A75M-HVS not going into dual channel

Specs:

Mobo: A75M-HVS
CPU/GPU: A8-3870K
RAM: 2x2gb Kingston DDR3 1600 - KHX1600C9D3K2/2GX
http://www.asrock.com/mb/memory.asp?Model=A75M-HVS

So the A8-3870K's gpu uses shared memory from the mobo. I'm wondering if this is the reason why my bios reports that I'm in single channel mode and why my Resource Manager in windows says that 1024 MB + whatever I set in the bios for shared memory (min is like 64mb) is "Hardware reserved".

Does anyone know if this is the reason, or perhaps a way to correct the problem?


note: my cpu-z log says my graphics memory is 64mb right now. This is a result of me trying to adjust the shared memory in the bios. I haven't set it back. Originally it was set to Auto, which resulted in 256mb allocated.

Post the exact model of each module, and whether they're identical or not.

Thanks for your reply redduc

Each module is KHX1600C9D3K2/2GX. Original post has also been edited to reflect this, along with cpu-z log.

Since they're two identical sticks, they should be running in dual-channel. Does CPU-Z--> Memory tab also reflect single-channel mode?

redduc900 said:

Since they're two identical sticks, they should be running in dual-channel. Does CPU-Z--> Memory tab also reflect single-channel mode?

Click to expand...

Yes it does. So memory shared to the gpu should not affect it?

ArmedMonkey said:

Yes it does. So memory shared to the gpu should not affect it?

Click to expand...

Have not heard of anyone with the problem of single channel being an issue caused by GPU shared memory.

I thought it might have something to do with an unbalanced amount of ram left on the system, but i guess not.

Any ideas on what could be wrong?

Any ideas on what could be wrong? = Because I don't have that board and likely never will, and no one else has mentioned such a problem, I would have to imagine it is likely one of these things or the other in the order listed.

1. Bad ram.

2. Bad mobo.

3. Cannot think of any setting in bios you could Misset to cause this unless it is just trying to push the ram too fast.

Would have been better if you had posted a sceen capture of CPUz > Memory Tab and SPD tab and we could see what the board is both reading the ram as and what the ram says the settings should be.

One other thing we are seeing far too regular in the AMD CPU Forum section is the AMD boards have not played well with Kingston Ram. I have never seen so many people buying Kingston ram. They must be giving it away and yet I think back to 5 years or so ago when I worked for a motherboard company and it was Kingston Ram that gave us the most issues with AMD. Kingston would make a kit of ram with 2 sticks or more of ram in the kit and yet each stick would be made up of different ICs and though rated identical often the boards did not like something about those types of kits. Not saying you have that but it surely was a problem for us at times and likely could stilll be.

You are going to have to substitute some "known-good" parts for your parts. I would swap the ram first for another kit. If two kits do the same thing...you have a board issue likely or thinking just a I am typing maybe even the IMC is bad inside the cpu. You have some parts substituting to do. With just two memory slots you cannot get the ram in the wrong slots forcing single channel so it has to be ram or the board most likely and maybe the cpu IMC as a last thought.
RGone...

Thanks. I'll get you a screen shot, but you are probably right, and it's a hardware issue. Funny thing is, this ram is on the supported list on asrock's site. Though I have seen a few posts where people were complaining about defects in the motherboard resulting in issues like this.


edit: screenshot included. That's one stick. Other reads exactly the same - just different serial number.