Question Only one channel of ram is working

[Noes_]

So I recently built a ryzen pc with used parts.
Specs:
Gigabyte a320m-h
Ryzen 2600
2x Corsair Vengeance 8gb 3000mhz (both exact model)
Powercolor R7 265
500w PSU (it has 4 pin cpu connector but I will buy a new psu soon)

The problem is when I install into first ram slot,
it appears to be working but if I try the second slot the fans spin but there's no image. If I install into both slots it also works, bios detects 16gb ram but windows says only 8gb is usable. Also xmp won't work with both installed.
What could be causing this?

 

[solidsnake1298]

Before trying anything else, update the BIOS, if you have not done so already. 300 series motherboards, even with Zen+ CPUs, could be finicky with their memory choice on older BIOS. Newer BIOS changed the way that Ryzen did memory training on boot.

 

[Noes_]

Before trying anything else, update the BIOS, if you have not done so already. 300 series motherboards, even with Zen+ CPUs, could be finicky with their memory choice on older BIOS. Newer BIOS changed the way that Ryzen did memory training on boot.

It has the latest bios installed(f53) but I still can't that slot(channel) working. It works when I install into both slots as I said but windows shows only 8gb usable out of 16 and I can't use xmp either.

 

[solidsnake1298]

Can you run CPU-Z and take a screenshot of the CPU, Mainboard, Memory, and SPD tabs?

 

[Noes_]

Can you run CPU-Z and take a screenshot of the CPU, Mainboard, Memory, and SPD tabs?

This is with both sticks installed. As you can see it detects the second slot but it's not usable in windows.

 

[solidsnake1298]

Interesting. This is almost certainly a Windows configuration issue related to virtual memory. I've seen something like this before back when I used to do computer repair work many moons ago.

My computer at work is pretty locked down so I don't have access to the related menus and control panels and I can't remember them off the top of my head. Once I get home I will post again with instructions.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Have a go at MSCONFIG.EXE , OP. There are settings for boot-time RAM and CPU core-count limits; see if any of those are applied.

 

[solidsnake1298]

Step 1 - In control panel launch the System menu.


Step 2- Advanced system settings


Step 3 - In the Advanced tab click on Settings under the Performance section


Step 4 - Under the Advanced tab click on Change under Virtual memory.


Step 5 - Make sure "Automatically manage paging file size" is checked. Apply and restart if it wasn't.

Have a go at MSCONFIG.EXE , OP. There are settings for boot-time RAM and CPU core-count limits; see if any of those are applied.

That is also a good suggestion.

Step 1 - In the start menu type "msconfig" and press enter.

Step 2 - In the Boot tab click on Advanced options.


Step 3 - Make sure "Maximum memory" is unchecked.

 

[Noes_]

Maximum memory is unchecked in msconfig and still no luck. I will test the cpu with another mobo so I can diagnose which part is faulthy. I hope only the mobo is the problem because it has warranty.

 

[solidsnake1298]

What about the virtual memory configuration in the control panel?

There is no indication that there is a hardware fault. Windows and your motherboard are detecting all 16GB of RAM and it is running in dual channel. Everything I've read indicates that Windows or the motherboard is, for some reason, reserving half of your memory.

Here is a post copied and pasted from the Bleeping Computer forums:
**********************************************

I had this exact problem and here is how I solved it.

I noticed 16GB of ram was reserved by hardware. I updated bios - which took it to 16.1GB reserved. There is the first clue. Its not a Windows or driver issue.

I also noticed RAM speed was down to basic 2400GHZ rather than 3200GHZ. I went in to bios and changed settings for ram and invoked the XMP profile. Each time I rebooted to Win10 the setting had reverted to base settings and still ram was reserved. (task master performance). I found resetting bios to optimum setting didn't actually change anything while the bios was corrupted.

To solve I removed the battery and 4 sticks of ram and unplugged PSU. Switched the on button a couple of time just to ensure power was completely drained from the system to reset the BIOS. Switched on and got the familiar beeps. Switched off and whilst battery was out added 1 stick 8GB ram. Switched on and booted to Windows that reported all 8GB at 2400GHZ -none reserved. Switch off (but keeping PSU powered) and then went in to Bios and set XMP profile and then started windows. Now 8GB with 3200GHZ. This time repeated with battery inserted so Bios setting kept. Rebooted and still 8GB at 3200GHZ. Switched off and inserted another stick of ram repeated and now 16GB 3200GHZ with 57MB reserved for hardware. Repeated with another stick, now 24GB with 57MB reserved. Power down again (never unplug or switch off the PSU untill the battery has been replaced otherwise BIOS settings would be lost again) and inserted final stick. Reboot and Win reports all 32GB at 3200GHZ.

Conclusion......confused/corrupted Bios. By removing all ram and rebooting the system looses previous memory settings but leaving the sticks in and updating Bios did not reset the RAM timing or change the hardware reserved issue. So I suggest removing the ram and reinserting 1 at a time with fresh ram settings and to reset BIOS by removing Battery and powering off completely to put Bios to default setting. I suspect the hardware reserved RAM would have been dedicated to on CPU graphics but my CPU does not have a GPU built in like some other Ryzens.

