Recovering Lost DRAM size problem

[macioldawid]

Good morning all,

My bosses computer is giving him some issues. When he shuts down his computer for the night and turns it back on the following day computer goes through POST at which point he receives "Recovering Lost DRAM size" and the computer reboots three times, fourth one boots into windows 7. Also, within windows it shows 12GB of memory installed but only 8GB usable. I have checked that CPU is setting properly and that it does not have any bent pins. I have also checked the memory to ensure all of them are working properly, which they are. I have some computer experience but not a lot. From the limited information I found on several different websites is the problem might be with the settings within BIOS. He is a Electrical and Mechanical Engineer and he needs his computer running smoothly for different programs running. He wanted me to replace the motherboard, but that will be my last option. I am attaching image of CPUZ results. Any help would really be very much appreciated and I will score some brownie points with my boss :-) Thank you in advance!

[wazza300]

Re: Recovering Lost DRAM size problem

what cpu cooler are you using? too tight a heatsink can cut off the signal from the cpu to the memory banks and cause memory loss/issues

and can you look in the bios and tell me howmuch qpi/vtt voltage and dram voltage is being used

oh and be sure to flash to the latest motherboard bios if you havn't already

[macioldawid]

Re: Recovering Lost DRAM size problem

wazza300, thank you very much for such quick reply. To answer your questions:
CPU cooler being used on this machine is: ZALMAN CNPS9900ALED 120mm 2 Ball Low-noise Blue LED CPU Cooler
ZALMAN CNPS9900ALED Low-noise Blue LED CPU Cooler - Newegg.com
I am attaching few more pictures within BIOS to answer the other questions.
I will flash BIOS as soon as I get some free time at the office or once the guy who helped build this machine gets in.

[wazza300]

Re: Recovering Lost DRAM size problem

that cpu cooler has a backplate,you could try a quarter turn undone on each mounting screw to loosen it slightly and see if problem persists,if so try setting qpi/vtt voltage to 1.36-1.38v and see if it improves startups ect

simply updating to the latest bios might fix things but if not try the above

[Vinster]

Re: Recovering Lost DRAM size problem

I'm with wazza on this one.

Vin

[macioldawid]

Re: Recovering Lost DRAM size problem

Thank you guys,

I updated the BIOS and that seems to solve the problem. 12GB are showing up and computer does not reboot three times. Thank you very much for that! Very much appreciated. The only issue I have remaining is with Raid, originally it was set up as a Raid 1 array with two identical 600GB drives, when he began experiencing these issues it somehow got disengaged and is no longer in that Raid 1 array. He has about $10,000 worth of programs on it (Electrical & Mechanical Engineer) and it would take me weeks if I had to install them from scratch. Getting licenses renewed and transferred with some of these companies is a real pain in the you know what. Anyone has some knowledge of configuring Bios for Raid? Once again, thank you very much for helping me this far.

[Vinster]

Re: Recovering Lost DRAM size problem

for that in the bios go under "Integrated Peripherals" then "ICH Sata Control Mode" select "RAID"

save and re-boot, now when it re-boots you should see a different screen after the post screen detecting the drives for the array. as long as you didn't do anything to the drives it should pickup 2 "Member Disks"

go back in the bios and under "Advance Bios Features" change the boot device order. you should now see your raid drives.

and that's all that should be needed.

Vin

EDIT: if you are not at work but what to navigate what I was talking about to be a little more fluid when you actually look at it here is a web based Bios for that board; GA-X58A-UD7