Solved Windows 7 home premium only "sees" 4GB our of 8GB RAM total

[Timmi]

After running Linux for a while on my computer, I recently purchased an SSD, and restored Windows 7 onto it from a Recovery Disks set that I had made prior.

It is Windows 7 Home Premium, and I believe it should be 64bit, given that the laptop is a quad-core AMD64 processor, and originally came with 6GB of RAM.

Originally, the Gateway NV75S (by Acer) laptop came with 6GB of RAM a 4GB stick plus a 2GB stick, but that was upgraded to 8GB. (now 2x 4GB)

For reasons unknown to me, Windows only recognises 4GB our of the 8.

I need this computer to run some CAD (and the programs I use require Windows, which is why I switched back), and I really need more than 4GB.


Are there any hardware configuration, or tests, or settings, that someone can please share with me?
Thanks

 

[iko22]

Hello Timmi

The Gatway NV75S with 64 bit windows should be able to detect and use 8 GB DDR3 RAM.

If you are not seeing this then you should check BIOS first, and see what the BIOS reports is installed on motherboard. It might be that one module is dud or not installed correctly.

 

[fireberd]

The PC capabilities does not determine which version of Windows is installed. Sounds like you have a 32 bit Windows installed instead of 64 bit. The most logical reason.

Download and run the free Speccy. It will profile your PC and show what you have.
Download Speccy | Find your computer specs, free!

 

[Timmi]

The PC capabilities does not determine which version of Windows is installed. Sounds like you have a 32 bit Windows installed instead of 64 bit. The most logical reason.

Download and run the free Speccy. It will profile your PC and show what you have.
Download Speccy | Find your computer specs, free!

I am aware of that. This is why I made mention of the fact that out of the factory it was 6GB originally, therefore it had to ship with the appropriate Windoze in order to use that 6GB.

You also are aware that "speccy" will not detect more RAM, if the OS isn't already seeing more RAM.

Nevertheless, for the interest of all, here are the specs it comes up with:

Operating System
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit SP1
CPU
AMD A6-3420M 49 °C
Llano 32nm Technology
RAM (note: we know this already, that the OS isn't detecting the other memory stick)
4.00GB DDR3 @ 665MHz (9-6-5-15)
Motherboard
Gateway SJV70-SB (Socket FS1)
Graphics
Generic PnP Monitor (1600x900@60Hz)
512MB ATI AMD Radeon HD 6520G (Acer Incorporated [ALI]) 49 °C
Storage
119GB CHN25SATAS1 128 ATA Device (SATA (SSD)) 45 °C
698GB TOSHIBA MK7559GSXP ATA Device (SATA ) 34 °C

 

[fireberd]

Check the BIOS and see what it is detecting. If its only 4GB, Powered off the PC ten open the case and reseat (unplug then plug back in) the memory modules. Then power on and see what the BIOS is detecting.

 

[Timmi]

Hello Timmi
The Gatway NV75S with 64 bit windows should be able to detect and use 8 GB DDR3 RAM.
If you are not seeing this then you should check BIOS first, and see what the BIOS reports is installed on motherboard. It might be that one module is dud or not installed correctly.

Yes, thank you!
I haven't got a clue as to why I didn't think of that.

What I did, is I inversed the two memory sticks.

That way, if the other was a dud, seated in RAM slot-0, it probably would report no RAM or give some other error message, and at the same time I'd make sure they're inserted correctly.

Well... BIOS reports 8GB now, and Windows does too.
Funny thing, at first reboot, I got a blank screen, and nothing went forward. Power-off and back on, and I got the usual boot-up verbose. So maybe there is a weak connector or something.

Thanks very much guys! Appreciate it.

PS: If anyone knows anything about lag time/delays in an SSD renaming or moving a file, please let me know here. I just got an SSD for the first time, and some operations have a long delay.

PSPS: there's also a utility called Quickmark, available from portableapps.com/apps (so yeah, it's a portable app - cooler than things that install and try to pull in other stuff at the same time). I try to get ALL my software from there first, before I resort to installing anything (as in writes to the registry).

 

[Megahertz07]

This normally happens if the two memory sticks aren't equal (Chipset, speed and timings)
Are the two memory sticks same brand and model?

 

[Timmi]

Download and run the free Speccy. It will profile your PC and show what you have.
Download Speccy | Find your computer specs, free!

btw I have just learned there is a tool for reporting hardware (and filling out one's hardware profile section on here) that is recommended by sevenforums: 7forums' System Info tool with instructions here