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G.Skill RAM I purchased: http://www.gskill.com/en/product/f3-1600c11d-16gnt
Computer RAM specs (pg. 78 & 79): http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04497146
Hi everyone,
I have an HP EliteDesk 705 G1 SFF, originally installed with a total of 8GB of RAM (2 sticks of 4GB each, 1Rx8 PC3L-12800U-11-13-A1 DDR3L-1600, HP-branded Hynix memory, HP p/n 698650-154). I purchased an additional 16GB of Gskill RAM (2 sticks of 8GB each, DDR3-1600, PC3-12800), with the idea of upping it to a total of 24GB of RAM.
I installed the two new 8GB sticks into the two empty slots and the BIOS recognized 12GB (one of the 8GB sticks, one 4GB stick)! I rearranged the sticks in every possible way & combination in the four slots and sometimes only 8GB would be recognized, sometimes 12GB, sometimes 16GB, but never all 24GB.
If I install the following, the BIOS recognizes 16GB of memory, and thinks DIMM1 is empty:
DIMM1 - Gskill 8GB
DIMM2 - Gskill 8GB #2
DIMM3 - HP's (Hynix) 4GB
DIMM4 - HP's (Hynix) 4GB
If I remove the Gskill RAM and leave it in the default configuration as it came new the BIOS recognizes 8GB of memory:
DIMM1 - HP's 4GB
DIMM2 - Empty
DIMM3 - HP's 4GB
DIMM4 - Empty
If I install the memory like this, BIOS sees only a total of 8192MB (DIMM3 populated, and DIMM1 empty):
DIMM1 - Gskill 8GB #1
DIMM2 - Empty
DIMM3 - Gskill 8GB #2
DIMM4 - Empty
If I swap the RAM like this, BIOS still only sees a total of 8192MB (DIMM3 populated, and DIMM1 empty):
DIMM1 - Gskill 8GB #2
DIMM2 - Empty
DIMM3 - Gskill 8GB #1
DIMM4 - Empty
In this configuration, the UEFI BIOS only sees 8GB of memory, and thinks DIMM1, 3, and 4 are empty:
DIMM1 - HP's 4GB
DIMM2 - Gskill 8GB
DIMM3 - HP's 4GB
DIMM4 - Gskill 8GB
Right now I have them installed like this (below), and the UEFI BIOS thinks DIMM1 & DIMM2 are empty; it reports 24GB in the first two seconds on POST, then the 24GB changes to 12GB:
DIMM1 - Gskill 8GB
DIMM2 - HP's 4GB
DIMM3 - Gskill 8GB
DIMM4 - HP's 4GB
With this last configuration, I notice this: when I startup the computer, the POST screen shows this for a moment:
Copyright (c) 2014 Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.P.
Version 2.16.1240. Copyright (C) 2013 American Megatrends, Inc.
24576 MB
... then, about two seconds later, the "24576 MB" changes to 12288 MB and shows this:
Copyright (c) 2014 Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.P.
Version 2.16.1240. Copyright (C) 2013 American Megatrends, Inc.
12288 MB
I know that all four sticks of RAM are operational since I can plug them in one at a time without the others and the computer reports the correct amount installed. MemTest86 recognizes 24GB of RAM and tests it all from 0 to 0x63F000000 without reporting any errors. The G.Skill RAM modules I purchased conforms to what the owner's manual specifies and requires. The BIOS was updated to the latest version available from HP's site - version 2.30 Rev A (L06) from March 28, 2018. The CMOS was also reset without change.
Windows reports that it sees 24GB of RAM, and so does other Windows-based utilities (Speccy, CPU-Z, AMD's Overdrive Utility, etc.). The BIOS reports 24GB then changes its mind to 12GB. HP's PC Hardware Diagnostics also only reports 12GB.
I opened a case with HP Support and they say I need to swap the G.Skill RAM for HP branded RAM!
Is this a problem with the BIOS that HP needs to fix, a problem with the G.Skill RAM, or a problem with my specific systemboard? Am I really operating with 24GB of RAM, and that the BIOS is just providing a bad report (and I should just ignore it)?
