BSOD with 4GB ram installed

[christof21]

I've done some searches on here about this topic. Some of them were old posts so I thought I'd open up a new thread for my particular prob.

If I try to install vista 64 with 4gb ram I keep getting BSOD just after post telling me my motherboard is non ACPI compliant. It is. I've checked the bios and it's there and enabled. If I take out 1 of the 2GB mem modules it installs fine.

I have SP1 integrated into the install. I'm assuming that the KB929777 hotfix is already installed, but I tried installing again for good measure. When I go to manually install the hotfix it tells me it is not needed by my system!

I've read about people being advised to change the ram voltage settings in the bios. When I go into my bios to try this, the timings and volts are greyed out and I can not access them at all.

This is really starting to annoy me now. The whole pint of bringing out a 64 bit OS is that it can take advantage of modern motherboards and the ability to use more than 3.25gb ram. My M/B can take upto 8GB, and I'm only trying to use 4GB, which I don't class as unreasonable in this day and age. If anything, 4GB is a little on the weedy side now.

I may as well go back to XP pro x86. If I stick 4GB ram in at least it'll use 3.25GB. Only being able to use 2GB on vista 64 is pathetic.

I hope with all my heart and wallet that some one has been able to figure this out.

Ok rant over. Sorry.

Please help me Obi One. Your my only hope.

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

Did you upgrade the BIOS? Did you enable the memory hole and ACPI before installing your OS? What does the board manufacturer state about running Vista x64.

 

[christof21]

Did you upgrade the BIOS? Did you enable the memory hole and ACPI before installing your OS? What does the board manufacturer state about running Vista x64.

ACPI was already enabled in the bios. I don't understand what you mean by enable the memory hole. What is that? I've checked on MSI's website and it doesn't state anywhere about approved OS's.

I have downloaded the updated BIOS, but need to find a USB floppy from somewhere to try installing it as my system doesn't have an FD.

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

That board does have BIOS live update feature. You should not need a floppy.

 

[christof21]

already tried that. Live update doesn't seem to like vista 64. It keeps giving me error messages and crashes.

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

I would try Vista 32-bit.

 

[christof21]

I would try Vista 32-bit.

Drama over. I managed to update the bios. I had to do it through DOS. After I remembered how to make a win98 boot disk I crossed my fingers and dug deep into my DOS memory to remember how to do things!

Net result. I can now boot up with 4b memory installed, and vista actually sees it.

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

Good news. I figured a BIOS upgrade might fix it.

 

[christof21]

why are pc's so damn frustrating! lol. It's fun though

 

[roy69]

Glad to know it is sorted. A point to note is that you can boot from a usb key, hp has a format tool to turn a usb key into a bootable device. After you have installed the software you can add the bios software and image to it. It is also helpful for diagnostics that are required to run with a minimal os installed such as memory diag.

 

[christof21]

Glad to know it is sorted. A point to note is that you can boot from a usb key, hp has a format tool to turn a usb key into a bootable device. After you have installed the software you can add the bios software and image to it. It is also helpful for diagnostics that are required to run with a minimal os installed such as memory diag.

That's handy to know. Thanks. It as like going back in time trying to find a floppy disk and drive to use. lol

 

[johngalt]

Another trick - I always keep a couple of CDRWs around for the same purpose - I can erase and write over them at any time I want, and if new versions of diagnostic utilities come out I can remake the bootable CD ISO and then burn it again....

No more making and throwing old CD platters....

 

[christof21]

I have just noticed that on the performance tab in task manger, it is showing my total physical memory as 3582MB, not the full 4GB.

I have looked in my bios for the memory hole feature, but it doesn't show it in there. Any ideas?

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

Remapping?

 

[christof21]

nope. Nothing like that. It has all the voltage adjustments and clock frequency adjustments in there, but they're greyed out and I can't alter them at all.

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

Could it be under one of the memory area drop downs?