MSI P55 GD65 only registers 4gb of ram

R

recursive

Weaksauce
Joined
Jan 31, 2006
Messages
112
This is my first build in a long time and my new i5 750 build with MSI P55 GD65 won't register my last 2gb of ram. I'm using Kingston HyperX 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 ram and it only registers 4gb.

I have no idea what's going on. Does anyone know what am I doing wrong?
 
Er....you're using triple channel memory on a dual channel board?

I don't know if that's bad or not...
 
By registering, where are you looking this up? The BIOS, Windows, CPU-Z?

I agree with Wazooty, why are you using three dimms on a dual channel motherboard? :confused:
 
I've heard of some of the Asus boards having the same problem. My board is displaying 8gigs fine though... Hopefully Asus and MSI release a BIOS update to fix this.
 
So I'm using 64-bit Windows 7, and windows performance/information screen says I have 8gb(3.99 usable), CPU-Z also recognizes 8gb. What does "3.99gb usable" mean? For what its worth, task manager also stats 4gb total.
 
Make sure memory remapping is enabled in the motherboard BIOS if you haven't already.
 
Assuming you're all having the same problem, if you open the resource monitor via the performance tab of the task manager, it should show the missing memory as "hardware reserved" under the memory tab.

This is because of the memory remapping as Dan pointed out. However, i cant seem to find a corresponding bios setting on my Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5. Can anyone point me in the direction of the relevant setting on the gigabyte x58 boards, because it'd be nice to get at least some of that 4gb of memory its holding back.
 
rikai said:
Assuming you're all having the same problem, if you open the resource monitor via the performance tab of the task manager, it should show the missing memory as "hardware reserved" under the memory tab.

This is because of the memory remapping as Dan pointed out. However, i cant seem to find a corresponding bios setting on my Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5. Can anyone point me in the direction of the relevant setting on the gigabyte x58 boards, because it'd be nice to get at least some of that 4gb of memory its holding back.
Click to expand...

I just went through all the BIOS screens in the Gigabyte EX58-UD5 article and I couldn't find the memory remapping setting.
 
Last edited:
I cannot find a memory remapping option on the MSI GD65 either. This is a huge issue. Is there any workaround? I'm using 4 sticks of 2gb DDR3 1600 dual channel memory.
 
Dan_D said:
I just went through all the BIOS screens in the Gigabyte EX58-UD5 article and I couldn't find the memory remapping setting.
Click to expand...

Yeah, i haven't been able to find anything remotely close, but it seems like it'd be a major oversight by gigabyte to not include this option on such expensive boards...

thefordmccord said:
Are you oly using 3 sticks of RAM?
Click to expand...

i'm using 6x 2gb sticks.

jaguar said:
I cannot find a memory remapping option on the MSI GD65 either. This is a huge issue. Is there any workaround? I'm using 4 sticks of 2gb DDR3 1600 dual channel memory.
Click to expand...

I agree. I'm losing 1/3(4099mb) of my ram to the hardware reserving, it seems extremly excessive.

And for anyone not understanding what is being referred to:
xd9uo3.png
 
Last edited:
Yeah, its definitely the same issue, though its even more noticeable for you...
 
That board can ONLY USE dual channel and then you have to use the correct slots sorry only 8gb for you
 
Last edited:
d50man said:
That board can ONLY USE dual channel and then you have to use the correct slots sorry only 8gb for you
Click to expand...

rikai's board uses triple channel, MINE is the dual channel. Different motherboards, same problem, no solution.
 
Yeah, was gonna say.
I have 12gb in triple channel, i can use 8.
jaguar has 8gb in dual channel, can only use 4.

Different boards experiencing the same issue, and i'm pretty sure the others in the thread are having the same issue as well with their boards. I just need to figure out if theres someway to do memory remapping, since i don't see many other people with my board suffering from this issue...
 
I have read that some of the P55 boards do not handle 8GB of DDR3 1600, and ignore two of the DIMMS. Supposedly it works fine with 8GB of DDR3 1333.
 
Copying my post in the MSI forums:

I have done the following with issues still unresolved:

BIOS is listed as version 1.2

Cleared CMOS
Loaded Optimized Defaults in BIOS
Installed each individual module in the first memory slot by itself (Correctly reads 2gb)
Installed various combinations of two sticks into slots #1 and #3 for dual-channel configuration (Recognizes the two sticks, but states only 2gb available)

As for the issue of their speed being read at 1333, I noticed enabling X.M.P. sets them to 1600, but still does not fix the other issue. Is using X.M.P. advisable?

