Why Are My Ram Slots Different Colors

How-To Geek Forums / Windows Vista

(Solved) - 3GB of installed RAM showing up in Task Manager as 2GB!!!

I would like to have 32gb of RAM at 4x8gb. For aesthetics, I would like 2x8gb Black Corsair Vengeance modules and 2x8gb White Corsair Vengeance modules. Basically I was wondering if there is any reason why I shouldn't use 2 different colors of the Corsair Vengeance ddr4 3200mhz modules. They should be exactly the same on the inside, no? Sep 30, 2009 There is no standard color for a RAM slot. Black is probably the most common, but blue and white are also fairly common, and some motherboards use very unique colors, such as orange or purple. Dec 03, 2014 All the ram slots are the same color, does that mean I can install my 2 sticks in any of the 4 slots or are they suppose to alternate red with red and blue with blue? I am asking because I have a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO that I want to install and having the ram further away from the CPU socket the better. Its a dual channel ATX motherboard.

(26 posts)

Hey guys I was wondering if you could help me on this. I installed 1GB of DDR2-SDRAM to my computer which already had 2GB. But my task manager only shows that there is 2GB installed? On the other hand, windows clearly shows that there is 3GB installed in the system info and in the BIOS? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

HP Pavilion a6200n
32 Bit Windows Vista SP2
AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5000+, 2.6GHz

Says 'Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 3.00 GB'
'Total Physical Memory 1.87 GB'
'Total Virtual Memory 3.99 GB'

Hi Mupacha, try this
press: start>msconfig>enter> naivete to boot>advanced options >check maximum memory>ok
i hope it helps

No sorry I tried the advanced boot options and its already on max memory of 1920Mb of ram.

Fernguy that is for systems with 4GB installed, mine has 3GB total installed.

I thought the RAM might be defective for some reason but the BIOS and the System info is showing 3.00GB of total installed.

Try a reseat and switch the ram around. It has been known for windows not to recognise cheap RAM.

Daveh.

I switched the RAM around in the two open sockets but I am afraid it didn't do much. The computer recognizes the 3GB of installed memory but the task manager and everything else still says that I have 2GB physical memory. Btw this is the motherboard of my computer if it'll give any clues. Thanks.Computer specs

I was going to suggest what Zagreus said...I had a similar issue and even made a video about it...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9njD0x9XyM

You could experiment to see whether all the RAM chips actually work OR is the issue from the port..

Try the 1gb stick on its own in each slot, and the same with the 2gig stick. You could have a bad stick of ram or a bad slot.

Daveh.

If your computer has integrated video card then it will be using around 512MB of physical memory.

Dual Channel Memory according to the spec's you posted.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual-channel_architecture you'll see :

Dual-channel architecture requires a dual-channel-capable motherboard and two or more DDR, DDR2 SDRAM, or DDR3 SDRAM memory modules. The memory modules are installed into matching banks, which are usually color coded on the motherboard.

You need PAIRS of memory. Why the BIOS sees it, I don't know or understand? However, Windows can't work with it it seems?

Irv S.

So you are saying that I need two of these sticks for the computer to read it? What is weird is that if I go into System info it says its installed, but not available. Same in BIOS. By the way this is the RAM that I installed. Should I return the memory and go buy two 1GB sticks?

@Santo I thought about that. I don't know how much memory the video card takes, but it says in the DIrectx Diag. Tool that there 'Approx. Total Memory: 825MB.

I'd try the 1GB sticks if you REALLY need pairs... I couldn't tell from the link you gave other than it was dual channel. If the slots are in different colors, then you must use pairs in those slots. Single sticks would not work.

With a 32 bit OS, the max the system can 'see' is 4GB's, *but* some of that memory is 'mapped' for devices and video memory addressing. That 'mapped' memory then can't be used. So you'll see around 3GB's, a little more probably, especially IF the video card is NOT using shared RAM. I'd say 3.3GB's or so.

Irv S.

