XP SP2 detects incorrect system RAM

[Greg Green]

I'm having a problem with Windows XP SP2 detecting the correct amount of
system RAM. I have 512 Mb total RAM (system detects the correct amount in
POST during startup) but Windows only shows 256 Mb total RAM. I found the
KB article 888664 regarding this problem but there's nothing that indicates
whether this is a problem displaying the correct amount or whether the
system is underperforming - although I suspect it's the latter. Any
comments on the issue would be quite helpful. I have a Shuttle AK32A
mainboard with an AMD Athlon XP 1800+ CPU and 1 stick of PNY PC2700 DDR
memory installed (512Mb)

Ref: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;888664

Thanks,
Greg

[WTC]

"Greg Green" > wrote in message
...
> I'm having a problem with Windows XP SP2 detecting the correct amount of
> system RAM. I have 512 Mb total RAM (system detects the correct amount
> in POST during startup) but Windows only shows 256 Mb total RAM. I found
> the KB article 888664 regarding this problem but there's nothing that
> indicates whether this is a problem displaying the correct amount or
> whether the system is underperforming - although I suspect it's the
> latter. Any comments on the issue would be quite helpful. I have a
> Shuttle AK32A mainboard with an AMD Athlon XP 1800+ CPU and 1 stick of PNY
> PC2700 DDR memory installed (512Mb)
>
> Ref: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;888664
>
> Thanks,
> Greg
>

Check if the RAM is faulty, try running memtest.

www.memtest86.com

--
William

[Greg Green]

Hi William -
The memory test using memtest86 v3.2 completes successfully with no detected
errors. I should also mention that the memory stick is brand new - and that
the misreporting is only under Windows, but not at POST. I experienced the
same problem with another memory stick - a stick of 256Mb Crucial PC2100
memory produced the same issue where Windows shows only 128Mb system memory.
Thanks for the suggestion though. From what I can tell of the Microsoft KB
article this is definitely an issue with Windows detecting an incorrect
amount of memory.
-Greg

"WTC" > wrote in message
...

> Check if the RAM is faulty, try running memtest.
>
> www.memtest86.com
>
> --
> William
>
>
>

[Alex Nichol]

Greg Green wrote:

>I'm having a problem with Windows XP SP2 detecting the correct amount of
>system RAM. I have 512 Mb total RAM (system detects the correct amount in
>POST during startup) but Windows only shows 256 Mb total RAM.

Where do you you see that? The System Info tool is unreliable; check in
Control Panel - System on the General page.


--
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K. (remove the D8 bit)

[Greg Green]

Thanks Alex!

Control Panel/System does show the correct amount of memory. I guess I was
worried about the implications of msinfo32.exe showing incorrect results -
if System Info is unreliable that's good news for me, I'm a happy camper as
long as the memory in the system is reliably utilized.

Greg


"Alex Nichol" > wrote in message
...
> Greg Green wrote:
>
>>I'm having a problem with Windows XP SP2 detecting the correct amount of
>>system RAM. I have 512 Mb total RAM (system detects the correct amount
>>in
>>POST during startup) but Windows only shows 256 Mb total RAM.
>
> Where do you you see that? The System Info tool is unreliable; check in
> Control Panel - System on the General page.
>
>
> --
> Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
> Bournemouth, U.K. (remove the D8 bit)