Graphic card and RAM incompatibility on ASUS K8N-DL

Discussion in 'BIOS Mods' started by Devilman1, Sep 25, 2013.

  1. Devilman1

    Devilman1 MDL Novice

    Sep 13, 2010
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    #1 Devilman1, Sep 25, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2013
    [SOLVED] Graphic card and RAM incompatibility on ASUS K8N-DL

    I have an ASUS K8N-DL mainboard with 12 Gbyte RAM and two Opteron 275 CPU.
    Now I bought a graphic card ASUS Geforce GTX 670 DirectCU with 2 Gbyte onboard RAM and after installing it the RAM decrease to 6 Gbyte. I analyse the system with CPU-Z and it says that the 2 RAM module in slot 3 and 4 are of 16 mbyte only, while HWinfo indetifies them correctly of 4 Gbyte.
    It seems the BIOS counts the 2 Gbyte of the graphic card instead of the 8 Gbyte in slot 3 and 4; ASUS says that is a BIOS problem, but they don't update it anymore.

    Is it possible to solve this incompatibility with a BIOS mods?

    TIA
     
  2. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

    Dec 2, 2011
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    Have you checked the settings in the current Bios to see if there is a settings change that can resolve this?
     
  3. Devilman1

    Devilman1 MDL Novice

    Sep 13, 2010
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    I try to change the payload size of the PCI-Express and enabled and disabled all the options under the memory settings, but anything changes except that if I disabled the memory remapping it shows 5 Gbyte RAM instead of 6.
     
  4. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

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  5. Devilman1

    Devilman1 MDL Novice

    Sep 13, 2010
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    Yes everything is correct.
    Before installing the ASUS GTX670 graphic card I have for a while a Club3d ATI HD5450 PCI version, with that card the system read correctly 12 Gbyte RAM during boot.
    The OS is a clean install of Windows 7 X64.
     
  6. Devilman1

    Devilman1 MDL Novice

    Sep 13, 2010
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    I don't know this is what ASUS answered me:

     
  7. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

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    That certainly leaves you with few prospects of resolution .. Wish I could be of more help
     
  8. Devilman1

    Devilman1 MDL Novice

    Sep 13, 2010
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    Right now the RAM module are:

    DIMM_A1+DIMM_A2=DIMM_B1+DIMM_B2=DIMM_A3+DIMM_B3
    1Gb+1Gb=4Gb+4Gb=1Gb+1Gb

    If I switch DIMM module A and B could I gain again 8 Gb?

    I read that the acpi mcfg table control the PCI-E memory, could be there the problem?
     
  9. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

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    I certainly would try to experiment with the memory layout to see if it makes a difference for sure .. On the pci-e memory, link to what your reading please
     
  10. Devilman1

    Devilman1 MDL Novice

    Sep 13, 2010
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    #11 Devilman1, Nov 10, 2013
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2013
    (OP)
    Finally I had time to do some experiments.
    I switched the 4 Gb DIMM module in Row 3 and 4 with the 1 Gb DIMM module in Row 1 and 2 and then after reboot the system count 9.9 Gbyte.
    I tried to analyze the system with HWinfo32, but it stuck on analyzing RAM.
    I then reboot the system and the count was 10,4 Gbyte and so on ongoing reboot.

    The instruction about disable or not the mcfg table in BIOS said that it control the PCI-E memory
     
  11. Devilman1

    Devilman1 MDL Novice

    Sep 13, 2010
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    I removed the Ram Module in slot 3 and 4 and the system still count 10 Gbyte, but it run faster and smoother and the graophic card is bettere recognised.
    It looks like the RAM slot 3 and 4 and the PCI-Express 16x slot have memory management together.
    Is it possible to split tham so that I can use all my RAM?
     
  12. Devilman1

    Devilman1 MDL Novice

    Sep 13, 2010
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    Finally I solved the problem, everything depends on the order of the DIMM. I have 4 x 1Gbyte DIMM and 2 x 4 Gbyte DIMM

    You have to pair A1+B1 and A2+B2 and A3+B3.

    This is how I installed the RAM the first time (A1, B1, A3 and B3 = 1 Gbyte; A2 and B2 = 4 Gbyte) , but I received a memory error during POST so I installed A1+A2 and B1+B2 and A3+B3, no error but only 6 Gbyte RAm instead of 12. (A1, A2, A3 and B3 = 1 Gbyte, B1 and B2 = 4Gbyte RAM)
    I then installed A1+A2 and A3+B3 and the system showed correctly 10 Gbyte RAM but finally it inform me that A1 and A2 are single channel while A3 and B3 dual channel.
    So I reinstalled A1+B1 and A2+B2 and A3+B3 bute this time A1 and B1 are 4 Gbyte RAM and A2, B2, A3 and B3 are 1 Gbyte. This time it works with no error