8Gb installed, 6GB usable

xerolen

In Runtime
Messages
279
Hi all I have 8Gb of Ram installed on my Dell Precision Workstation 690 but it only says I have 6Gb Usable under BIOS and System in Windows 7 Ultimate/Home Premium. I had a problem previously with it when it said I only had 2Gb Usable but 8 installed under BIOS and System. I reseated the RAM and it kept saying it till one day I changed order the sticks were in and it went to 6Gb. In BIOS it recognizes that each stick is installed and is a 1Gb stick but when I look at total RAM up top it says I only have 6Gb. Any idea how I can fix this or if my MOBO is just on it's way out?
 
Have you tried updating the motherboard's bios? You can download the latest bios for your system by searching around for it on Dell's website. Another thing you could try is to change the order of the sticks in different combinations and see if you can make it work somehow.
 
How much memory is your video card using? If your GPU is integrated and configured to use RAM, it will steal off of the system RAM.
 
I'm reading the memory loss in both the system control panel item and in the memory section. Of bios. I have 8x 1Gb RAM sticks in using all the slots so the way yet are filled doesn't matter since they are all the same card down to the model number and manufacturer.
 
I've only had it for 2 years but it is from 2008. When I got it it was functioning properly. I haven't moved the RAM at all since I got it other than right after the problem started. The memory config before I had it was 2 Gb but when I got it I put 8Gb in.
 
Ik would try cleaning the ram slots out. Could be crud in them or just the 1.

Have you tried determining which slots not reading?

Basically pull 2 sticks at a time so you get 6Gigs instead of 5Gigs.
 
I fixed it. the 2nd and 3rd slots were occupied by burnt out RAM. I replaced them with 2 2GB Cards and Now my PC recognizes that I have 10GB of RAM.....Odd number huh?
 
Back
Top Bottom