768MB RAM + Windows 2000?

[GFORCE100]

Hi guys,

Got this problem, wondering if any of your professional members have got a clue. In Windows Me I get 768MB in system information. When I boot into Windows 2000 I only get 720,364 KB RAM which is 704MB. Any ideas? It seems like a glitch in Windows 2000, anyone know further information on this?

Thanks.

 

[Whitedog]

That's a pretty even shortage of 64 megs... hmmmm... Not unless you have it set to "limit memory to 704" I forget where that setting is at.

 

[roc919]

768MB of RAM? Good lord! Is this your home computer?? ..jealous

 

[Rigoletto]

You don't have the king of integrated graphics in that box too by any chance?

 

[superbaby]

768MB RAM isn't too outrageous A lot of people are running with 512MB RAM nowadays (but not enough to be noticed).

How are you checking this 720,364 KB RAM figure? If you are doing it through task manager, that should be about right. 720,364 KB RAM is probably the amount of RAM in the paging pool that is available for memory, which means 64MB of RAM in the paging pool is being used.

Do a MSINFO32.exe (if you aren't already) to check exactly how much you HAVE not how much is available.

 

[GFORCE100]

Guys,

I have an update. I've tried swapping the modules round but it gets worse.
Anyhow it looks like this:

2 Crucial CAS PC133 modules (512MB total)
1 LGS one
1 Hyundai stick

Now. I can get all to run at CAS2 if I put the Crucial in Bank 0 and Bank 1.
Then I put the other sticks however in the remaining two slots.

Only in this configuration can I get CAS2 to work. Otherwise it will see 768MB RAM (the BIOS) but when Windows Me loads is locks up. Right. But if I have it like I do now then I can run CAS2 and nothing crashes. The snag is I lose 64MB somewhere. What gets me is how can half a module sometimes want to work at CAS2 and other times will argue that it only likes CAS3. Strange hey? Could this be down to the BIOS guys?

No integrated stuff, this is a server board with dual Pentium III's on board.

Any more information much appreciated.

 

[office boy]

Flaky ram sounds like to me.
What chipset does the motherboard have?

 

[GFORCE100]

440BX.

 

[superbaby]

I'd take out those 64MB chips. I had almost the exact same config, 256MB + 128MB + 128MB + 64MB. The 64MB didn't like the other ones and caused blue screens left and right. By taking it out I was able to get a stable config.

 

[GFORCE100]

Nope. I have no 64MB chips in.

It's like this:

2x 256MB
2x 128MB

~ 768MB @ CAS3
or
~ 704MB @ CAS2

Notice that it's not 768 - 128 @ CAS2 but 768 - 64 which means half a DIMM in this case.

 

[Rigoletto]

Do you know for sure which is your autodetecting slot? I would note all the timings of each stick by booting with each alone first before exploring.
BTW, what are you worried about CAS latency for in a server?! It looks to me like quantity rather than speed is what you need so set it all to CAS3 if you can't solve this...

 

[office boy]

Or one side of a 128MB dimm.

 

[GFORCE100]

The issue is definetly not round the Crucial RAM since I know for sure 512MB of it works all the way.

I could set to CAS3 but I lose around 50MB/sec even in the throughput.

Could it be down to the BIOS or there not being enough power in the last DIMM slot to power the remaining 64MB on that DIMM at CAS2? Hmmm, CAS2 needs a cleaner electrical current than CAS3 right? I'm not electrician but seems logical to me.

 

[Noriaki]

You say in your first post:

<< When I boot into Windows 2000 >>



Then down farther:

<< Only in this configuration can I get CAS2 to work. Otherwise it will see 768MB RAM (the BIOS) but when Windows Me loads is locks up >>



Is it 2000 or ME? There is quite a difference ME is a bit flaky with over 768MB of RAM check your AGP aperture size and Vcache size...(ME shouldn't be running a server anyways hehehe)

In 2000...I dunno I'm stumped...

 

[GFORCE100]

I forgot to mention. After closer observation this happens in both OS's.

Which means ME + Win2k both.

So this can only mean three things.

1.) This one DIMM won't want to give it's full size but only half at CAS2 (Very weird) but stable.
2.) The BIOS has a glitch at boostrap so it reports the wrong memory to the OS's anyway.
3.) There is not enough (not fine enough) electrical current flowing to DIMM slot #4.

 

[AdamK47]

8 banks filled on a BX... oooookaaaay. Thats pushing it. Even for the 440BX.