# How can I check if all my RAM is being utilised/read?



## Black Panther (Dec 16, 2008)

I was idly looking at my cpu meter in the taskbar and thought the RAM (used+unused) didn't kinda add up to 6GB. I checked Task Manager... and I seem to have lost a GB or what  The screenshot speaks for itself:







I have 2 x 1GB Crucial Ballistix and 2 x 2GB Apacer RAM modules inserted.
Wth happened?
I'm using a 64 bit OS, and it isn't a motherboard limitation because the P5B can take up to 8GB RAM.
And everything appears correctly in CPU-Z too.


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## kylew (Dec 16, 2008)

You could try to load up the RAM by opening loads of things, like firefox with a few hundred tabs open, and apps that you've got that have a large memory footprint. 

With firefox though, when you get to a few hundered tabs open, it generally memory leaks filling a lot more of your RAM.


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## 95Viper (Dec 16, 2008)

Hello,
Maybe this will help explain:http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/vista-workshop,1775-5.html


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## Black Panther (Dec 16, 2008)

95Viper said:


> Hello,
> Maybe this will help explain:http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/vista-workshop,1775-5.html



Wait I'm getting confused...
You mean that the OS uses up one GB RAM and it's not accounted for anywhere?

I don't think so... on my laptop I've got 4GB RAM and Vista x64 too.
If I take a screenshot as the one in my first post, I get 4096MB RAM showing everywhere... in sidebar gadget, in Task Manager, in Vista and in CPU-Z.

I'm currently running memtest. It said I have to run 2 instances at the same time testing 1919MB... I'm not really sure about what's going on but so far I got no errors.


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## Black Panther (Dec 16, 2008)

I do have memory trouble...






Now I just have to see which module is the troublesome one... all modules are under warranty but I bought the Apacer's locally and the Crucials from the UK.......

I'll check the memtest site to see what they say...


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## kid41212003 (Dec 16, 2008)

95Viper said:


> Hello,
> Maybe this will help explain:http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/vista-workshop,1775-5.html




That link isn't explain your problem, it's only talk about x86 and x64 os, and how it handles memory.

I think you should download memtest86, burn it into a CD, and test your memory.

Because in my task manager it shows the exact amount of memory, not missing anything.
And I'm using Vista x64.


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## Black Panther (Dec 16, 2008)

I don't know if my logic is wrong, but since I put in 6GB and get 5GB showing... it should follow that if I try first the pair of crucials (2GB) and then the pair of apacer's (4GB) separately I should be seeing in the case of defective crucials only 1GB and in the case of defective apacer's 3 GB...

What do you think?

Kid41212003 -- Since now I know that I have a problem, I only need to see which module is the defective one. I have never tried memtest86 but I think it only shows if there is a problem or not, not which module is defective?


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## kid41212003 (Dec 16, 2008)

Try to boot with each module, and you will have to test each of them. The last time I used memtest86 is like 1 or 2 years ago... So, I'm not sure.

But if 1 of the stick is BADLY damaged, you won't able to boot it into Windows along with other sticks, it's mean you will have to run memtest86 for each stick...


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## Black Panther (Dec 16, 2008)

I have booted with the 2 x 1GB Crucial Ballistix.

They show a total of 204*6* MB





Is this a sure-fire sign that one of them is defective?
To rma I have to ship both modules together so as long as I know which brand is defective I'd be okay to rma.

I'll run memtest again on the crucials only....


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## JrRacinFan (Dec 16, 2008)

Maybe you have incompatibilties between the kits? I know this may seem off asking this; What's the ram size on your 8800GT?


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## kid41212003 (Dec 16, 2008)

No, that not even a sign. You should just run memtest86 at night to confirm it...
Bios takes some of the memory too, check it in bios, you will see it.

@JrRancinFan,

Do you mean about the pci-e slot? That's if a card take a slot, it will take about 256MB of ram of the system for each slot? It's only happen if he has more than 1 vga card, or other add-on cards.

AND, if that's the case, the Windows will only see 5GB of memory, but his Windows see 6GB.


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## Black Panther (Dec 16, 2008)

JrRacinFan said:


> Maybe you have incompatibilties between the kits? I know this may seem off asking this; What's the ram size on your 8800GT?