Board is Gigabyte X570 Aorus Elite. Why the bios went corrupt I have no idea. Ram is Crucial Balistic PC19200 8GB x4 sticks dual mem enabled. CPU is Ryzen 7 2700X

Hope this helps.

**********************************************

Step 1 - Turn off computer
Step 2 - Unplug power from PSU
Step 3 - Remove CMOS battery from motherboard
Step 4 - Wait 5 minutes for CMOS to clear
Step 5 - Reinsert CMOS battery
Step 6 - Plug in PSU and turn on computer.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Is the iGPU set to reserve 8GB of RAM? That is possible for AM4 APUs with a recent BIOS. I agree, I don't think that this is a hardware fault.

 

[solidsnake1298]

Is the iGPU set to reserve 8GB of RAM? That is possible for AM4 APUs with a recent BIOS. I agree, I don't think that this is a hardware fault.

They have a 2600. No iGPU. But the goal of clearing the BIOS is to eliminate the possibility that the BIOS thinks that it needs to reserve memory for a non-existent iGPU.

 

[Noes_]

What about the virtual memory configuration in the control panel?

There is no indication that there is a hardware fault. Windows and your motherboard are detecting all 16GB of RAM and it is running in dual channel. Everything I've read indicates that Windows or the motherboard is, for some reason, reserving half of your memory.

Here is a post copied and pasted from the Bleeping Computer forums:
**********************************************

I had this exact problem and here is how I solved it.

I noticed 16GB of ram was reserved by hardware. I updated bios - which took it to 16.1GB reserved. There is the first clue. Its not a Windows or driver issue.

I also noticed RAM speed was down to basic 2400GHZ rather than 3200GHZ. I went in to bios and changed settings for ram and invoked the XMP profile. Each time I rebooted to Win10 the setting had reverted to base settings and still ram was reserved. (task master performance). I found resetting bios to optimum setting didn't actually change anything while the bios was corrupted.

To solve I removed the battery and 4 sticks of ram and unplugged PSU. Switched the on button a couple of time just to ensure power was completely drained from the system to reset the BIOS. Switched on and got the familiar beeps. Switched off and whilst battery was out added 1 stick 8GB ram. Switched on and booted to Windows that reported all 8GB at 2400GHZ -none reserved. Switch off (but keeping PSU powered) and then went in to Bios and set XMP profile and then started windows. Now 8GB with 3200GHZ. This time repeated with battery inserted so Bios setting kept. Rebooted and still 8GB at 3200GHZ. Switched off and inserted another stick of ram repeated and now 16GB 3200GHZ with 57MB reserved for hardware. Repeated with another stick, now 24GB with 57MB reserved. Power down again (never unplug or switch off the PSU untill the battery has been replaced otherwise BIOS settings would be lost again) and inserted final stick. Reboot and Win reports all 32GB at 3200GHZ.

Conclusion......confused/corrupted Bios. By removing all ram and rebooting the system looses previous memory settings but leaving the sticks in and updating Bios did not reset the RAM timing or change the hardware reserved issue. So I suggest removing the ram and reinserting 1 at a time with fresh ram settings and to reset BIOS by removing Battery and powering off completely to put Bios to default setting. I suspect the hardware reserved RAM would have been dedicated to on CPU graphics but my CPU does not have a GPU built in like some other Ryzens.

Board is Gigabyte X570 Aorus Elite. Why the bios went corrupt I have no idea. Ram is Crucial Balistic PC19200 8GB x4 sticks dual mem enabled. CPU is Ryzen 7 2700X

Hope this helps.

**********************************************

Step 1 - Turn off computer
Step 2 - Unplug power from PSU
Step 3 - Remove CMOS battery from motherboard
Step 4 - Wait 5 minutes for CMOS to clear
Step 5 - Reinsert CMOS battery
Step 6 - Plug in PSU and turn on computer.

View attachment 46457

Did the same thing and still the same. The problem is the slot itself doesn't work properly. I'm guessing it's a hardware problem.

 

[solidsnake1298]

If the slot was bad, CPUZ wouldn't detect the stick in that slot at all. And Windows would only report 8GB, period.

The fact that Windows sees 16GB (even though it only ALLOWS 8GB to be used), that CPUZ reports two DIMMS, that CPUZ reports the SPD info for both DIMMS, and CPUZ reports that your system is running in dual channel means that the slot is working.

The two virtual memory/max memory settings being set correctly leads me to believe that the only remaining factor is your BIOS. That your BIOS is configured, or the CMOS settings is corrupted, in such a way that it is needlessly reserving memory (called hardware reserved memory).

When you acquired your parts, which you said are used, did the CPU and motherboard come together? Or did you get them separately? If you got them separately, isn't it possible that the previous owner did have a processor with built-in graphics?

It is unclear from your previous post if you have gotten around to removing the CMOS battery. But at any point since building your PC have you reset the BIOS to default settings?