I have 512MB of RAM (256 x2), and it always used to work well. Since I changed to my integrated graphics chip (32MB), my RAM has been decreasing. First it went to 384MB, so I opened the case and took out the two sticks and put them back in. Now it's down to 256Mb! I was playing a game and all of a sudden it starting lagging like mad. Opened the Task Manager and it said there was 40k available memory, when it should have been much more, and I went to the Control Panel then to System and it said there was 256MB of RAM installed. How can I fix this? Is it because my integrated graphics is sharing memory with the computer?

Help please? 256 is extremely low and I can hardly function with this.

hopefully an obvious... erm solution.... but are you sure you re-seated the sticks correctly and properly

Yes, took them out and put them back in and it kept going down. I went back to my old GFX card and now my RAM doesn't decrease. But the integrated graphics unit was just 32MB. How was it taking like 200MB of system RAM?

Edit: Ugh! It went back down to 384!

I notice you posted a log on here (presumably from the same computer)which did not actually get an 'all clear' from the Experts on here http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/ind...&pid=719831

I am wondering IF something IS going on that you are as yet unaware of?

does Task Manager give any indications?

you have not yet tried to run superantispyware or asquared 'bugs finding ' programs?

power down and pull the power plug

take the ram back out and look carefully at the slots and contacts on the sticks, I have had dust or dirt cause this same problem

test each stick of ram and each slot one at a time

As for changing the shared RAM amount...that would be an adjustment to be made in the BIOS.

Louis

ruby1: I will run a spyware scan right now then. But I doubt it is spyware because this only happened once I started using my integrated graphics. Task Manager seems normal. Basic system programs and StarWindServiceAE.exe (It's for Alcohol 120%, and I'm about to uninstall it anyway).

DaChew: Tried that. Took out the RAM sticks, cleaned out the ports, dusted them off, tried each RAM stick individually and they both said 256. Put them in together and it says 384. Sometimes it says 512, but then it goes down to 384 randomly. And before somebody asks, yes, I'm sure my mobo can handle 512 MB. It's been handling it for years now. 512 is the mobo's max amount of RAM it can run.

hamluis: My BIOS doesn't give me that option.

I use a pencil eraser to lightly clean the crappy connections on cheap sticks(non-gold conductor) that tarnish, if it's shinny after years it's probably gold, which is fine.


Other than a bios update(unlikely?) that's about the only thing I could think of might be causing this problem. Now if the sticks are not matched then anything is possible as bios may be having problems with one of the sticks? Weird problem for sure.

that's a red flag, we had one betatester over at Imgburn forum that had to repair SPTI(native bus) in windows XP to fix his dvd burning because of that software?

There are a lot of semi-legitimate programs that install lower filter drivers that behave similarly to "rootkits" in their attempts to fool windows and game and movie protection schemes. Low level conflicts are capable of just about anything in the realm of instabilty or corruption of the operating system.

512-128=384 Most likely your video card is just yanking the 128 off the top. Every onboard card i've ever used has done that. Tho i'm not real sure why it wouldn't do the same with the 256...
Like for instance with my girlfriends computer she's running an onboard card with 2x1G RAM installed. MyComputer>Properties says 1.85. System information says 1.38 available, with 2G total. If you put a physical video card in there i'm 90% sure it will read as your 512

Okay well i reread the first post, If its dropping to 256 on a mobo that maxes out at 512 that's probably not it. tho i would still try slappin the card you took out in there then checking it, after they close your log that is.

I opened the computer again and cleaned it out for the second time. Tried each slot with each individual RAM stick and I still can't figure it out. I can't figure out if it's the RAM stick or the DIMM slot that has the problem. I've tried every combination. Sometimes I put one stick in and it says 256, sometimes I put one in and it says 128. I take it out and put it back in and it says 256 again. Put in the second one and it says 384. Take it out and put it back in and it says 512. Start it up, use it for hours, reboot, and it says 384 again. Take one out and it says 256 or 128, move it to the next port and something else comes up. It's just random combinations. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Even on both DIMM slots. So either both slots/the mobo are messed up or I have defective RAM. I have no idea. It's completely random depending on how I slightly move the sticks, how I combine them, what slot they're in, if I restart my system, if I dust it off, etc. It varies everytime. I'm stumped.

