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Hi,
Just yesterday I purchased an HP laptop (specifically the Pavilion dv6105ca) and reformatted the C:\ drive to get rid of all the unwanted stuff.
I installed Windows XP Professional with all the updates (the 32-bit edition) (my processor is the AMD Turion64 2.00GHz), and on my "My Computer" properties, and on the "help" dialogue information, it only lists 256MB DDR2 RAM when it should recognize 1024MB. The odd thing is the system BIOS recognizes this to be 1GB, and so does the "System Information" window when I pull that up (under system tools).
If it helps at all, it is also telling me I have "Physical Address Extension" under the RAM specifications.
Thanks for any help I can get, it's just frustrating knowing that Windows is only using 1/4 the memory it actually has inside it.
If you had downloaded the PC Decrapifier from here http://www.yorkspace.com/pc-de-crap... to get rid of all the unwanted stuff, you would not have had this problem.
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Just to be clear on this, I like to have my own setup of WinXP Professional as opposed to WinXP Media Centre Edition. Regardless of the situation, the RAM should still have been detected by XP.
I didn't come on here to get flamed and be told to live with the existing OS I had when I bought the laptop.
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'If you had downloaded the PC Decrapifier ... to get rid of all the unwanted stuff, you would not have had this problem.'
now that a GREAT help :-)
pretty much like: if hadn't turned on my pc yesterday i wouldn't have cought this virus'
besides ... using a 'decrapifier' is just eyewash, your new computer would be still 'full of sh*t'.
as for the actual problem: have you got all drivers installed, any devices 'unknown' in the device manager?
Today's subliminal thought is: 'Calm down ... it's only ones and zeros.'
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in addition ... run SIW and see if it comes up with something useful (it usually does)
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/siw.html
Today's subliminal thought is: 'Calm down ... it's only ones and zeros.'
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BEfore you formatted did you notice what the Ram showed up as in "my computer" properties.I suggest Take out the Ram if its in more than 1 stick and put it back in 1 at a time and see if they show up individually,It could be that 1 of the sticks of RAM is piped.Also is the Ram in 2 sticks or more and are they both the same size.Its not usually a good idea (altho still works most times) to mix RAM size ie a 128mb stick with a 256mb stick.Also DO u def have the correct type of RAM in pc ie sdram/ddr pc 133/pc21oo etc etc.All of these altho showing up in Bios could still make it not work under windows.
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for_the_buzz:
I just tried that, and both sticks do work fine. They are both 512MB sticks, and there are only 2 spots on the motherboard.
Also, it did show up properly before formatting, so I'm presuming it is a Windows issue at work. When I added them one by one, Windows still registered 256MB Memory in the machine, although the BIOS registered 512MB each time.
mattie:
I'm going to run that in just a minute and will link you to a screenshot once I've taken a diagnostic of my laptop. I just have to switch computers in order to do it.
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Did you update your motherboard drivers after re installing windows? if you dont have the correct drivers for your motherboard it could be the cause.Maybe amd processor drivers....http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=ob-42489-1&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=3263234&os=228&lang=en
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OK, for mattie:
Here is my diagnostic of the RAM in my system:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...
Sorry it isn't a larger image, Photobucket likes to scale things down now, and I didn't install an FTP program yet to get stuff onto my webspace.
Thanks for all your help though.
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http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en...
Update all your drivers from here.Its always best to go directly to the original site.hope you get it sorted.Let us know
Peace
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Is the Ram the Ram u got in the laptop when u bought it.From the looks of things in yur snapshop its sayin 1 stick is dimm 1 and the other is dimm 2.On the HP web site it says it takes Dimm 2 ram
C here ::http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00777624&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=3263234&lang=en
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for_the_buzz:
I had installed all I could install for my machine with no luck either. I just installed the CPU update you linked me to a little earlier, and it did nothing about the memory either.
I'm going to keep searching myself, fortunately, I can just reinstall everything over again in the matter of an hour or so should I have to reformat (that will be my very last alternative).
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"Is the Ram the Ram u got in the laptop when u bought it.From the looks of things in yur snapshop its sayin 1 stick is dimm 1 and the other is dimm 2.On the HP web site it says it takes Dimm 2 ram
C here ::http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00777624&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=3263234〈=en"
Actually, it specifies DDR2 Memory, it is just saying there are 2 Dimm slots available (dimm 1 and dimm 2 are just the slot names).
And yes, it is the same memory that came with the laptop.
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I wouldnt say reformatting will do any good.If its not detecting the ram after you already did a fresh format no reason y doing another will help.I would say its either 1 of 3 things.
A: Incorrect drivers/no drivers
B: Dodgy Ram/Ram Slots on M.B
C: Incorrect RamWhat does the boot up screen say the ram is.Does it agree with the bios or the MY comp properties?
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I don't have a dialogue when booting the comp. It takes me through the hp branded screen, straight to the WinXP loading screen. But, I had been trying to install another OS (I don't think here's the right place to talk about that, because it is unrelated to this problem) and its boot screen is telling me I have 1024MB Physical Memory.
So it agrees with the BIOS and not Windows.
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Well dont I feel stupid...:-) I knew dimm 1 n 2 was just the name.Just testin ya.LOL
Its l8 n im tired. 2am in morn thats my excuse n im stickin to it.
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last thing..found this post may help.didnt read it all so not sure but its on the same track
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also try msconfig hit the boot ini tab advanced options and c if the maxmem box is ticked with a total max input.
hope you sort it.
night
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I fail to see the problem here, the BIOS shows 1024MB of system memory, SIW agrees with the same memory aggregate as the BIOS & your snapshot is proof of that, you also wrote and I quote.... "so does the "System Information" window when I pull that up (under system tools)".
So far it seems like a tail chasing issue to me.
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I'll clarify it a little bit in the form of a screenshot. Just hold on a second for me to take it.
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...
There it is. I think that should be proof enough. What I fail to understand is why, and why Windows wants to think there is only 256MB memory.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physic...
This and some other reading on PAE might shed some light on yout situation. I don't call it a problem as your full 1024mb of ram is being recognized and is available for use. Both your screenshots say so.
I used to have a signature but it disappeared and I just couldn't be bothered writing another so please feel free to ingore this.
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have you been talking to some @ hp tech support about the issue?
you mentioned 'another OS' ... have you tried any linux live CD (i.e. ubuntu)?
Today's subliminal thought is: 'Calm down ... it's only ones and zeros.'
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One other thing that you might do is look for a 3rd party program that gives system infomation to see if it might say the same thing. You might also try do redownload the HP system infomation program that origanlly came with the computer.
Timothy Tepe
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Actually, I solved it. I reformatted and installed my old Compaq's Windows XP Home edition (pre-SP2) and all worked out fine. I then used my XP Professional CD to upgrade, so now everything seems to be fine. So, it all probably came down to one measly .dll file at the end.
Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it.
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