16gb of memory installed and recognized only 8gb usable in single channel

beezknees

Commendable
Sep 14, 2016
1
0
1,510
Hello and thanks for stopping by!
I recently bought a pack of 2x8gb g.skill sniper sticks from newegg and installed them in their correct positions in my msi 970 gaming am3+ motherboard. When i go into bios it says there is 16gb installed and it shows both dim1 and dim3 being occupied. windows and cpuz says i also have 16gb available but only 8gb usable in single channel.. I've been surfing the web for 3 days now looking for answers to no avail ill list what ive done so far to help narrow it down. oh and im running windows 10 pro x64

I've gone into bios and manually set the timings and speed.
I've tried to turn xmp on but its blacked out and unclickable (there is no amp option)
ran memory diagnostic with no results
moved ram from dim 1&3 to 2&4. no difference
im currently trying to flash the cmos
 
Solution
What CPU cooler? If it's too tight in a corner or side it may have the CPU out of level so the CPU can't utilize both channels, try loosening and snugging down screw tight. If no joy there, next would be to check for bent/broken pins on the CPU. If that's not it, it's probably a bad channel on the mobo

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
What CPU cooler? If it's too tight in a corner or side it may have the CPU out of level so the CPU can't utilize both channels, try loosening and snugging down screw tight. If no joy there, next would be to check for bent/broken pins on the CPU. If that's not it, it's probably a bad channel on the mobo
 
Solution