive. Within the bios boot sequence look for the hard drives, is your usb drive listed there perhaps? It might not look like a USB, like if your USB drive is manufactured by ACME, is there a line for HDD-ACME? If so select it.

Another idea, on this page
MEDION - Frequently Asked Questions
medion says pressing F2 takes you to some type of on-screen menu, which then can lead you to a recovery process. Try playing around with that. The goal is simply to get to a DOS command prompt on the hard drive, where you can manually initiate the bios update.

If you can figure out what is the boot menu key and get to the boot menu, I'm hoping you can select usb-hdd from there. If not, we may be out of options in terms of getting you into a pure DOS environment, which is what your bios update program needs.

 

[dijon6444]

Well in terms of the USB-HDD, mine displays HDD DRIVE - WESTERN 5400 RPM. Thats my HDD. I did try F2, sends to the BIOS menu I mentioned before. But for the USB is just says " Removable. It does not say the make of my USB. BTW The make of my USB is "Kingston".

 

[Megahertz07]

Dijon, did you enter BIOS to see if BIOS recognize the memory you added?
Did you inserted the new memory sticks in the right position all the way down, till the lockers moves up?

Did you tried to remove the original memory sticks leaving on only the new ones?

Remember, to insert or take out memory sticks, you MUST unplug the the PS from the wall outlet and wait a minute to capacitors discharge