8gb ram installed and 4gb usable

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Outerocean23

Outerocean23

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I need help figuring out why my pc isn't using all of my ram, I tried a ton of solutions which (Works for other people) rather than me. And a ton of them are very out dated that non of them worked, I already tried memtest that told my ram are working, switching ram, unchecking ram limit in msconfig, and there isn't any option to enable memory remap on my mobo which is GA-78Lmt-s2. Yes I am using 64 bit OS Windows 10 Home.

And I only found out it only was using 4gb ram yesterday when Batman Arkham Knight told me I was only using 4gb ram. I really want help as my games really run like crap and completely destroys my pc.
 
Solution
jr9
Well if you have 2 sticks they should be running in dual channel. That gives me an idea that there is a hardware problem especially if they were purchased as a kit. Did you go into BIOS like jasonkaler suggested at confirm that your BIOS sees both DIMMs and their speeds? This is crucial information that helps narrow down where the issue is.

The PC also should be able to boot with only one stick. If it's failing to boot on one, try the other in the same slot.
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ElectrO_90

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CPU-Z or AIDA64 - just to confirm while in windows it sees both. Also that you have 2x4GB and not 2x2GB.
Then, put 1 stick in, check bios Ram amount, boot into windows and confirm as well (with CPU-Z/AIDA64)
turn off, put the other stick in and confirm they are exactly the same.
Try both in slots, using different combinations.

 
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Outerocean23

Outerocean23

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I have 8 GB (4.00 GB usable) And I already tried CPUz and it told me my ram sticks are fine but it says they were in single channel and I tried a ton of fixes but none of them worked, such as resetting cmos, losening the cpu cooler, checking for bent pins.
 
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Outerocean23

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Both are the same ram sticks as they came in a ram kit, I tried a ton of combinations, and they both work as different combinations as well. Bios says there is only 4064 memory usable, I do not know why.
 
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Outerocean23

Outerocean23

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So I tried putting only 1 ram stick as the combination for my second ram slot and my pc didn't boot, with both ram sticks. Any other combination worked as I do not know why.
 
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jr9

jr9

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Well if you have 2 sticks they should be running in dual channel. That gives me an idea that there is a hardware problem especially if they were purchased as a kit. Did you go into BIOS like jasonkaler suggested at confirm that your BIOS sees both DIMMs and their speeds? This is crucial information that helps narrow down where the issue is.

The PC also should be able to boot with only one stick. If it's failing to boot on one, try the other in the same slot.
 
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Solution
Outerocean23

Outerocean23

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Actually like I said before, my bios only detects 1 stick as in 4064 memory in the bios. But whenever I load up windows and check my system specs, it reads the second memory slot which made me confused as balls. Which made me realize that nothing in my pc is defective and somehow I need a solution for inside my pc. Also my pc literary functions like a new pc and me trying to tinker with it is making it worse. Also I tried the combination on putting the other ram stick in the same slot, my pc wouldn't boot up no matter what stick is in the slot alone.
 
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jr9

jr9

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First I will assume that the BIOS screen isn't being misread and you truly are only seeing 4GB in BIOS and 8GB in Windows. That actually shouldn't be possible. I'm not entirely why your Windows is reporting 8GB, but if you can't see it in BIOS then the computer doesn't recognize it. BIOS takes precedence over Windows in hardware troubleshooting. Just not being able to see all the RAM a system has in BIOS tells me that there is definitely a hardware issue. If you only see 4GB in your BIOS then Windows actually has nothing to do with your issue.

You tested the RAM and it works. Next most likely cause is the RAM slot needs to be cleaned out. You can blow it out with canned air, or use high purity (90%+) isoprobyl alcohol and something that won't leave residue! Might as well do both DIMMs while you are at it. Even a bit of finger oil or dust can cause problems for a DIMM, or slot.
 
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Outerocean23

Outerocean23

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I done both cleaning with compressed air and using an alcohol swab on the memory slot, unlike how my pc isn't reading my ram CPUz detects both of them. I don't see what is wrong with my ram or ram slots as I tried everything a ton of people told me to do, I can tell you the brand the ram are which is A-Data Technology but other than that CPUz doesn't tell me as the memory part no. I have never touched ram slots with my fingers as I only needed to push in my ram and hear the click to make sure it is placed correctly. I already think it's something wrong with dual channels for my ram that the mobo doesn't give me an option to adjust. Also I haven't added this before, but by now I reset my pc to is fresh blood state and I still have the problem where it doesn't detect all of the ram.
 
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COLGeek

COLGeek

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I see no trolling in this thread. Further alerts are not necessary.

This problem is fairly common (unfortunately). One way to resolve is to flash/re-flash the motherboard BIOS with the most recent version. Make sure both memory sticks are installed when doing so.

 
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Outerocean23

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So how do I reflash my mobo? I never known of this before I was asking for help.
 
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COLGeek

COLGeek

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Outerocean23

Outerocean23

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Yes, I tried that but everything still remained the same. No matter what I do it's doing everything bad, and I think I am going to end up killing my pc doing it. Here is what it looks like.
36825162_Capture.png
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RememberThe5th

RememberThe5th

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Some actually suggest rising voltage a bit on north sout bridge and on ram by 0.5V and setting timings manually. Ive made my Old mobo run single to dual even tho bios didnt recognized First boot the second stick, i bumped voltage by 1V and worked ever fine soo assuming stock voltage of ddr3 is 1.5V but max safe is 1.65V.
 
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Outerocean23

Outerocean23

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I already tried that, now I am going to send it to pc repair just to get it repaired. Probably ask them why was this happening.
 
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jr9

jr9

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Let us know what they say : ) I'm pretty sure one of your sticks isn't working right. Them only working in single channel and the seeing 4GB in BIOS is bad in a hardware sense. That or the motherboard.
 
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E

ElectrO_90

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My ASRock Z87 never worked when I used DUAL memory, just would always fail to boot even when it had the latest BIOS.
I ended up putting both in but just single mode.

When I suggested booting up with just 1 RAM in, from my understanding, nothing was booting? I hope you changed slot, while using single ram boot, because you don't go into too much detail.

Slot 1, 1 Ram does it boot? - Change Ram, Does it boot?
Slot 2, 1 Ram does it boot? Change Ram, Does it boot?

I would go through it 4 times, and it should boot on 1 stick, can't see why it wouldn't.

A methodical approach before you know its a Mobo screwed

Good luck with the repair
 
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Outerocean23

Outerocean23

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So, I asked a ton of pc repair ITs and all of them just said nope not happening. But what they a lot offered me was (I would rather diagnose it first to be honest – since it’s a custom pc its $50 diagnosis fee to evaluate everything) word for word. But then after that I went deeper into research and saw why a lot of them don't offer motherboard repairs, apparently I need special tools to be a giant tech genius on repairing motherboards as these tools can repair them, they can also kill them.

So I will be replacing my motherboard instead, I am not looking to pay that fee or attempt to kill my motherboard. And yes I am still talking about my ram sockets, at this point I ran memtest 10 times and all my ram are just fine with passing.
 
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jr9

jr9

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Yes, physical motherboard repair is indeed outside PC technician land. If there is an issue with the motherboard, it generally gets replaced we say. There are some things like capacitors that you can do if you have soldering area knowledge but few can do it.

If you are installing it yourself, be careful of ESD and spot check your motherboard standoffs. Have a look for rouge screws when you take the old board out.
 
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Outerocean23

Outerocean23

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Okay I will.
 
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