VX2S (Lambo) - Problem running 4GB (massive performance degradation), fine with 2GB - on 64bit OS

OK, this is soo bizarre. So I bought an SSD (intel x26 160GB v2) for my ASUS Lamborghini VX2S and got a copy of Windows 7 x64. Installed everything and found the overal performance of the OS to be really slow and terrible. I even upgraded my CPU from 2.2GHz Core 2 (T7500) to a Penryn 2.6GHz (T9500), still terrible performance. I tried updating mobo BIOS (301), got all the latest updates and drivers. Still no joy.

I then put my old 7200RPM drive back in with Vista 32bit still on it, and the performance came back and it was fast and responsive. So I was thinking I had a defective SSD, or Windows 7 is actually really terrible and all the rave reviews were a conspiracy.

So on a whim, with the SSD + Win7x64 back in, I decided to remove one of my 2GB RAM sticks (I have 4GB). Suddenly the performance came back, no, it more than came back, I was blown away!! Boot time dropped from 1min 30 secs to about under 30 secs, more benchmarks below. It was like going from a G-Wiz to a Bugatti Veyron (no really).

So it seems the performance is diabolical with 4GB but simply amazing with 2GB. It's an ASUS Lamborghini VXS2, but slightly upgraded, specs are below:

Intel Core 2 Duo 2.6GHz Penryn (T9500)
2GB or 4GB DDR2-677MHz RAM
Intel 965m Motherboard (latest BIOS)
Intel SSD x25 160GB (v2)
Windows 7 x64 RTM

And some benchmarks, bare in mind the only difference is 2GB vs 4GB:

System 1 (4GB RAM) | System 2 (2GB RAM)
Visual Studio 2008 large project compile time: 17 seconds | 3 seconds
Boot up Time: 1min 30sec | about 30 seconds
SSD 4K Random Read: 9MB | 20MB
SSD 4K Random Write: 11MB | 35MB

So it seems there is some weird compatibility issue when using 4GB RAM on my laptop with a 64bit OS. Using the full 4GB on my Vista 32bit OS doesn't cause any problems, although it only uses 3.15GB on Vista32. Has anyone ever had this problem before?

So I'm currently using the fastest, most responsive PC I've ever used (especially thanks to my SSD), but I would like my 2GB RAM back.

 

could be a stab in the dark, but perhaps one of your 2GB modules may have a fault in a section of memory that the 32-bit OS can't access.

If you take out the module that's currently in there and put the other one in (while keeping the SSD with Win7 in place), what happens?

I suppose you could also install Vista 32-bit on the SSD and/or install Win7 64-bit on the HDD then test each setup with various memory configurations.

 

Good point, although I've already tried switching between the memory modules, both are fine on their own, same consistant great performance, but when used together the performance problems kick in. I'll try using different memory sticks.

I'll also try different combinations of drive and OS, I'll maybe put Win7 x64 + 4GB on my 7200 RPM drive, to rule out a weird interaction with the SSD, then Vista x64 on my 7200RPM to rule out Windows 7 problem.

 

Could be a controller issue on the motherboard then...that would be my guess...

 

I have a hunch it could be a memory mapping issue with other devices (eg. graphics card) own memory not being correctly mapped outside the 4GB range.

On 32bit OS's you don't get the full 4GB because your graphic card probably has 512MB which needs to get mapped within that 4GB range limit, so you end up with something like 3.5GB, or 3.15GB in Vista. With a 64bit OS however, modern motherboards remap that range set aside for other devices to outside the maximum memory the motherboard supports, so you can use the full 4GB or 8GB or whatever your mobo supports.

So it could be my motherboard isn't correctly remapping this outside the 4GB limit. Problem is how do I fix this? Might need to contact ASUS or Intel.

 

Interesting update. I tried swapping RAM between the two memory slots. I seem to have intemittent problems with slot 2, but slot 1 is fine, with either memory module. It's interesting, I tried slot 2 and it took ages to boot up, but once booted, it was responably fast, so I rebooted but it wouldn't start up at all, no POST screen. So I took the RAM out of slot 2 and put back in slot 1 and everything is fine again, fast 20 sec bootup etc.

Faulty memory slot? With both memory sticks in I just get slow performance, it doesn't ever crash, and seems to boot up fine, albeit really slowly.

 

OK, final update. I put a 1GB stick in the memory slot that is supposedly faulty to make 3GB, working perfectly! I suppose that'll have to do. The saga ends. Please just let this thread die.

On a related note, I can't recommend Intel's x25 SSD enough, getting 20 second boot up time here (30 including POST screen)! Best upgrade I've ever made.

 

When my next check comes in, I'm actually going to order one of the 80GB G2s...I cant wait...

 

I still can't quite understand why someone would pay that much for a laptop that is only a little better than average.

 

Style, baby, style...Its the same reason someone would buy a 1967 Shelby GT500 for $200,000 when they could get equal and arguably much better performance out of a 2010 Shelby GT500. Its all about style...;P

 

Why would you not want a laptop decked out in leather?

 

I can get the same style with a can a spray paint and an old leather jacket <_<

 

$1000 for what is probably less than four or five ounces of leather.

I love rich people.



Hey, I have this water bottle that's been decked out in leather and drank from by THE Paul Simon.

Bidding starts at 1,500$.

 

Actually, at the time I spec'ed out a Dell that was identical spec to the Lambo, and Dell was only marginally cheaper than the Lambo.

Also it was considered very high-end two years ago.

 

I wish I was rich. I'm struggling to come up with money for the G51VX-X1A

 

I just want to confirm that I had the same problem on my VX2S with intel X25-M SSD 2Gen. Removed the 2GB RAM module and now it works fine!
Thanks for the fix!

 

I never considered that the intel SSD could be the cause of the problem, thanks!

There's a firmware update for the intel SSD drive, I'll give that a go.