Old AMD PC with RAM issues

mrsim · 14 Aug 2020 at 15:50

hello the forum,hope you are all well during these troubled times...i have a dilema

was attempting to clean up and fix a friends parents PC specs
AMD FX 6300
ASUS M5A97 R2.0 MB (bios version 2603) (latest on asus website)
8GB DDR3 (2x4gb) corsair XMS3 (cmx4gx3m2a1333cb) ram (cl 8-8-8-24) (is in the QVL list as compatible ram)
Windows 7 (ultimate) 64bit

now my issue is that for some strange reason the system refuses to use the 8gb of ram and will only use 4gb
i have tested both ram sticks in all the slots with boot success so that eliminated the slots being faulty on the MB,this also eliminated the sticks being faulty as they both allowed post in all slots as well,i have tried all slot configurations with both sticks and the same always applies only 4gb ram available to use
i am at my wits end on what to do have tried every possible fix from setting the board back to optimised defaults in the bios,pulling the battery on the board,re-seating the sticks everything

whats intersting is that CPUZ shows the moduals being present in SPD whatever slot they are in yet the system only allows use of one stick

there are no bents pins on the CPU which i read could be an issue so i am left hoping that someone here in the forum has some solutions which may help solve this issue

fingers crossed someone here will be able to help solve this issue

mickyflinn · 14 Aug 2020 at 16:35

If the ram and motherboard are good then it's memory controller on the cpu.

Have you overtightend the cpu cooler ?

mrsim · 14 Aug 2020 at 16:37

mickyflinn said:
If the ram and motherboard are good then it's memory controller on the cpu.

and do you know of a fix for this or do i need to replace the CPU altogether

mickyflinn · 14 Aug 2020 at 16:50

mrsim said:
and do you know of a fix for this or do i need to replace the CPU altogether

No fix

AMD CPUs have an embedded memory controller, meaning that it is the processor, not the chipset, that defines what memory technologies you can have and the maximum amount of memory that is possible

https://www.hardwaresecrets.com/asus-m5a97-r20-motherboard/3/

mrsim · 14 Aug 2020 at 16:52

mickyflinn said:
No fix

AMD CPUs have an embedded memory controller, meaning that it is the processor, not the chipset, that defines what memory technologies you can have and the maximum amount of memory that is possible

https://www.hardwaresecrets.com/asus-m5a97-r20-motherboard/3/

crap so i basically have to try another CPU in the socket and see how we go from there then....thanks for the fast reply

mickyflinn · 14 Aug 2020 at 16:55

Can you run the 2 sticks of ram in single channel mode ?

Not ideal but...

decto · 14 Aug 2020 at 18:08

Hi, are you sure this is an 8G kit?

8GB DDR3 (2x4gb) corsair XMS3 (cmx4gx3m2a1333cb)

I would decode as:

cm / x / 4g / x3 / m2 / a / 1333 /cb
Corsair Memory / XMS / 4g kit / DDR3 / 2 modules / Revision A / 1333Mhz / Assume you meant C8?

Decoder here
https://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=80808

Old OCUK link to this kit

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/cors...-dual-channel-cmx4gx3m2a1333c8-my-257-cs.html

Joxeon · 14 Aug 2020 at 18:17

decto said:
Hi, are you sure this is an 8G kit?

8GB DDR3 (2x4gb) corsair XMS3 (cmx4gx3m2a1333cb)

I would decode as:

cm / x / 4g / x3 / m2 / a / 1333 /cb
Corsair Memory / XMS / 4g kit / DDR3 / 2 modules / Revision A / 1333Mhz / Assume you meant C8?

Decoder here
https://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=80808

Old OCUK link to this kit

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/cors...-dual-channel-cmx4gx3m2a1333c8-my-257-cs.html

Good call and should be easy to confirm just by testing with 1 stick which should show 2gb.

mrsim · 10 Sep 2020 at 15:00

thanks for all thr replies guys will follow the advice given here....