Yea thanks. I think I will try that and buy two matching 1GB sticks. This is what the motherboard looks like so you are probably right. In the meantime if you guys can think of anything else any help will be much appreciated!

I think Mupacha's problem has nothing to do with 'Dual Channel Mode' in memory architecture. A dual channel capable motherboards accepts even a single stick of RAM without any issues even there one or two pairs of slots on the board. The merit of using one or two 'exactly alike' memory module is to take advantage of the dual channel architecture allowing each memory module access to the memory controller, increasing throughput bandwidth. Hence a pair is not required but is recommended.

Can this be a bug in task manager? Anyway, I believe your PC is still using 3 gigs of RAM.

Mupacha, was your original RAM (2gigs) in pairs (1gig each) occupying either the black or blue slot? Or a single 2 gig stick? Was your added 1 gig RAM exactly the same specs as the original RAM?

Looking further at your link and taking it to --> http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=bph03886&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=ca&site=null&lang=en&key=null&product=3548643 I think I'm right about needing 2 sticks at a time. Color (Blue/Black) is a give-away on this too.

Looking at that link, look down the page,

Step 4: Add a memory module
Use the following steps to insert a memory module into an empty socket:

If RIMMs are being used, keep the following items in mind when purchasing and installing modules:
The memory configuration of channel A (the first two sockets) and channel B (the second two sockets) must be identical.
Continuity RIMMs must fill any open memory sockets.
When a continuity RIMM is required, it should be installed into the second socket.
Align the memory module so the small notches on the lower edge line up with the raised marks in the socket.
Figure 8: Memory module installation
1 - DIMM (notches farther apart)
2 - RIMM (notches close together)
Push straight down on top ends of the memory module until the memory module is fully seated in the socket. The retaining clips on the ends of the socket lock into place when properly seated.

Specifically :

The 'odd' part here is 'Continuity RIMM'. This is a 'dummy' stick, used with RAMBUS. I have one computer with that type of memory and those sticks as well. I'm assuming the link I gave is for ALL HP memory additions, hence the term used.

Bottom line, I'm pretty sure you need to use 2 sticks and fill both slots of each color for the memory to be used and SEEN.

Irv S.

ispalten,

Yeah, this is true with RIMMs, continuity RIMMs must be installed on unoccupied memory slots. But in Mupacha's case the motherboard, MCP61PM-HM (Nettle2), from his or her motherboard link, uses only DIMMs. From your link its says ' Like SIMMs, DIMMs might be manufactured single or double-sided. DIMMs do not have to be added in pairs and can be mixed with other DIMMs that have the same number of pins. For example, a 64-megabyte (MB) DIMM can be added to the motherboard next to a 32 MB DIMM'.

I very much go with G41M on this subject. In fact, I run mismatched RAM all the time on my machines. Not only in size, but in manufacturer as well. As long as the specs are the same, or exceed the limitations of the chipset, then not a problem.

I've had systems that must be installed in pairs. Sure, RAMBUS requires it, but other might as well too? It was hard to tell from the link if it was specific for that machine or not (the link was on the page the OP posted). I know the colors don't always require that number of sticks. Matter of fact, my Dell had 6 slots, 3 blue, 3 orange. I have 4 2GB's sticks. If put into the first 4 slots (2 blue, 2 orange) I'm in dual channel mode of 8GB's. If 3 2GB's are in the first set of colored slots, and the last one in the first slot of the 2nd color, I'm running 6GB's of triple channel and 2GB's of dual channel. Speed tests confirm that the first 6GB's are truly running triple channel, with or without the 4th stick in.

What is confusing here is that the BIOS sees the memory and the OS doesn't? I know Vista was able to handle my configuration as that was shipped on this system as 4 sticks in the first 4 slots and it saw 8GB's.

I just don't know if HP has done something different? Either that or the memory device driver in Vista isn't able to do the proper access to the memory and has ignored it?

Getting 2 1GB sticks will diagnose the problem though. Either it will work or it will not?

