Odd RAM issues in Win10

[AlphaKenniJuan]

SETUP:

Ryzen 5 2600

GSkill Ripjaws V Blue 2x8GB 2666 no XMP

Gigabyte B450M DS3H Rev 1.0 BIOS Rev. F51

Pioneer 500 GB NVME SSD (Boot), WD Black 1TB ,WD Blue 500GB, WD Purple 2TB

Gigabyte GTX 970 Windforce 3x OC

Gamemax VP 600M PSU

 

Windows isn't using all of the RAM I have installed in the system, rather it detects all 16 GB in both task manager and System in Settings and reporting 7.95 "usable". BIOS reports the correct amount and CPUZ shows the total memory, SPD and the fact that I'm running Dual-Channel. I've done all the usual; updating and even starting fresh with a new windows install on the SSD, I was on BIOS F50 and updated to F51, reseated both sticks and swapped both sticks as well. One interesting tidbit, when I try to boot from just one stick, the system doesn't post. Doesn't matter which stick I use or what slot, I get no output on the monitor and I have to reach around my case to flip the PSU switch since holding the front panel power button does nothing. At this point I feel as though I've exhausted all the courses of action that I know of.

 

Appreciate the help.

 

EDIT: Also note, the system is perfectly stable and I can even reach 4Ghz OC @ 1.31875V (unexceptional cooler) and XMP works just fine when enabled. Besides XMP, I don't mess with timings or anything else with the RAM.

^^ After biting the bullet and going for a fresh install on the NVME SSD, Note 16.0GB 7.95 usable

[Moonzy]

Tried clearing CMOS? Might've been a weird setting in there

[AlphaKenniJuan]

2 minutes ago, Moonzy said:

Tried clearing CMOS? Might've been a weird setting in there

I have. Seriously confused on this one lol.

[AlphaKenniJuan]

1 minute ago, BlueScope819 said:

Move the sticks around? Make sure they are in dual channel?

Multiple times, yes. AFAIK, they're in dual channel; besides CPU-Z telling me so, I'm not too sure of other ways to confirm this. According to my manual, I have the sticks in the correct slots for dual channel.

[Kisai]

27 minutes ago, AlphaKenniJuan said:

 

^^ After biting the bullet and going for a fresh install on the NVME SSD, Note 16.0GB 7.95 usable

Pull both sticks out and check if they're the same kind. Because what you're seeing is the kind of thing that happens when dual-ranked modules are installed but not working as dual-ranked.

 

Were they bought as a 16GB(2x8) set or two separate 8GB modules?

 

The only other thing that comes to mind is finding a setting for iGPU and turning it entirely off or iGPU memory to something small like 64MB. Note the "hardware reserved". 

 

See on my system, with the iGPU enabled, it doesn't use GB's of memory:

[AlphaKenniJuan]

Just now, Kisai said:

Pull both sticks out and check if they're the same kind. Because what you're seeing is the kind of thing that happens when dual-ranked modules are installed but not working as dual-ranked.

 

Were they bought as a 16GB(2x8) set or two separate 8GB modules?

They are both the same. I bought them from amazon a while ago, they should be the same. For S'N'G's I went ahead with another CMOS clear and loaded optimized defaults and it's still having the same issue. Ahhhh...

[AlphaKenniJuan]

21 minutes ago, Kisai said:

 

The only other thing that comes to mind is finding a setting for iGPU and turning it entirely off or iGPU memory to something small like 64MB. Note the "hardware reserved". 

 

See on my system, with the iGPU enabled, it doesn't use GB's of memory:

Hmm... Could that be an issue? The Ryzen 5 2600 doesn't have an iGPU as far as I'm aware.

 

EDIT: Just checked BIOS and I do not have the setting for Intergrated Graphics in the Chipset tab.

[Kisai]

1 hour ago, AlphaKenniJuan said:

Hmm... Could that be an issue? The Ryzen 5 2600 doesn't have an iGPU as far as I'm aware.

 

EDIT: Just checked BIOS and I do not have the setting for Intergrated Graphics in the Chipset tab.

We're down to two things:

a) Update BIOS

b) Check boot settings (msconfig)

https://appuals.com/windows-10-wont-use-full-ram/

 

I'm not sure how/why this would be set on a fresh install though.

 

I'd also suggest making sure you installed all the chipset drivers, though this would usually only resolve issues with PCIe and USB.

[AlphaKenniJuan]

15 hours ago, Kisai said:

We're down to two things:

a) Update BIOS

b) Check boot settings (msconfig)

https://appuals.com/windows-10-wont-use-full-ram/

 

I'm not sure how/why this would be set on a fresh install though.

 

I'd also suggest making sure you installed all the chipset drivers, though this would usually only resolve issues with PCIe and USB.

I had updated to the newest BIOS once I found that the RAM was hardware reserved, to F51 from F50 (F51's dated late July this year.) and the msconfig setting was unchecked before and after I did the fresh install on the SSD. Oddly enough, when I go to the checkbox it defaults to the equivalent of 16GB RAM in MB in the dialog box. I've tried enabling it and rebooting but it's still showing the same issue. I'm going to order the same kit off amazon again and pop it in the same slots and see if it's the RAM or not? GSkill has their lifetime warranty on modules so I'll RMA; hopefully this fixes the issue.

 

EDIT: Before I go shelling out $60USD on new modules I'm going to take them to a friends. He's got a similar system with the same processor so maybe I can whittle down my options.

Edited August 16, 2020 by AlphaKenniJuan