Asus update

[gw]

You know it just doesn't boost my confidence when the Asus update program says its going to update itself to the latest version (of itself) and then the Epson scan utility pops up instead. :dunno:

[Matt]

Don't even get me started with Asus. I just built a new system based around an ASUS barebone system. I missed at least a couple nights of sleep as a result :grr:

[gw]

I just updated this desktop to the latest bios version and it still doesn't recognize the 4th of four 1gb Corsair chips installed in it. It is supposed to be able to recognize up to 8gb of ram. I dread talking to technical support for these sorts of things because it is often a big waste of time. It would be cheaper time-wise to just change out the board to a new model or maker, but there's no telling if that would solve the problem, or cause other problems. Stuff should just work as advertised.

[Mandi]

I have to RMA an ASUS board too, and I have totally been putting the call off. I'm looking for a new maker, next system build. I've been ASUS loyalist for a long time, but they seem to be going down the tubes lately.

Is there a setting in the BIOS to enable higher RAM amounts? Can you link to the manual at ASUS (or just specify the board?)

[Adam]

I don't know if this will be any use. My P5B Deluxe manual says the following:


If you install four 1GB memory modules, the system may detect less than 3GB of total memory because of address space allocation for other critical functions. This limitation applies to Windows XP 32-bit version operating system since it does not support PAE (Physical Address Extension mode)


In my BIOS, there is a setting in the Northbridge to enable the Memory Remapping Feature. Here is what the manual has to say about it:

Allows you to enable or disable the remapping of the overlapped PCI memory above the total physical memory. Enable this option only when you install 64-bit operating system.

In all cases, 4GB of RAM will not work without a 64-bit operating system, because you need more than 32-bits just to address the memory. If you do have a 64-bit OS, hopefully enabling the memory remapping will solve your problem.

I'm not quite sure what "overlapped PCI memory" is, but it sounds like the default addresses are in the way of the memory addresses needed for a 4th GB of RAM.

[gw]

I have that same board. That sounds like my problem except that the bios itself is only recognizing 3gb on boot, which suggests a board problem. The strange thing is Windows is all over the map with regard to what it thinks it has. The system properties says: 2.93 GB. The sysinfo says:
Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 1.88 GB
--totally bizarre. That looks like an XP bug but I don't want to spend 50 bucks to find out otherwise.

If I enable the "remapping" in the bios, the bios then shows 4gb but Windows gives all sorts of errors on bootup and then freezes with a black screen.

[gw]

Also..
If you install four 1GB memory modules, the system may detect less than 3GB of total memory because of address space allocation for other critical functions. This limitation applies to Windows XP 32-bit version operating system since it does not support PAE (Physical Address Extension mode)

I wonder if that means if I replaced the four 1gb chips with two 2gb chips it would recognize 4gb? :dunno:

[gw]

OK I guess the answer is no. Here is from the ASUS web site:
http://support.asus.com/faq/faq.aspx?no=D06D6034-D5C9-49C4-5E1B-CF724DB5C000&SLanguage=en-us

If you installed total 4GB memory, the system will detect less than 4GB of total memory because of address space allocation for other critical functions, such as:

- System BIOS (including motherboard, add-on cards, etc..)
- Motherboards resources
- Memory mapped I/O
- configuration for AGP/PCI-Ex/PCI
- Other memory allocations for PCI devices

Different onboard devices and different add-on cards (devices) will result of different total memory size.
e.g. more PCI cards installed will require more memory resources, resulting of less memory free for other uses.

On a SLI system, since PCI-Ex graphic cards will occupy around 256MB, another 256MB will be occupied after you install a 2nd PCI-Ex graphic card. Hence, 2.75GB memory left only if two SLI cards installed on A8N-SLI Premium while 3.0GB memory left with one graphic card without other add-on devices.

This limitation applies to most chipsets & Windows XP 32-bit version operating system.

If you install Windows XP 32-bit version operating system, we recommend that you install less than 3GB of total memory. If more than 3GB memory is required for your system, then below two conditions must be met:
1. The memory controller which supports memory swap functionality is used. The latest chipsets like Intel 975X, 955X, Nvidia NF4 SLI Intel Edition, Nvidia NF4 SLI X16, and AMD K8 CPU architecture can support the memory swap function.
2. Windows XP Pro X64 Ed. (64-bit) or other OS which can address more than 4GB memory.

You can check below URLs for reference:
http://dlsvr01.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/4GB_Rev1.pdf
http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/cs-016594.htm

Editorial: More under-engineering/planned obsolescence crap from Microsoft. If at all possible, XP will be the last MS OS I own.

[Adam]

gw, it sounds like your got your board correctly working with the 4GB by turning remapping on. I only have 1GB here so can't try it out myself. If you just have the standard 32-bit Windows XP, it can not deal with 4GB, because of the reasons in your above post (I also think it takes more than 32 bits of data to address the memory once you get over 3GB). You have to get the 64-bit version (although it's probably easier and cheaper to just stick to 3GB).

So, it looks like your motherboard is working fine, but your OS doesn't support 4GB. :eeww:

edit: just read your editorial, looks like you've figured this out anyway. Yeah, annoying that you're limited by the software, as usual.