Re: AMD 64x2 4400+ 4G ram apprears only 2G on XP SP2

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"Kalle Launiala" <KalleLauniala@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:270DD0E7-EC81-4207-988E-5ABBBCF84BE3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Hi!
>
> I emailed the european support. Sorry it seems that the forum link never
> made to my post:
>
> http://forums.amd.com/index.php?s=43621e03b120b17ba4fa39ff8bfa8c7c&showtopic=62821&st=0&#entry585166
>
> I hope it's properly put now.
>
> Seems like high memory graphic adapters take quite a chunk of memory after
> all, but still 3 gigs out of total 4 feels like victory after getting used
> of
> 2.
>
> Br,
>
> Kalle
>
> "Mike O'Donnell" wrote:
>
>>
>> "Kalle Launiala" <KalleLauniala@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
>> message
>> news:5AAA8A8B-7D2C-4FA8-B6A7-BA4998AFF7E4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >
>> >
>> > "Mike O'Donnell" wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >> "Kalle Launiala" <KalleLauniala@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
>> >> message
>> >> news:B84FF24D-6A57-49B1-9315-EAAE947C67ED@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >> > Hello!
>> >> >
>> >> > I just purchased AMD 64x2 4400+ system with 4G of ram. I wanted to
>> >> > evaluate
>> >> > the x64 version of XP, which turned not to be suitable to our CAD
>> >> > development
>> >> > purposes due to the driver incompatibility.
>> >> >
>> >> > This system had no problems recognising the entire 4G address space
>> >> > (as
>> >> > the
>> >> > bios does recognise it during the boot time).
>> >> >
>> >> > Once turning our back to the x64 for the time being (preparing to
>> >> > come
>> >> > back
>> >> > at the Vista versions), we moved back to the standard 32 bit version
>> >> > of
>> >> > Windows XP, which after SP2 is supposed to well support the 4G ram
>> >> > with
>> >> > /PAE
>> >> > and other optional or automatic switches.
>> >> >
>> >> > However our current system gets recognised as having only 2G of
>> >> > physical
>> >> > memory. No matter what /3G or /PAE switches are on the "boot.ini",
>> >> > or
>> >> > even
>> >> > if
>> >> > the entire virtual memory (ie. the page file) is disabled, the
>> >> > amount
>> >> > of
>> >> > memory remains 2G.
>> >> >
>> >> > We are using MSDN shipped XP with initally provided SP2 and are
>> >> > quite
>> >> > helpless for the situation. Our system is very standard: AMD 64x2
>> >> > 4400+
>> >> > with
>> >> > Asrock 939S56-M motherboard with 4x 1G DDR memory sticks (all the
>> >> > same
>> >> > brand,
>> >> > dual channel enabled). Geforce 6600 GT with 256M ram (should it
>> >> > matter).
>> >> >
>> >> > The bios recognises the full 4G as did the initial XP 64x
>> >> > installation,
>> >> > but
>> >> > the 32bit XP steadily reports the physical memory only at 2G.
>> >> >
>> >> > Br,
>> >> >
>> >> > Kalle
>> >> >
>> >> Were you able to ever get a resolution to this problem? I'm having
>> >> the
>> >> same
>> >> issue. I've recently built a new system with an AMD Athlon64x2 4400
>> >> on
>> >> an
>> >> Asrock 939 Dual SATA. Fresh install of XP pro with SP2. I have four
>> >> 1G
>> >> sticks of DDR. Bios, SiSandra, etc. all see 4G. Windows sees 2.00G
>> >> exactly. I removed one stick, bios showed 3G in single channel mode,
>> >> XP
>> >> reports 2.5G. Removed 2nd stick, replaced with 512M. Bios shows 3G
>> >> dual
>> >> channel, XP shows 2.00GB
>> >>
>> >> I realize due to the 4G addressing in 32bit XP, I'll never see the
>> >> full
>> >> 4G,
>> >> but it would be nice to get more than 2..
>> >>
>> >> Mike O.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> > Hi!
>> >
>> > Yes I had also contacted AsRock and after investigating the problem,
>> > they
>> > provided custom version of BIOS (with memory hole option) to try out
>> > that
>> > solved the problem.
>> >
>> > Now I got almost exactly 3G total for Windows use (physical memory in
>> > task
>> > manager).
>> >
>> > See this thread on AMD processor support forums for more info. There
>> > was
>> > an
>> > user that I think has the same motherboard version as you, and he got
>> > also
>> > the solution from AsRock to the problem.
>> >
>> > I hope this helped.
>> >
>> > Br,
>> >
>> > Kalle
>>
>> Thank you very much. I'll send an email this evening to Asrock,
>> hopefully
>> they'll have it available that way. Did you use email, or call them to
>> get
>> this resolved?
>>
>> Mike O.
>>
>>
>>

After seeing your link, I realize I had seen the thread on the AMD forum. I
think I saw it when looking for something else (prior to searching for the
memory issue). Also, since it was for a different board, I think I didn't
read it as closely as I should have...

I emailed the main support, and also the European site last night. This
morning the BOTH responded with a bios "modified for personal/internal use"
that has the memory hole enable/disable feature. Sounds like this is a
pretty common request to them.

It's interesting, in the one response (from the Asrock.com.tw), they say
that the BIOS default is for 64 bit processor and 64 bit O/S and that you
need to change from the default setting to use a 32 bit O/S. I understand
what they're saying, but I am curious as to why it needs a "custom" bios for
that feature. I don't know why they wouldn't give that option in the
standard bios (I asked them in my reply this morning).

I'm going to try the BIOS change tonight.

Thanks again for your information.

Mike O.


.

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