Installed Memory: 8.00 GB (3.95 GB usable) Issue here?

irishluck

Member
Well the title should say it all.

My Motherboard is a MSI 970A SLI Krait edition
Memory is corsair xms3
Not using an integreted graphics card, has seperate card.
SSD for OS and 3 1tb drives for storage.
AMD FX-8320E 8-core

Whats my issue here? Why is my PC only using 4gb of ram?
This is prolly the reason why I feel like my PC is so damn sluggish and ive been thinking about buying 8 more GB of ram...
 

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_Glitch

Active Member
see if the "maximum memory" setting is checked. If it is, uncheck it.

Open up your start menu and type in "msconfig". In the "boot" tap hit advanced settings. You will find it there.
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
I've had this when my memory wasn't being correctly detected by my motherboard. What speed is it running at? What's the kit designed to run at?
 

JaredDM

Active Member
Are you running a 64-bit operating system or a 32-bit one? 32-bit OS will cap your RAM and there's really no getting around it other than to upgrade you OS.

EDIT: oops, just saw that you picture does show it's a 64-bit OS, nevermind.
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
Are you running a 64-bit operating system or a 32-bit one? 32-bit OS will cap your RAM and there's really no getting around it other than to upgrade you OS.

EDIT: oops, just saw that you picture does show it's a 64-bit OS, nevermind.

Usually 32 bit systems cap you at like 3.5 or 3.75GB, not right at 4GB.
 

JaredDM

Active Member
Actually, a 32bit addressing system is able to address exactly 4Gb of memory since the addressing is using 32 bits, which is 2 to the power of 32 or 4,294,967,296 bytes (exactly 4Gb when using the 1024 divisibles that Windows uses). It's only because most motherboards allocate some memory to graphics (usually 512 or 256 mb) that it appears smaller. But, that can be disabled in BIOS.
 

_Glitch

Active Member
This is what i would try:
Take out the RAM and clean the pins.

If that didn't work:
Take out the CMOS battery and the power cable.
Hold down the power button for 5-10 seconds. Install battery again, plug in the cable and see if that did anything.

If not.
Run Memtest. See if it actually scans all 8 gigs.

If everything seems in order with memtest.
Try booting up a live Linux. Just to see if it's windows that's messing with you or it's hardware related.
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
Actually, a 32bit addressing system is able to address exactly 4Gb of memory since the addressing is using 32 bits, which is 2 to the power of 32 or 4,294,967,296 bytes (exactly 4Gb when using the 1024 divisibles that Windows uses). It's only because most motherboards allocate some memory to graphics (usually 512 or 256 mb) that it appears smaller. But, that can be disabled in BIOS.
I stand corrected. I'd heard that before but forgot that was the reasoning behind it. :cool:
 

irishluck

Member
So I just built this computer this year. Prolly 5 months ago. Its been like that since the day I got the computer where its only read 4gb
 

irishluck

Member
I will never buy a POS MSI product again. Tried to swap the memory and restart the pc snd now it wont even go to bios or anything. Pc lights up, gets power and nothing on the monitors. Restarted prolly 30 damn times now.
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
Pull the CMOS battery from the motherboard with it disconnected from power and let sit for about 10 minutes to reset settings. Hook it back up, leave the RAM out of it. Fire it up and it should beep at you indicating no RAM detected. Power off and install 1 stick of RAM and see if it boots. It should.
 

irishluck

Member
Sooo it actually all works now. I went to Microcenter to get a new MOBO and graphics card, just in case. I came home, and I tore the whole thing apart. checked slots, checked that everything was seated and even went ahead and pulled the CMOS battery out.
Turned it on, display came on, went through a system check and all and FINALLY came to the log in screen. I went to check the system setting and what do ya know, its showing 8gb finally!

I have NO idea what the issue was that cause the display or the memory issues or anything cause I know for a fact that the memory was 100% seated. I made sure of that. But it all works now. Now Im not touching this computer again so I dont somehow break it again.
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
It just didn't detect your RAM correctly the first time. Our suggestion to flash the BIOS or pull CMOS would have fixed it. :)

Glad you got it going though. What speed is the RAM running at now? The previous screenshot has it at 1333MHz (666MHz x 2)
 
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