Thanks for reading, if you made it this far!
Computer RAM specs (pg. 78 & 79): http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04497146
Hi everyone,
I have an HP EliteDesk 705 G1 SFF, originally installed with a total of 8GB of RAM (2 sticks of 4GB each, 1Rx8 PC3L-12800U-11-13-A1 DDR3L-1600, HP-branded Hynix memory, HP p/n 698650-154). I purchased an additional 16GB of Gskill RAM (2 sticks of 8GB each, DDR3-1600, PC3-12800), with the idea of upping it to a total of 24GB of RAM.
I installed the two new 8GB sticks into the two empty slots and the BIOS recognized 12GB (one of the 8GB sticks, one 4GB stick)! I rearranged the sticks in every possible way & combination in the four slots and sometimes only 8GB would be recognized, sometimes 12GB, sometimes 16GB, but never all 24GB.
If I install the following, the BIOS recognizes 16GB of memory, and thinks DIMM1 is empty:
DIMM1 - Gskill 8GB
DIMM2 - Gskill 8GB #2
DIMM3 - HP's (Hynix) 4GB
DIMM4 - HP's (Hynix) 4GB
If I remove the Gskill RAM and leave it in the default configuration as it came new the BIOS recognizes 8GB of memory:
DIMM1 - HP's 4GB
DIMM2 - Empty
DIMM3 - HP's 4GB
DIMM4 - Empty
If I install the memory like this, BIOS sees only a total of 8192MB (DIMM3 populated, and DIMM1 empty):
DIMM1 - Gskill 8GB #1
DIMM2 - Empty
DIMM3 - Gskill 8GB #2
DIMM4 - Empty
If I swap the RAM like this, BIOS still only sees a total of 8192MB (DIMM3 populated, and DIMM1 empty):
DIMM1 - Gskill 8GB #2
DIMM2 - Empty
DIMM3 - Gskill 8GB #1
DIMM4 - Empty
In this configuration, the UEFI BIOS only sees 8GB of memory, and thinks DIMM1, 3, and 4 are empty:
DIMM1 - HP's 4GB
DIMM2 - Gskill 8GB
DIMM3 - HP's 4GB
DIMM4 - Gskill 8GB
Right now I have them installed like this (below), and the UEFI BIOS thinks DIMM1 & DIMM2 are empty; it reports 24GB in the first two seconds on POST, then the 24GB changes to 12GB:
DIMM1 - Gskill 8GB
DIMM2 - HP's 4GB
DIMM3 - Gskill 8GB
DIMM4 - HP's 4GB
With this last configuration, I notice this: when I startup the computer, the POST screen shows this for a moment:
Copyright (c) 2014 Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.P.
Version 2.16.1240. Copyright (C) 2013 American Megatrends, Inc.
24576 MB
... then, about two seconds later, the "24576 MB" changes to 12288 MB and shows this:
Copyright (c) 2014 Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.P.
Version 2.16.1240. Copyright (C) 2013 American Megatrends, Inc.
12288 MB
I know that all four sticks of RAM are operational since I can plug them in one at a time without the others and the computer reports the correct amount installed. MemTest86 recognizes 24GB of RAM and tests it all from 0 to 0x63F000000 without reporting any errors. The G.Skill RAM modules I purchased conforms to what the owner's manual specifies and requires. The BIOS was updated to the latest version available from HP's site - version 2.30 Rev A (L06) from March 28, 2018. The CMOS was also reset without change.
Windows reports that it sees 24GB of RAM, and so does other Windows-based utilities (Speccy, CPU-Z, AMD's Overdrive Utility, etc.). The BIOS reports 24GB then changes its mind to 12GB. HP's PC Hardware Diagnostics also only reports 12GB.
I opened a case with HP Support and they say I need to swap the G.Skill RAM for HP branded RAM!
Is this a problem with the BIOS that HP needs to fix, a problem with the G.Skill RAM, or a problem with my specific systemboard? Am I really operating with 24GB of RAM, and that the BIOS is just providing a bad report (and I should just ignore it)?
Thanks for reading, if you made it this far!