Here is a tinypic of my resource monitor with 8gb installed. Just like the configuration with 2 sticks in #1/3, it recognizes all of the memory but says only half is available, with the other half listed as "Hardware Reserved."

ngu53q.jpg


CPU-Z Screenshots

dpfl3l.png
 
I just got an Asus P7P55D board up and running and I'm running into a similar issue -- only sees 2GB of the 4GB I have installed. I have memory remapping enabled and set the memory profile to DOCP like it says to in the manual.
 
I've found the solution to my problem! This might not be the case for you guys, but there was a single pin on my mainboard CPU socket that was bent very very slightly. I carefully realigned it and all works as it should. Svet from the MSI forums was the one to point me in that direction: http://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=130607.0
 
XMP is fine if it actually works for you. Just stability test the hell out of it before you run anything critical with it like that. I have never had much luck with XMP myself.
 
Set everything to do with your RAM to defaults and/or set the RAM speed to 1333. See if all of the RAM becomes visible/usable. Anything over 1333 may not identify anything more than a single DIMM per channel on a P55 board.
 
I'm pretty sure this issue is related to the speed of the modules and the board in use.

Anything beyond 1333 is considered "overclocking" and, the board will only support a single module per channel at those speeds unless otherwise specified by the board manufacturer. This is spelled out very clearly in the manual for my P7P55D LE motherboard. If I were to attempt to use non-qualified modules at speeds beyond 1333, the board is going to ignore anything in the second slot of a pair. Drop it back down to 1333 and then both modules are visible.

Basically, only single channel operation is supported above 1333Mhz unless the modules you're using are on the QVL (Qualified vendor list) in your board's manual. Maybe BIOS updates will fill in the list more but, I think right now it's a matter of ensuring you're buying the right modules for your board if you plan on OC'ing.
 
I saw the solution to this problem on the MSI forums. Turns out the guy had 1 bent CPU pin that was causing the ram not to register correctly. He managed to straiten it out and it fixed the problems.
 
Jaguar,

You need to upgrade to bios version 1.5 before trying antying else. It has some memory fixes.
 
What are the best apps to use to try to rule out RAM issues? I've been having some weirdness lately, I might have Windows Explorer quit on me once in a while, but it'll pass 10 passes of LinX and hours of Prime95. I've had it pass 9 hours of Prime95 while messing with it, I'm running it again while at work, so I should get 16-17 hours of Prime95 (blended, 8 thread). Is that enough that if it passes that I should be confident with the cpu/mobo/ram?
 
Wazooty said:
Er....you're using triple channel memory on a dual channel board?

I don't know if that's bad or not...
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with it at all.
The memory isn't dual/triple. If I bought 3 sticks of RAM, same model, and put them together, they'd be triple channel. If I took a 4 GB (2x2) Dual Channel Kit, and added a 2 GB stick of the same model, it'd turn into a triple channel kit.

Granted, on his motherboard, he won't see performance gains related to Triple Channel Memory, but it's still 2 extra gigabytes.
 
dvdhsu said:
Nothing wrong with it at all.
The memory isn't dual/triple. If I bought 3 sticks of RAM, same model, and put them together, they'd be triple channel. If I took a 4 GB (2x2) Dual Channel Kit, and added a 2 GB stick of the same model, it'd turn into a triple channel kit.
Click to expand...
If you put 3 sticks in a dual channel, then you lose dual channel ability. Notice the RAM guide for board shows only 1 stick, 2 sticks or 4 sticks - never 3.
 
looks like reseating cpu/bent pin could be a problem as stated above in Jaguar's link. Fixed a few peoples complaint about this.
 
I don't usually bump massively old post but guys - this problem is stopping me from playing COD Ghost because min requirement is 6gig ram and my system is holding 4gig for hardware reserve so I only show 4gig available and can't play the game LMAO

BIOS shows two sticks 4gig installed. Windows shows 8 gig but 4gig is reserved. I am not taking my CPU out to look at the pins because I don't feel that could cause this - it's too common if you look over the net.

Its allocating to my video card. I used to have a 550 ti 1gig card ow I have a 760 2 gig. How do I stop windows from allocating to this

UNbeJM7.png


When asked if this can be stopped (memory allocation) guy on HP forum said,
"Unfortunately, there isn't.



Memory allocation is automatic, and there are no settings available in the operating system or BIOS to change it."

So I am screwed? It doesn't make sense.
 
Last edited:
I solved it. I just jammed another stick in the MB. So now I have 12gig installed and 8gb usable enough to play my game. When in doubt slam another stick in it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top