eMachines W2828 only showing 192MB of RAM...?

madmatt

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Okay fellow gurus. Here's a problem I've never seen before.

I have an eMachines W2828 which a client brought to me for a clean up, fresh Windows install, etc.

I noticed it only had 192MB of RAM so I decided to install additional memory. Upon removing the installed RAM I noticed it was a 256MB card. I took that card out and added a pair of 256MB cards. However, upon booting into Windows I noticed it was still only showing 192MB. I checked the BIOS settings and it too is only showing 192MB.

I took out one card of 256MB DDR-400MHz-CL3 and put two (same specs) in its place.

The product page is showing it is expandable to 2GB.

What would cause this and how do I make it right? Thank you.
 
I unplugged the system and removed the battery for 10 minutes. It had no affect.

I didn't short the pins because I'm not quite sure how to do that.
 
Three pin header, battery is normally connected. Move jumper over to the other 2 pins and it shorts the input to the cmos ram and bleeds off any stored charge. 10 minutes with battery out should have worked though.

192 vs 256 sounds like shared RAM for on board video. The second stick not showing up is something else. Looking at the traditional list:
-CMOS RAM, you've doen it
-Bios update, unlikely
-Incompatible RAM, possible but unlikely.
--Anything goofy like registered RAM required?
--Special choice of sockets required if there are 4 sockets and only 2 sticks?
-Bad RAM socket, this is a gateway...

That's all I can think of
 
I will try clearing CMOS again tomorrow.

The type of RAM I inserted is the same brand and specs as the card I removed. However, I also tried slower RAM and that made no difference. The product page shows 256MB PC27000 being included. I inserted two 256MB cards at PC3200.

No to registered RAM.

Two slots.

It IS a Gateway and that's what I am afraid of.

Thanks guys.
 
Where do all these so called 'Gateway' things come from? I hear nothing but trouble about them. Anyway, are you still using the S3 integrated graphics? If you are, there should be a way of reducing the graphics memory size in the BIOS. Try reducing it and see how large the RAM appears to be after that.

Regarding the second stick, are you putting it into the socket adjacent to the first stick?

I'm not sure what else I can think of at the moment.
 
Where do all these so called 'Gateway' things come from? I hear nothing but trouble about them. Anyway, are you still using the S3 integrated graphics? If you are, there should be a way of reducing the graphics memory size in the BIOS. Try reducing it and see how large the RAM appears to be after that.

Regarding the second stick, are you putting it into the socket adjacent to the first stick?

I'm not sure what else I can think of at the moment.
Well the good news is Gateway is going to put Quad Core desktops in stores :eek:

http://www.windowsxlive.net/?p=713

God help us!
 
Ray, there are only two slots... =\
 
I tried every suggestion posted thus far. None of it worked which leads me to believe Lee is correct. Broken.
 

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Also Hi EP and people. I found this place again while looking through a oooollllllldddd backup. I have filled over 10TB and was looking at my collection of antiques. Any bids on the 500Mhz Win 95 fix?
Any of the SP crew still out there?
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Impressed you have kept this alive this long EP! So many sites have come and gone. :(

Just did some crude math and I apparently joined almost 18yrs ago, how is that possible???
hello peeps... is been some time since i last came here.
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