12GB RAM installed, OS Shows 4GB

[Chryonic]

So, this happened last night after I restarted my computer. I wasn't doing anything but browsing the internet, and I turned off my computer. I noticed that POST said 4096MB for the RAM instead of the installed 12GB. I took all the cards out and put them in slot 1, one by one and the computer would turn on (full fan speeds), and stay there (the fan speeds normally slow down [my GPU is a 260 so it's loud], then it beeps). It wasn't completely booting.

BIOS shows 4GB.
Windows shows 4GB.
CPU-Z shows all 5 cards in the SPD tab.

I've reseated the cooler on the CPU, cleaned the RAM with air, and done all that stuff. Sooo.. any solutions out there?

This seems to be really common with ASUS P6T boards.

(4x2GB Corsair Dominators @ 1600MHz || 1x4GB Unmarked PNY Card)

Thanks,
David.

 

[Chryonic]

Manged to get it to read 10GB out of my 12. I am guessing one of my RAM slots went bad. Whenever something is in it, the computer won't boot. All the cards are in the computer, but I guess 1 is disfunctional too.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Mix and match RAM like you're using can also be quirky. Have you tried without the 4GB stick?

 

[Chryonic]

Mix and match RAM like you're using can also be quirky. Have you tried without the 4GB stick?

Yep, won't boot half the time. Or it reads either 2GB or 4GB when it boots (randomly).
If it was my choice, I wouldn't have an ASUS board. They seem to be very faulty. I got the computer at a pawn shop with around a year of previous usage. I emailed the people who owned it last because they left all their stuff on it, so that's how I know.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Try the 4GB stick (I'm assuming you know it works properly) in all the DIMMs on the motherboard.
With none of the Dominators. You'll be trying each slot, one at a time.

 

[Chryonic]

Try the 4GB stick (I'm assuming you know it works properly) in all the DIMMs on the motherboard.
With none of the Dominators. You'll be trying each slot, one at a time.

Already did that. It works randomly. Tried twice in each slot, and got random results.

 

[Robert17]

Define 'random' in your scenario. Either it works in the same slot sporadically; or it works in some slots, not others; or a combination of the two. Each stick behaves the same way?

 

[Chryonic]

Define 'random' in your scenario. Either it works in the same slot sporadically; or it works in some slots, not others; or a combination of the two. Each stick behaves the same way?

Combination of the two. it's weird.
All the sticks are that way.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Sounds like a motherboard issue then, IMO.

 

[Chryonic]

Sounds like a motherboard issue then, IMO.

Crap. Okay, thanks.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Do you happen to have another computer that you could check the RAM in?
I know you mentioned where you got this one, but never hurts to ask.

 

[Chryonic]

Do you happen to have another computer that you could check the RAM in?
I know you mentioned where you got this one, but never hurts to ask.

Yeah but it's so old and I think the RAM slots are a different pin type. I will check.

 

[Chryonic]

Do you happen to have another computer that you could check the RAM in?
I know you mentioned where you got this one, but never hurts to ask.

Yeah, uh the pins are different so I can not check.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I would expect motherboard first, it's not often that RAM fails in the way you're seeing.

 

[Chryonic]

I would expect motherboard first, it's not often that RAM fails in the way you're seeing.

Okay, thanks. I'll give them to a friend who has a 240-pin motherboard to see if they all work properly.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Okay, thanks. I'll give them to a friend who has a 240-pin motherboard to see if they all work properly.

Good idea there. Have him run a pass or two of Memtest86+ if he doesn't mind taking the time.

 

[Chryonic]

Good idea there. Have him run a pass or two of Memtest86+ if he doesn't mind taking the time.

Decided to single out every card and make a chart. The results may surprise ya.
(Dom or D means Dominator. I labeled each card.)

(X, X or X, Y means it was tried twice)

The top row is the RAM slot.


Sorry for how messy the charts are. I don't know how to use Excel well and I don't know how to use Photoshop that well (yeah, I can't even make a simple chart lol)


This is REALLY weird. What could be causing it? A faulty board? The original RAM placement was:
| A2 | A1 | B2 | B1 | C2 | C1 |
| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | X | PNY|

 

[ATMINSIDE]

So, just to make sure, the first chart is where you tried single sticks in single slots?

As in, only one stick at a time.

 

[Chryonic]

So, just to make sure, the first chart is where you tried single sticks in single slots?

As in, only one stick at a time.

Yup

X means it didnt boot.
Y means it did. I should have stated so, sorry.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Nothing booting as a single stick in the "2" slots is normal.
What isn't normal is Dom 1 and Dom 2 in A1 and B1.

I can see how you would interpret that as random, but it really isn't.
I think you'd benefit from buying a proper set of RAM for your computer.

I'm still sketched out by the motherboard slightly, but using mixed sticks isn't a great idea. Especially on a triple-channel computer.

Also, what are your current RAM speed/latency/voltage settings?