RAM only reading as half, dual channel issue? Please help! I've tried everything!

Filthy_dubs · Jun 20, 2018

Hello Everyone!

Well i have myself a very strange situation here, I have 32gb of Gskill sniper ddr3 (8gb x 4) ram that is only reading as 16gb. Each stick is 8gb, but bios + windows are only reading 4gb each. I recently upgraded to a Crucial MX500 ssd and windows 10 via clean install. Previous to to the upgrade i was running windows 7 which recognized my full 32gb of ram. Since the clean install i cant for the life of me get the pc to register more than 16gb. I have tried everything, i have reset bios + cmos, upgraded bios to latest version, i have loosened the cpu cooler, then completely re-seated the cooler. I have tried each stick individually and they each are reading as 4gb. I have tried changing the clock rates and voltages with no luck as well. I have also checked all windows settings (virtual usage, reserved, etc).

Cpu-z is reading all 4 sticks as 4gb as well. I have ran memtest86 with multiple passes, memtest also only reads as 16gb total. I am completely stumped on this, maybe an issue with the dual channel on the ram? Bad mobo? I have never heard of RAM frying dual channel, is it possible? CPU damage (although i didnt notice any bent pins when i re-seated)

If anyone has any other ideas on what i could try, please please let me know!

It is greatly appreciated!

Specs:
Intel i7 4770k
Msi z87 - G41
EVGA Geforce 980 gtx
Gskill sniper 32gb 8×4
Raidmax 850 gold psu
Corsair liquid cooling
Crucial mx500 500gb ssd

QwerkyPengwen · Jun 20, 2018

well first of all, dual channel would have nothing to do with your system reading the sticks at half their value. that sounds like a DD issue. (The DD in DDR4/DDR3 stands for Double Density.) It's possible that the system is only recognizing only half the stick from the modules on one side of the stick and not the other. It's possible that if this is the case, it's either bad RAM or bad slots on mobo. If you happen to have access to any different RAM lying around, pop one in and see if it registers the full amount. If so, then the sticks are bad. If it does not register the full amount but instead registers half, then it's the motherboard. Or perhaps it's not the motherboard but the CPU. you said you tried reseating the cooler, but that does absolutely nothing other than ensure that it is cooling the CPU properly. You need to completely take out the CPU itself and reseat it and make sure it is in there properly. When taking out the CPU, always check underneath for any missing or bent pins because that can cause an issue as well.

And to help you understand a little more, dual channel is when two sticks of RAM work in tandem together to give you BOTH sticks rated speeds combined, so for example, instead of a single 16GB stick with a speed of 2400mhz you can have two 8GB sticks with a speed of 2400mhz and when combined using dual channel run together at a speed of 4800mhz making things faster.

ko888 · Jun 20, 2018

Do you have Windows 10 32-bit or 64-bit installed?

The memory controller resides on the CPU die.

QwerkyPengwen · Jun 20, 2018

also, as ko888 says, if you are using 32bit that could cause the issue as well. although, in my experience, instead of registering half of each stick, it usually just registers half the sticks. But it can definitely be the cause of 32bit OS. And also, as ko888 stated, the memory controller resides on the CPU which is why I said to check the pins on the motherboard where the CPU goes to make sure that it is connected properly. In a worst case scenario, your CPU is bad.

hyperwolf · Jun 20, 2018

Yeah! I think that if your sticks were operating O.K. Under Win 7 they should do as well under 10 and therefore it could indeed be a 32 bit OS cause.

4745454b · Jun 20, 2018

32Bit would read 4GB, not half and read 16GB.

You need to test each stick by itself. Does each stick read as 8GB? Try each slot, does each slot work?

QwerkyPengwen · Jun 20, 2018

4745454b :

He already specified in his post that each stick by itself is only recognized as 4GB instead of 8GB

4745454b · Jun 20, 2018

I wanted to make sure he tested each stick by itself. Not just seeing 16GB and assuming it's working that way.

I don't mean to be rude suggesting this, but usually when this happens it's because someone goofed when they ordered and didn't understand what they were getting. It's also possible you were shipped the wrong item. I would still start by making sure each stick by itself is read as 8GB, and each slot works.

QwerkyPengwen · Jun 20, 2018

4745454b :

that's a good question actually about being shipped the wrong item.

Dear OP, can you look at the sticks themselves and see what the storage capacity of the stick is on the sticker that's on it? It'll look something like this image below.

Filthy_dubs · Jun 20, 2018

ko888 :

Windows 64-bit

Filthy_dubs · Jun 20, 2018

4745454b :

Each stick reads 4gb when tested one by one. When i was running windows 7 each stick definitely read 8gb each

Filthy_dubs · Jun 20, 2018

QwerkyPengwen :

well first of all, dual channel would have nothing to do with your system reading the sticks at half their value. that sounds like a DD issue. (The DD in DDR4/DDR3 stands for Double Density.) It's possible that the system is only recognizing only half the stick from the modules on one side of the stick and not the other. It's possible that if this is the case, it's either bad RAM or bad slots on mobo. If you happen to have access to any different RAM lying around, pop one in and see if it registers the full amount. If so, then the sticks are bad. If it does not register the full amount but instead registers half, then it's the motherboard. Or perhaps it's not the motherboard but the CPU. you said you tried reseating the cooler, but that does absolutely nothing other than ensure that it is cooling the CPU properly. You need to completely take out the CPU itself and reseat it and make sure it is in there properly. When taking out the CPU, always check underneath for any missing or bent pins because that can cause an issue as well.

And to help you understand a little more, dual channel is when two sticks of RAM work in tandem together to give you BOTH sticks rated speeds combined, so for example, instead of a single 16GB stick with a speed of 2400mhz you can have two 8GB sticks with a speed of 2400mhz and when combined using dual channel run together at a speed of 4800mhz making things faster.

Thank you, i will double check the cpu pins just to be sure.

smorizio · Jun 20, 2018

try going into the bios and adding some voltage to the ram chips. with 4 ram chips the ram voltage may below 1.5v and it showing up as miss read in ram size. if 4 chips wont rub right see if gslikk do a swap for two 16g chips.

4745454b · Jun 21, 2018

What does the sticker say?

I don't see it being a voltage issue either. You can check ot make sure the sticks are getting the voltage they need, but I wouldn't just start pouring voltage on them see if they suddenly double in size.

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