GA-945GM-s2 won't recognize 4gigs ram. Bios options??

[jimmy the saint]

I have four 1 gig OCZ memory modules that are recognized and utilized by my GA-945GM-s2 just fine. The issue is that the board will only recognize about 3.2 of the four gigs installed. I understand that apparently Gigabyte boards see fit to reallocate memory over 3 gigs to other uses as most people use 32 bit operating systems that cannot natively support more than that amount. I, however, run 64 bit Linux and am currently doing a lot of virtualization and could really use the RAM, since I spent money on both the RAM and a board that is sold as supporting "up to 4 gigs of RAM." I cannot seem to find an option in BIOS to turn of this reallocation of memory. I have hit ctrl-F1 and looked through what is there but to no avail. The bios version is F7, the latest for the board. Is there an alternate BIOS that would work with this board or an option that I am missing? If not, I have to say that I am more than a little ticked off at having been sold a board that does not work as advertised. The "typical PC architecture" falls flat, as plenty of boards, including the one in my thinkpad, recognize that amount just fine. I liken this to selling a vehicle as having 8 cylinders, but failing to mention that only 4 of them fire. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thank You!! JTS

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-945GM-s2 won't recognize 4gigs ram. Bios options??

Either way 32 or 64 bit with that chipset you will have to give up room in the memory address for system memory such as graphics and other items. You will find no way around that. It is a Chipset issue, not the board. All 945 chipset boards will have this same issue. You will have to upgrade the board if you have to use more then 3.X RAM

Due to Intel 945G chipset, the maximum amount of memory supported is 4GB. So you will see around 3.xxGB depending on the devices used under OS. This is a chipset limitation.

For Intel chipsets like Intel 955X、Intel 975X and Intel P965/G965, they can support 8GB and memory remapping. Intel 945G only supports up 4GB max in specification and does not support Memory Remapping technology. That is the reason/limitation for 4GB support.

[jimmy the saint]

Re: GA-945GM-s2 won't recognize 4gigs ram. Bios options??

Drat. In that case, I have a couple of questions since I really don't know much about MOBOs. I run mostly linux and am mostly concerned with quality, stability and usability. I really don't need to mess with overclocking, though I would like to have access to as many features as possible, as I like to tinker and I feel that if I purchase something, I should be able to fully use it!! (hence the switch to linux from windows).
My hardware is Core2Duo E6600, Nvidia 7900GS, 4 x OCZ 667 Ram sticks (Gold series) and a bunch of SATAII HDDs and Opitcal drives. Cost is an issue, but I am willing to invest in quality (though as a student the investment must be fairly modest). Do you have any recommendations? if not for specific boards, then perhaps for what chipset/ manufacturer/ other criteria to start with? I would really like to get away from the crippled BIOS, and this issue leaves a sour taste for Gigabyte in my mouth, but perhaps I am overreacting.

Thanks for the quick reply to my previous questions and thanks in advance for any advice on this one!!

JTS

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-945GM-s2 won't recognize 4gigs ram. Bios options??

I would recommend Any P35 chipset, that would do you great. There is many affordable $80 range Gigabyte boards, and Asus if you do not like Gigabyte ones. Just try your best not to let yourself buy a Cheap Manufacturer board or you will regret it later

[wipcguy]

Re: GA-945GM-s2 won't recognize 4gigs ram. Bios options??

Au Contraire on the P35s.

I'm trying to help a friend make the 4 gigs of Corsair Dominator series 1066 RAM work on his GA-EP35C-DS3R, which uses the P35 and was advertised as supporting up to 8 Gigs. The only way I can get 4 gigs to even boot past the BootBlock is to underclock it to 800. -And then for some reason I lost my Graphics WEI (dropped from 5.9 to 1.0), not to mention a slew of other anomalies.

Take a gig out and set the multiplier back up to mem MHz @ 1066 and it's stable. -It's not the stick or the slot, I've used virtually every obfuscation with all sticks making up 3 gigs and it never fails. Drop the last gig stick in, and boom, crash. -Has nothing to do with Winblows, I'm sure, again because I can't get past a BootBlock checksum error to even see if the OS can handle it. (@ 1066 everytime, @ 800 sometimes)

I'm very malcontent w/ Giga boards and I'm glad at this point I've never bought one for myself or a customer, and definitely, based on this experience, plan never to spec or recommend one.