I don't exclude incompatibilities between the kits.
They are... different-ish...
The crucials are CL4 and the apacers are CL5. I'm running everything at CL5 obviously. What worries me is that the Crucials are rated at 2V while the Apacers at 1.8, and I'm running everything at 1.85V.

My 8800GT is 512MB vram.

Before I got Vista x64, I had tried the Crucials together with 2x1GB Elixir and I only got 2.9GB. Okay it was a 32 bit OS but it was way too low I thought.

Now last weekend I did some upgrades, done away with the Elixir, bought the 2x2GB Apacers and when I had only the Apacers all was well. Then I inserted the Crucials and during POST I remember seeing 5xxx RAM (it was a quick glance) but I didn't give it any second thought when I saw Vista recognising all 6GB and also CPU-Z. I hadn't oc'd the processor then.

The thing is that after I overclocked I've run Orthos Prime for 5+ hours blend test, I've played Fallout3 for... hours as well... I never had a single BSOD or crash or error.


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## JrRacinFan (Dec 16, 2008)

Hmmm mmk entertain me, try the tracers in the 2 dimms the Apacaers were in.


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## Black Panther (Dec 16, 2008)

JrRacinFan said:


> Hmmm mmk entertain me, try the tracers in the 2 dimms the Apacaers were in.



Done that, still shows 5GB.

In the meantime, I tried the modules in any possible combination I could think of:

1GB-2GB-1GB-2GB
2GB-1GB-2GB-1GB
1GB-2GB-2GB-1GB
2GB-1GB-1GB-2GB

Always 5GB.

Surprisingly though, whenever I used only 2 slots and used only 2GB and 1GB (I mixed to try them all) the total always came to the correct 3GB. 

New math rule:
2+1=3
but
2+2+1+1=5


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## JrRacinFan (Dec 16, 2008)

Wait a moment I meant only the Apacer sticks.

EDIT: Still a little early for me **yawns**


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## Black Panther (Dec 16, 2008)

JrRacinFan said:


> Wait a moment I meant only the Apacer sticks.
> 
> EDIT: Still a little early for me **yawns**



Lol yes but I had already done everything before I read your post.

I also tried the Crucials by themselves (1+1=2) and the Apacers by themselves (2+2=4).
(Basically I don't think there's a combination I missed, I think I'll give up now and play some Fallout!)


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## EnglishLion (Dec 16, 2008)

So have you now settled on the fact that you probably don't need 6GB right now anyway


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## Black Panther (Dec 16, 2008)

EnglishLion said:


> So have you now settled on the fact that you probably don't need 6GB right now anyway



Yeah I knew that... The thing is that (here's the story now you asked for it) originally I had 2x1GB Elixir RAM on my desktop running XP x86. A month ago I ordered a flash drive from OcUK and thought why not get some RAM? With 4GB RAM I'd be seeing at least 3.2 - 3.5Ghz on a x86 OS.

Surprise.... when I inserted the RAM I only got 2.9GB recognised So I just removed them and put them on a shelf.
It happened that my dad wanted a new desktop, and got a quote for an E7300, 4GB RAM and OS... I thought wth and managed to persuade him so that I give him my E4300, 2GB RAM and XP Pro x86, and I get the new stuff for my gaming rig (and then I chose to fork out €40 extra to get an E8400 not E7300, and opted for a 64 bit OS for the same price).

Anyway, this left me with those 2x1GB resting on the shelf. So I thought now that I have Vista x64 I might as well put that RAM inside my rig to get 6GB rather than 4GB.

The whole question now is why on earth is Task Manager and the CPU/RAM usage graph on the sidebar saying that I got 5054MB total RAM. 
Both RAM are under warranty and I prefer to have paid for something which actually works rather than for something which doesn't.

Although I am suspecting that there's some conflict somewhere.... hmmm

Had I not nitpicked at the figures I'd never have noticed really. I've had instances of bad ram on other pc's but they give bsod's and pc's don't post and all that stuff. Here nothing. I even oc'd my E8400 to 4GB (not even knowing that I was missing a gig of RAM!) and Orthos is stable for 5+ hours and Fallout is stable for.... well the number of hours is kinda embarrasing to type out I guess!


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## kylew (Dec 16, 2008)

Try each stick by itself and mem test them?


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