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What is wrong with my RAM?

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Memory Expert

My dad had 512mb (or so it said) of RAM. When we opened of DX Diagnostic it told us we really only had 384mb RAM. (I assume that one of the stick was 256mb and the other 128mb) which is clearly a problem. (or so I think) My dad went and bought a 1gb RAM stick at Frys today and now that stick tells him he has 895mb. when he puts it all together it tells him he only has 1150mb. (even with the two 256mb problem only equaling 384mb he should still get 1408mb RAM) Is this just a RAM problem or is there something that I just do not know about?

Thanks in advance.

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Memory Expert

Hmmm.... I think you don't have a discrete GPU in your PC, am i right there?

If i am... then i think 256MB of RAM is dedicated to the graphics driver, that's why i doesn't show up. Quite normal, nothing to worry about there.
Memory Expert

Thank you guys. There was one more problem, when my dad tried to boot into vista, it would stay in vista for about 1:30 minutes and then his screen would turn blue with white lines. Does he have a bad RAM stick?
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Memory Expert

With all that mismatched ram in there its kinda harder to say :) 
download memtest and burn it onto a cd,
remove all sticks of ram, insert one at a time and run memtest on each stick for a good hour each, that should point out any 'bad' sticks, I'm inclined to thinking the poor systems just confused with several different size/brand sticks in there tbh
Moto
Memory Expert

+1^ looks like your Dads digging out the receipt for that Gig stick,
depending on what the systems used for, you'll want 2-4Gb (Triplechannel intels aside ofc) post your/his mobo model and we can suggest some deals maybe
Moto
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