In theory, even though they're 2.2V sticks and the mobo states it is 1.8V, these sticks should work, because you can control the voltage and multiplier in the BIOS (right up to 2.2V and past 1066MHz OC), but, at this point, I'll have to recommend to my colleague that he replaces these sticks (if he can) w/ 1.8V 800 MHz RAM, and even still the mobo may not play nice w/ 4GB (my confidence is low). -Or, replace the Mobo with one that supports memory remapping and RAM => 4GB, with the latter choice the safer bet.

Saddening.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-945GM-s2 won't recognize 4gigs ram. Bios options??

The 1.8V is default that DDR2 uses, you do not need 1.8v ram to run the board with any amount of ram.

And what are you actually talking about anyway? Using 4GB of DDR2 and 4Gb of DDR3 or what? That board only has 2 of each type slot

[wipcguy]

Re: GA-945GM-s2 won't recognize 4gigs ram. Bios options??

The 1.8V is default that DDR2 uses, you do not need 1.8v ram to run the board with any amount of ram.

If this is true, your previous statement is a little more understandable, as printed right on these sticks is XMS2-8500 1024MB 1066MHz 5-5-5-15 2.20V ver1.2. -Again, something he should have checked into a little more thoroughly.

And what are you actually talking about anyway? Using 4GB of DDR2 and 4Gb of DDR3 or what? That board only has 2 of each type slot

He has a total of 4 GB of the above-mentioned RAM (DDR2 1066) on 4 sticks of 1GB each. This board (GA-EP35C-DS3R rev 2.1) has 4 slots DDR2 and 2 slots DDR3.


What I don't understand is how I can get 3 Gigs to fly at 1066, Normal voltage (1.8V, apparently), but that 4th stick kills it...?? Shouldn't I just be able to kick up that Voltage? -I read in another thread somewhere that kicking up the (G)MCH overvoltage could help. Would you suggest I bump the DDR2/DDR3 overvoltage to 2.2V, AND the (G)MCH overvoltage up a notch or two?

I'm assuing the DDR2 voltage is voltage to the sticks themselves, and MCH is voltage to the memory controller? I never imagined I was going to have to become a memory expert!

Thx, Lsd. (nice name :p )

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-945GM-s2 won't recognize 4gigs ram. Bios options??

Yeah 1.8V is just the JEDEC memory Standard >>>
JEDEC memory standards - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What it is is a set amount of timings and voltages for memory so that most all sticks will work with most all boards. DDR2 is 555-18 @ 1.8V. Most all sticks are programmed this way and will not use the normal "444-12" @ 2.1V until the user enables a SPD profile or manually sets things.

It is just there as the stated standard on GA boards because if you do happen to find/get a set of ram that will NOT run at 1.8V then the board will not initially start with that ram. But Most ALL ram will start with 1.8V, then it is up to the user to set it to what it needs to run stably

Ahh, yeah I was tired when I answered this. 5 Pages of answers in the middle of the night to catch up. I guess there is 6 slots!

Yeah, for 1066 ram I am sure you need to set ram voltage to likely 2.1V is all that would be needed but you can try 2.2 (But I would suggest if this is the only thing that works for you to for sure put a fan on the ram as 2.2 is hot) and add some MCH. You may also have you NB running to hot which could cause it not to work very well for you. Another thing you could try is a different cpu/ram combo so that you are using a different FSB strap or none at all

The name.... Yeah it just came at me one night

[wipcguy]

Re: GA-945GM-s2 won't recognize 4gigs ram. Bios options??

Alright, he gave up on me trying to get 1066 (he wants his machine!) so we set it at 800 (multiplier @ 2.4x FSB instead of 3), added +.3V to the DIMMs (total 2.1V), and added +.1V to the MCH. The thing is stable as a rock, now. We'll keep an eye on those temps, for sure. The sticks have real nice heatsinks on 'em and he's got a serious gamer case that moves alot of air, so we should be alright.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-945GM-s2 won't recognize 4gigs ram. Bios options??

The whole issue in why it will not run 1066 IMO is that brands ram incompatibility with the board.

Good luck though