It's stuck at 384 everytime I boot up now...

the integrated video has a baseline of 32MB but will take more ram as needed. if you're using XP, it will allocate more ram for itself. I would suggest that you get a good video card and stop using the integrated.

I've already stopped using the integrated video but the RAM is still stuck at lower than it should be.

how much lower?

without the onboard

It's supposed to be at 512 but it's stuck at 384 whether I'm using onboard or the card.

If your BIOS automatically allocates RAM to onboard video (which sounds crazy to me, every BIOS I've had allows the user to adjust the amount of system RAM allocated), then it seems to me that there's nothing that can be done about it to correct it.

Have you looked at the BIOS portion of your motherboard/user's manual?

Louis

If disabling the onboard video and running off a physical card doesn't fix it, then i'm out of guesses.

Unfortunately it doesn't have a manual. I got this computer used as a gift. It's an ASUS TUSL-LV motherboard, though.

And now sometimes when I boot it up it might not even show the amount of RAM installed.

Well...what's stopping you from going to the Asus website and looking for the darned manual?

Wait...I'll do it for you...looks like you're out of luck, that board is no longer supported.

Has it occurred to you...that maybe it's the motherboard that is the problem...and it's time for a newer one?

I don't think it's good to have an unsupported motherboard and be in a situation where the user has no driver support, no BIOS support, and no manual.

But it's your life...

Everything I see...says that this is a motherboard for a Sony Vaio. Is that correct? Then I assume that the manual can be found at the Sony website, not the Asustek site. You might take a look there.

Louis

kanye

you want to be a computer tech/engineer?
download and read the system reference manual
the first thing you learn in this trade is "I don't have.." doesn't cut the mustard, you never have all you need so you go out and get it.

ctspd is what I started with and my memory education
it's old and was written for pc100/133 sdram only maybe edo also

retrieve the tables with it for your sticks

Yes I have figured that might be the problem. But I've said before I don't know where it is defective RAM or bad DIMM ports because the results vary. And of course I would have a better mobo if I was actually able to buy it. I realize this one isn't that great, but I'm not made of money, so I just have to fix and live with what I have.

Yes.

I found the computer manual on the Sony website and I can't seem to find any reason the two RAM sticks wouldn't be working. Also considering that they've been working for months before that.

Well...can you share the system model number with us?

It's easier to attempt to troubleshoot someone else's system from afar...if all parties are sharing the same basic info.

Sony Vaio....?

Louis

Sony Vaio PCV-RX540

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-doc...pl?mdl=PCVRX540

Thanks for the info and link .

According to the manual, there is a max of 11MB of shared memory, page 72 of http://129.33.22.12/release/PCVRX540_SR.pdf

So I think that all theories/hopes of it (missing RAM) being accounted for by that...are out.

In my world, that leaves the modules and the DIMMs and the motherboard itself as suspects. I cannot think of an easy way to determine which it could be.

BTW: What does your BIOS itself reflect as installed RAM? You may have already stated this, but I don't remember it being so.

Louis

ftp://ftp.heise.de/pub/ct/ctsi/ctspd092.zip

this is only for that old style ram
it will not work with ddr

it may furnish the answer to this thread, something needs to

http://www.overclockers.com/tips448/

My BIOS says 384 is installed. (393,xxx, can't remember the exact numbers).

I'm really stumped. I'm going to go ahead and assume either the RAM is just defective, the mobo is getting old, or maybe a hint of static got to it when I touched it at some point. I really don't know. But I can live with 384. I'll be building a new computer soon anyway, so not much point in spending too much effort fixing what's going to end up being old news. I only run IE7/WMP10/MSN8 and Sygate Firewall anyway; 384 should be fine for now. Games I play also don't seem to have suffered much of a decline, either. So I guess I'll be good with 384MB.

Thanks for all the help.