Re: XP only shows 2GB RAM

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"Paul" wrote:

Paul wrote:
LVTravel wrote:

"Gerry" <gerry@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:#UtjqHvWJHA.2440@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Magnus

A Dell XPS600 for a 32 bit system has a maximum of 2 gb.
http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/xps600/en/SM/parts0.htm#wp1059970
--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Magnus Göransson Sweden wrote:
Have installed 3GB RAM on windows XP but only 2GB is shown (1,7 GB
after startup). Had 1GB before and had then 700MB free memory after
startup so something isn´t right... Have a DELL XPS600 with 2x256MB
videocards and where in contact with DELL support (bought my memory
there), but because 3GB is shown in BIOS they say that the problem is
with windows XP. DELL says that my XPS600 should support up to 4GB
(RAM+videocard).
Please help.


See this from Crucial, It says that if you have 64 bit system it is 8
GB but if XP 32 bit system it is 2 GB addressable.

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=XPS%20600

Crucial repeats the manufacturer's info. They generally don't amend
the info, if it was incorrect. There is no logical reason for
an exact 2GB limit - I expect that suggestion is being made, so
there won't be a lot of tech support phone calls about "I'm
not getting all the memory I installed". By telling the
customers there is a 2GB limit, the customer will never get
to see an addressing limitation with a 32 bit OS. The dual
video cards that ship with the product, is why there is
a potential for an addressing issue with more memory.

Paul

Picture of the Dell motherboard for XPS600. I figured it might be
an OEM with some motherboard brand on it, but no brand is
visible.

http://www.redplanettrading.com/ebay/motherboards/gc375/top-800.jpg

I tried comparing memory test results for an Asus Nforce4 SLI
chipset motherboard, but for that motherboard, they were having
a lot of trouble generally with memory compatibility.

*******
Here is an actual experience with the XPC600. User installs 4GB
total memory, and only 2GB is being reported. Sounds like the
BIOS is disabling it for some reason. (In the back of my mind,
is the possibility that memory remapping is permanently turned
on, has a granularity of 1GB, and remaps stuff above 2GB?)

http://www.octopusoverlords.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=64865&p=1326005

And even though the CPUZ screens here show 4GB total physical memory
(as reported by probing the SMBUS and SPD chip on each DIMM),
the Everest report only shows 2GB reported.

http://forums.techguy.org/hardware/410182-performance-probs-ram-mobo-cpu.html

There is an Everest report for that system.
http://forums.techguy.org/attachments/66320d1130025666/report.txt

I thought stuff like that happened on server motherboards. Since
the chipset is Nvidia, there is no opportunity to download a
datasheet for the chipset.

Here is an analogous Asus motherboard and a user result with 4GB
installed. Freeze...

http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20080220212630781&board_id=1&model=P5ND2-SLI+Deluxe&page=1&SLanguage=en-us

Finally. Found an Asus P5ND2-SLI running with 4GB RAM. 2.75GB reported.
So there is some difference between the way the Dell BIOS
handles the hardware, and the way an Asus BIOS does it.

http://forums.tweakguides.com/showthread.php?t=1899

Paul
Okej you gave me some things to think about. Going to try to upgrade my BIOS, not that anyone else seems to be helped by this, but it couldn't hurt right?

Also Loki wrote "You need to change the ram timings from 1T to 2T in your BIOS

This has nothing to do with your Ram or Mobo, it has to do with the memory
controller on your CPU".

Anyone who knows what he it talking about??

I'm going to try Everest and CPUZ and see what they can tell my about my
system.

Anyone who know how to Enable the Physical Address Extension? If it happens
to be of, you never know...

Thanks for the many responses!

Magnus

Ps. Wouldn't it be great to prove Crucial wrong? :-)
.

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