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    RAM upgrade hell. Need help please

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by phidik, Aug 12, 2006.

  1. phidik

    phidik Notebook Enthusiast

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    Here's what happened to me last time:
    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=35471

    After that incident, I purchased one 1GB ram and keep 256mb ram on the other bank. No problem at all. The BIOS detect both ram and I have a total ram of 1.256 Gig.

    Today, I purchased one more 1 GB ram, the same brand as the first one: Corsair Value Select 400MHz. I'm hoping to utilize dual channel.
    I took the 256mb ram card out and replaced it with the new ram.
    BIOS only detect one ram.
    Placing just the new one works.
    Placing just the old one works.
    Placing both don't work..... only 1 detected.
    Running dxdiag.exe also reveal 1 GB ram installed.

    Interestingly, CPU-Z detects the ram as 2048 mb ram.
    Anyone can explain this to me?
    BIOS and dxdiag.exe shows that the ram is 1 gig. CPU-Z shows the ram is 2 gig. What gives?

    Help!!
    Thx
     
    phidik, Aug 12, 2006
    #1
  2. vestige

    vestige Notebook Consultant

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    Call your laptop manufacturer's technical support line, they would know best.
     
    vestige, Aug 12, 2006
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  3. dagamer34

    dagamer34 Notebook Evangelist NBR Reviewer

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    Is windows detecting 2GB though? Because I don't see how an OS can detect RAM when the BIOS doesn't think it exists. However, if that IS true, then it might be possible that Windows sees it.

    Weird.
     
    dagamer34, Aug 12, 2006
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  4. phidik

    phidik Notebook Enthusiast

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    No, dagamer34, windows does not see the RAM.
    Only cpuz.exe program sees it.

    As Vestige suggested, I contacted fujitsu tech support and he (the tech guy) said that corsair RAM may not support dual channel.

    The two corsair RAM that I bought looks identical. Same latency, same chip sets, same product number.

    I don't think the system board is bad because when I installed the original RAM (2x256mb) BIOS see 512mb memoery installed.
    And when I mix 1 gig corsair and 256 mb ram, the BIOS detects 1256mb memory.
    I change the arrangement (change the bank) and it is OK.
    The problem only apears when two 1 gig corsair are installed. BIOS only report bank 0 has 1 gig and bank 1 is empty.
     
    phidik, Aug 13, 2006
    #4