BIOS Reports 8gb Ram instead of 16gb, XMP is enabled

[Itrenor]

Hi,

I searched on the forum as best I could but couldn't find a solution for my specific problem...

My motherboard recently got fried so I had it replaced.  The BIOS however is now reporting that I only have 8gb ram instead of 16gb.  I checked the settings and sure enough they didn't enable the XMP when they replaced it.  I enabled it, searched through every BIOS setting and even manually changed the DRAM speed to try and get it to work but still it only reports 8gb.  Am I missing something here?

Every single article I read they tell you to enable XMP and select profile 1 but I can't find where to "Select profile 1", the closest I find is the OC Profile save slots which just clears all the changes when I load it so it's not like there's a preset already loaded there?

MOB:  MSI 970 Gaming
CPU: AMD FX 6300
( Also replaced as the heat paste was too old and they couldn't seperate it from the heat sink and it being AMD's silly reverse pin mount, you can't mount it while it's attached. )
RAM: Two Corsair 4x2gb DDR3, installed in dimm 2&4
PSU:  Corsair HX650W
GPU:  Gainward nVidia GTX670 Phantom

-  The BIOS, underneath the XMP setting, does show it correctly set to 1600mhz, 9.9.9.24, 1.50v but the BIOS report it still at 1333
-  Technician's confirmed compatibility with my existing hardware before replacing it so the RAM should be compatible.
-  Running a single dim it reports 4gb instead of 8gb meaning there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the RAM as running both dimm's reports 8gb instead of 16.  Did a mem check to be sure and no errors.
-  I would return to the tech's but it's weekend, far away and I would like to know the solution myself as well.

Thanks in advance for any assistance

[patio]

Try slots 1 and 3...

Also travel to Crucial.com and run the scan....the tech may have been wrong about the RAM

Was this eBay RAM Btw ? ?

[Itrenor]

Hi Patio,

Thanks for the response.

- Yep, tried it in 1,3 and still no joy.
- Crucial shows 32gb as being the max RAM capacity for the board with 1600, 9.9.9.24, 1.50 as an acceptable upgrade.  Nothing else useful other than that it picked up that the system currently reads the RAM as 4gb/4gb atm
- CPUZ Shows DDR3,Dual Channel, 8192Mb, NB @ 1999.9Mhz, DRAM @ 800Mhz, SPD Ext @ XMP 1.2
- See attached CPUZ report.  From what I understand the Max Bandwidth on CPUZ confuses everyone as the 667Mhz is just the default value used when loading any stick over and above 1333 as the BIOS doesn't automaticaly enable an XMP profile for it.
- I only ever buy custom rigs and then only from certified wholesalers so the RAM was all on the up and up when I originally bought it and did report 16gb before the mobo gave in
( Unless you know the guy private sales through EBay is a Very bad idea on hardware ... never know if it's a person trying to flip re-calls or factory rejects )
- Is the memory diagnostic able to test every facet of the RAM even though it's running at 1333 or is it possible that a RAM failure is hiding somewhere due to the BIOS settings restricting testing? 

Thank you for your asistance.

[attachment deleted by admin to conserve space]

[Itrenor]

Ugh ... my bad, I'm getting way too old for this. 

I didn't know of the existance of so called "Kits" meaning one stick gets labeled as "8Gb" but meaning "One of Two 4Gb".  I've been out of the loop for so long I assumed 2x4 meant they started splitting it to two modules on one stick to allow for shallow acces ( Go on ... laugh xD )  Back in the day you just bought two seperate sticks of equal specs.  Really stupid way of labeling the things though, I mean seriously xD

But thanks non the less for all the help, it's greatly appreciated and sorry for the time.

( My mind is still screaming though ... could have sworn it reported as 16gb's on my R.I.P board )

[DaveLembke]

Read this shaking my head .... 

