Need help updating P-7805u FX bios

I doubt you experts will get a more basic noobe question than mine, but here goes, with much advance gratitude for any help you can provide.

I have a stock Gateway P-7805u FX running Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit sp1. It has the bios it came with: Phoenix 9C.11.00. I want to increase the stock 4GB of OEM memory to 8GB.

I purchased 2 Crucial 4GB DDR3-1600 SO-DIMM memory modules and installed them in place of the 2 stock OEM 2GB memory modules. Alas, the bios only recognizes 1 of the 2 memory modules (it reports 4096MB in slot 2 and 0MB in slot 1; both 4GB modules work -- switching slots does not change the result -- in each case the bios only reports 4GB of memory in slot 2. Because slots 1 and 2 each show 2048MB with the OEM 2GB modules, it appears this is a memory-recognition issue with the bios.

I believe from reading several extensive threads on this forum that early Phoenix bios versions may have difficulty recognizing more than 4GB of memory. I also believe from another thread that using Crucial memory models in the 7805u may be problematic.

My questions:

Should I update the bios to a later version to solve my problem? If so, which version? (I'm not a gamer and I am not trying to push the envelope on performance, so solid and stable is my objective). And, not insignificantly, where can I find simple step-by-step instructions on how to update my bios, if that's the right path to take?

Or, instead, should I first exchange the Crucial modules for a different brand of memory modules before messing around with a bios update, which scares me?

Many thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.

Andy B

 

You can try 09.17.00 but any version above that will cause the Nvida card to run hot and not improve memory recognition. Not all memory will get recognized. The newer sticks will not you need the older, and slower, chip configurations.

These are the exact chips I originally ordered.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231295

Edit; Our system forces 1T timing and some chips in a dual configuration will not run with this so other faster chips may work but it is a hit and miss proposition.

 

Thank you, this is very helpful -- I read many of your earlier posts on this topic, and I was hoping you'd see my question and respond.

Any suggestions on a basic step-by-step guide for updating the bios? Or do the downloaded bios files include instructions?

I just ordered the modules you suggested. If they work with my existing bios, is there another reason for me to update to a later one?

Andy B

 

The 09.11.00 worked for my 8GB as far as I remember. If you run Windows 7 then the newer bios is ready, if memory serves it was 09.13.00 and above. all bios's, except the modded ones, are Vista or W7 run from the desktop as admin. the files for all I could collect are below, 09.23.00 is the only website available bios version.

www.pcambrosia.com/Files/P78xx/P78xxBios.zip

 

TANWare, sorry to pester you with basic questions, but just one or two more, please:

How can I tell which of your bios files contain which bios versions? The unzipped names don't appear to reveal that, and the modification dates don't make it evident either. Do i need to actually run the exe file in each zipped folder to see which bios would be installed with that file?

Thanks,
Andy B

 

Yea, I left the OEM names stock. You have to run them. They will only update with an acceptance from my memory so you can cancel and I believe it tells you the version.

Edit; If I remember correctly the 9.17.00 was slightly better with the CPU caching the 8GB so Windows 7 feels a bit snappier. There was no perceivable difference with 4GB.

 

Excellent, thanks!

Hope you're enjoying retirement land . . . that's where i am and it's pretty darn nice.

Andy B

 

Enjoying it here but I do feel like one of the elders around here, just trying not to be the community bum. Let us know how it all works out.

 

TANWare -- problem solved, thanks to you -- I received the G.Skill memory modules from Newegg that you recommended, installed them today, and BINGO, I now have 8GB of Ram working perfectly.

Many thanks,
Andy B

 

Good to hear, and we are always glad to be of help.

 

TANWare to the rescue again. What a guy! I sure wish I had his knowledge.

 

Stretching my memory, that is for sure.

 

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I need your help TanWare!!! I found this thread on google when trying to research why after installing new ram on my laptop I had no display and found you guys here. I have a Gateway p-7805u laptop as well and bought the same ram as turtle man Corsair ddr3 two 4gb sticks at 1600mhz my laptop will not work with any kind of swaping of the ram sticks I get one set up to work which is one original ram stick and one new ram stick but the laptop turns on and bios says it only found the old ram stick the new one is measured at 0mb. My bios verison is also 9.11.00. I have no idea what to do to get these new ram sticks to work on my laptop I was looking to go from 4gb to 8gb which the intel p8400 can handle any help would be great. I could not find a way to pm you privately my email is [email protected] any information on how I could fix this issue would be great or if I should buy new ram to fix the problem thank you

Sorry I'm also running windows 10 64 bit operating system I went from 7 to 10 if that helps any

 

Is there a link to the specific memory? If you look at post #9 the other memory sticks solved the problem.

 

http://m.newegg.com/Product/index?itemnumber=N82E16820233242. I ordered the G-Skill you listed in the above comments and will be returning this. Any help on what I could or should do would help me greatly thank you

 

Those coversw over the chips hide them. It is hard to tell the configuration that way. Even if the SPD is in spec the configuration could kill the deal. The gskill I haev linked to are a 100% compatible stick. The 9c.11 bios is fine for vista but if running Windows 7 use 9c.17, even with just the 8 GB upgrade the 9c.17 may be better.

 

Okay awesome I have the gskills coming in the mail tomorrow now I have Version 9.11.00 bios and am running Windows ten was thinking about going down to Windows 8 what bios do you recommend for Windows 8 or if I stay with 10 what bios would you recommend. I appreciate all the help I'm a noob to all this an am learning as I go also where do you recommend I get a safe bios update from

 

Use 9c.17 if you have above Vista. On Windows 7 or above you may have to use legacy 1394 driver.

 

Did you get the chips in the mail, is all good now?