Vista Memory Upgrade Query

dorks

My dad has a vista laptop with 1Gb ram. I have upgraded it to 2Gb and it works, but it still says there is 766Mb Ram (some is used for video memory) when you check the System properties.

Do I have to change something in Bios before it recognises the extra memory?

loudcox

Doesn't sound as though the memory has been recognised, although it could be a Vista "feature".

Try rebooting and on the POST screen (the bit that says "Press <AKey> to enter setup") see what that reports - you might also enter the BIOS as it's probably listed in there as well. If it reports 1GB then remove and reinsert the memory module.

If that doesn't work, then it suggests the memory might not be compatible. This seems very unlikely as normally the machine will completely refuse to boot if this is the case.

Conor_3

You shouldn't need to. Does POST show 2GB?

fwor

Generally most BIOS seem to detect new memory automatically.

It's possible that the spec of your new memory is not compatible with the existing 1Gb - sometimes you can get around this and sometimes you can't.

A couple of things to check: Go into the BIOS and find the section on DRAM timing and make sure it's set to AUTO. If that doesn't make any difference, try swapping the modules around - some laptops only seem to test the timing on one of the slots, so if that has the faster spec memory it can sometimes stop the other module being detected.

Robin_T_Cox

According to the following link, the solution is:

Type MSCONFIG in the "start search"

Click the BOOT tab

Click the ADVANCED button

Uncheck the box that says "Maximum Memory" ( mine was checked with 2048 ) no
need to set it just uncheck it.

Reboot and you should now see all your memory.

http://forums.techarena.in/showthread.php?t=699348

dorks

none of this seemed to work unfortunately.

I went into the msconfig, boot, advanced, etc and the maximum memory box was not ticked, but I could see that the 766 figure was greyed out. If I ticked it, it would only allow the figure of 766 to be used?!?!

The BIOS was not obviously allowing me to do anything to change any of the memory settings. It is Phoenix BIOS if that means anything to anyone. It would let me change details about the hard drive, but wouldnt let me down to the section to make any changes to system memory (640K?) and extended memory sections.

Some more info if this helps. I upgraded my XP laptop, which was fine. As my dad has the same memory type (according to the Crucial memory website), I took out one of my 1gb chips (alongside his 512mb chip) and put it in his machine ....and it still said 766 mb in the system configuration section.....and then I added the 2nd of my two 1gb chips in his machine ....and still the system configuration said 766mb!?!?

Can anyone help or should I just be happy that I am on XP and not on Vista myself!!

bookduck

dorks wrote: »

My dad has a vista laptop with 1Gb ram. I have upgraded it to 2Gb...

Probably a stupid question did you buy a 2gb module? If so does your laptop support 2gb modules?

Id your laptop has 2 memory slots, swap the memory around from slot 1 to 2.

Ive once seen this as a bios issue and the other times seen it a 2 different types of ram.

albertross_2

When the pc boots, does the memory count up before windows starts (bios screen)? If it only shows 1GB there, it hasn't worked.

hustle90

There is only two problems to why the Ram upgrade didn't work.

1) More likely - Your computer only supports 1GB of Ram, which if it does, it will only use 1GB and discard the other 1GB.

2) Less likely - Bad/faulty ram or the ram is not the correct specification for the laptop.

Please post your laptops make and model and i'll check it out for you.

weegie.geek

If it came with 1GB of ram (and especially if it came with Vista) then it'll almost definitely support more than 1GB.

My money's on either the ram being installed wrong, or the ram being knackered.

dorks

It is a Fujitsu Siemens Li1705. It came with 1 Gb of Ram in two 512 modules. I have upgraded with two 1gb modules.

I dont think it can be faulty ram as:

1. I used my own ram (see post above) that works on my own computer which caused exactly the same thing to happen in my dad's computer.
2. The RAM still worked in the computer. I assume the computer would screw up in some way if it were faulty?

From memory it is DDR2 and it fitted (i.e. it had the correct number of pins in the correct places - before and after the little divot bit!?).