Memtest not showing all the memory

[luger]

Here's a system with 2 x 4gb memory sticks. Memtest shows 7988M of memory, as expected.



Here's a different system with 2 x 2gb memory sticks. Memtest shows 3130M of memory. 😵




Memtest detects no errors (see bottom of pic):

 

[master_shake_]

does it have a dedicated gpu or onboard?

if onboard lower the amount of memory dedicated to it in the bios.

 

[luger]

does it have a dedicated gpu or onboard?

The first system (8gb RAM) has only onboard graphics.

Second system (4gb RAM, but memtest not showing it all) has a dedicated GPU.

These are both laptops.

 

[master_shake_]

The first system (8gb RAM) has only onboard graphics.

Second system (4gb RAM, but memtest not showing it all) has a dedicated GPU.

These are both laptops.

is it one of those notebooks that use intel when in desktop and then dedicated when gaming?

 

[luger]

is it one of those notebooks that use intel when in desktop and then dedicated when gaming?

No idea, I bought it used. How can I figure that out?

Even if it was using onboard graphics outside of gaming, why the huge discrepancy? The first laptop has onboard graphics and memtest is showing 7988 vs 8gb physically installed memory, so it's spot on.

 

[luger]

So the GPU comes with 1gb of video RAM. Seems like BIOS might be inadvertently capping system at 4gb of RAM and since it sees 1gb of video RAM, maybe it's making only 3gb of motherboard installed memory.

Laptop has a pretty old BIOS, so an update might resolve this.

 

[luger]

So the GPU comes with 1gb of video RAM. Seems like BIOS might be inadvertently capping system at 4gb of RAM and since it sees 1gb of video RAM, maybe it's making only 3gb of motherboard installed memory.

Laptop has a pretty old BIOS, so an update might resolve this.

Yep, this was the problem. Updated BIOS and Memtest is showing 4026M.