Doubt it was a bad stick as the BIOS read it? Not a bad slot either as the OP moved sticks around.

Task Manager shouldn't be the only one to see the memory though? Resource Monitor and the System Information tool should also report the same I'd think? OP said he used the System Info tool and TM. 2 with bugs? Doubt it? Device driver, maybe?

As I re-read the thread, I'm not sure what sticks the OP really has? He might have a 2GB and 1GB stick?

I switched the RAM around in the two open sockets but I am afraid it didn't do much.

If he had 2 sticks inserted, then had 2 open slots, that would indicate a mixture of 1 and 2GB sticks, no? You can't put these in the same colored slots, it doesn't work? You can get away with different speeds as the lowest speed would control the access but not two different sizes.

OP can put each stick if he has 2 different sized stick in each color, assuming he only had 2 sticks.

Irv S.

@ispalten I have two IGB sticks which came with the computer and then I added an additional 1GB stick. I think the specs are the same for the sticks. This is what it says under the system diag tool that came pre-installed.

System Memory
Total Physical Memory 1.88 GB
Free Physical Memory 726.77 MB
Page File c:pagefile.sys
Page File Size 2.17 GB

1024 MB DDR2-SDRAM (666 MHz)
Memory Size 1.00 GB
Memory Type DDR2-SDRAM (666 MHz)
Memory Manufacturer Micron Technology
Memory Manufacture Date Week 36, Year 2007
Memory Part Number 8HTF12864AY-667E1
Memory Serial Number DA154E6F
Memory Revision Code 0001

1024 MB DDR2-SDRAM (666 MHz)
Memory Size 1.00 GB
Memory Type DDR2-SDRAM (666 MHz)
Memory Manufacturer Kingston
Memory Manufacture Date Week 17, Year 2011
Memory Serial Number 3F3C2FF8

Oh and how the blazes does one put up a screenshot on this forum? Sorry I am kinda new to this. Thanks for all your help guys.

All very odd?

Try this LINK to CPU-Z.

Install and run it, and look at the MEMORY tab, should show that you have 3GB's. Then look at the SPD tab. On the pull-down should be SLOT 1. Change the pull-down to all your slots... what slots do you have the memory in?

I'm wondering what you see when you have the 2 original sticks in for memory?

Irv S.

My memory is in slot #2,3,4. I originally had the new stick in slot #4 but then I switched it around to slot #3. But yea the program shows 3072MBytes of RAM. By the way it shows that Channels # is single if that means anything. And besides the serial # and manufacturer/part number they look the same.

Oh, to put images here most people use an alternate web storage facility to link images here, like Photo Bucket or Image Shack.

Try getting this program, http://memorywatch.sourceforge.net/ as it will show how much memory you are using. Post results.

Might want to read this as well, http://blogs.technet.com/b/markrussinovich/archive/2008/07/21/3092070.aspx

One question you didn't answer was how much showed when you only had 2GB's installed? An article to look at --> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946003

Irv S.

Got this from other forums. I think It's worth a try. This is option is unchecked by default in Windows 7 (I wonder why!?). I'm not running Vista so I can't verify it.

run MSCONFIG
Boot tab
Advanced Options
uncheck 'Maximum Memory'
(save and reboot.

Hope this applies to you Mupacha. There is a very remote possibility.Should Vista fails to load after this, boot into Safe Mode and undo the change.

@ispalten when I had 2GB installed it showed 1940mb or something installed.

@G41M I will try that. I think that it was checked even before I put the additional memory in.

@G41M WOW I was thinking if this even works.... and it did!!!!!!! So, many thanks. I honestly don't understand Microsoft, unchecking max memory is supposed to make the computer use max memory? What is weird is that my windows performance index score went down in memory from a 5.1 to 4.8 after this.
Thanks ispalten and everyone else for your help!

Coconin

How-To Geek Forums / Windows Vista

(Solved) - 3GB of installed RAM showing up in Task Manager as 2GB!!!

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