CPU: AMD FX 6300
( Also replaced as the heat paste was too old and they couldn't seperate it from the heat sink and it being AMD's silly reverse pin mount, you can't mount it while it's attached. )

They must be idiots....  When a CPU is bonded by thermal compound they should know that you dont just pull up on the heatsink and give up when it doesnt release from the CPU surface. The proper way to get the CPU to release its bond with the heatsink is to release the heatsink lock and then twist the heatsink clockwise and counter clockwise and the CPU will safely stay snug in the socket and the bond between CPU and heatsink will be sheered. Once the bond is sheered between the CPU and heatsink surface the heatsink will remove without having to pry the heatsink with any great amount of pressure. For the fact that it appears that the CPU and heatsink were bonded and they ran into problems removing the heatsink, they are total idiots and had to have pried up the heatsink dragging the CPU pins out of the jaws of the pin lock of the socket. Shaking my head side to side at how stupid they were to do this. They could have destroyed your motherboards CPU socket by forcing the CPU out like this. There is a lever that is a CPU lock that is hidden under the heatsink. The only way for them to get the CPU out with CPU and Heatsink pulled out as one piece is if they dragged the CPU out of its socket. This is the act of a complete moron in the computer repair business. And unskilled worker the same as an unskilled auto mechanic that will use a pry bar to force a pulley off of a shaft instead of releasing the set screw that locks it in. I wouldnt go back to this repair shop with any computer that I care for.

 Additionally, why did you have to replace the CPU? Was there a weaker CPU in it prior than the FX 6300 in which the FX 6300 was an upgrade or they forced the CPU out that was a FX 6300 and said well its junk and your gonna need another FX 6300 in which you had to buy a new FX 6300 CPU due to their incompetence?

[Salmon Trout]

The proper way to get the CPU to release its bond with the heatsink is to release the heatsink lock and then twist the heatsink clockwise and counter clockwise

This is also true if you want to release the bond of a strong magnet, resistance is least at right angles to the perpendicular, so you use a circular or wiping motion

[Itrenor]

OMW 

Thanks for letting me know how stupid they were ... I'm gona cry now.

 -  Your absolutely right, they didn't separate the CPU/sink before pulling it from the socket.
 -  The motherboard was roasted and because they couldn't get the CPU separated they couldn't get it seated on the new board without bending the pins.  Now I can see why AMD's design ISN'T flawed.  Your supposed to separate the two BEFORE removing it 

I'm a software developer so I'm by no means A+ certified, though I'm thinking now I should get it done as I'm going to struggle to trust a tech again, lol.  Besides, Dev's always seem to get saddled with minor hardware maintenance.  For some strange reason ppl tend to think Dev's know both sides of the coin, which is true to an extent.  I only know what I know about hardware because of logic/reasoning/intuitive understanding of things and being able to understand hardware manuals but there's no replacement for proper training.  The same logic/reasoning can get you into trouble as well ... I'm used to trying things as you can't really "Break" anything with bits and bytes.  Experimentation is in many cases a good learning tool in programming but not so much with hardware.  Like you say, the difference between a certified and backyard mechanic

Oh well ... we live, we learn ... at least with software when you make a oops in your code it's a easy fix, when hardware breaks it's off to the scrap heap.

Thanks for the insights guys, much appreciated.

[camerongray]

I'd certainly be going back to the techs and complaining and demanding that they refund you, show them this thread if you want.  Forcing the CPU out of the socket by removing the cooler is total incompetence and is entirely their fault.  The thermal paste being sticky is no excuse, they should have run the machine for a while to heat up the paste and therefore soften it and then twist the cooler around to release it.  They broke your CPU, there is absolutely no way that you should be paying for it.

[patio]

Ask them as compensation for an additional 8MG of RAM...since that was your goal...

[Itrenor]

Won't hurt to try, at the very least they would learn something from it and avoid it happening again.  I haven't had much luck in the past with service complaints in general as companies always find some way to dodge the bullet, will see what happens.

[BC_Programmer]

One possibility that is sadly not outside the realm of possibility is that they decided they could make better use of your RAM, so they stole it.

They've already demonstrated that they are incompetent (destroyed your CPU) and irresponsible (charged YOU for breaking it), so being dishonest probably isn't a big stretch, particularly as tech repair stores that are both incompetent and irresponsible tend to fold up quite fast unless they are also dishonest.

[camerongray]

On the subject of dishonest I'd also be asking for your original CPU and heatsink back if they kept it.  It's totally possible to separate the two and I wouldn't be surprised if they did this and then reused the CPU.  It's still your property even if they say its broken.

[patio]

Good point...although i doubt what they give him back is actually his...