Windows XP x64 and 4GB ram

[Guest]

My computer hardware is:

AMD x2 3800+
Epox MF570SLI (nvidia 570SLI chipset)
nvidia 7300GT
Adaptec 2100S SCSI160 RAID
SoundBlaster Live

Ok, when I have 2G ram installed, Windows XP x64 works very nice for 1 years.
Today, I buy additional 2GB ram and install them to my computer.

After that, problem begins:

In BIOS:
set "Memory hole Mapping" disable, BIOS and windows XP x64 report only 2.5G
ram, but runs well.

set "Memory hole Mapping" enable, BIOS reports 4G ram, Windows xp x64 crashed.
I reformat my RAID and run windows xp x64 setup, when it copy files from
CDROM, it report copy fail.

I have tested ram by using "memtest86+" and all 4G ram no problem.

With a search, I found that someone alse have this problem, for example:
http://www.planetamd64.com/lofiversion/index.php?t32742.html

So, how can I resolve this problem?

Thanks!

 

[Jim Macklin]

The EPoX EP-MF570 SLI motherboard features support for AMD
Socket AM2 processors and up to 8GB dual-channel DDR2 800
system memory

You have to add memory in matched pairs, since it is DUAL
CHANNEL

Number of Memory Slots 4×240pin
Memory Standard DDR2 800
Maximum Memory Supported 16GB
Dual Channel Supported Yes




message
| My computer hardware is:
|
| AMD x2 3800+
| Epox MF570SLI (nvidia 570SLI chipset)
| nvidia 7300GT
| Adaptec 2100S SCSI160 RAID
| SoundBlaster Live
|
| Ok, when I have 2G ram installed, Windows XP x64 works
very nice for 1 years.
| Today, I buy additional 2GB ram and install them to my
computer.
|
| After that, problem begins:
|
| In BIOS:
| set "Memory hole Mapping" disable, BIOS and windows XP x64
report only 2.5G
| ram, but runs well.
|
| set "Memory hole Mapping" enable, BIOS reports 4G ram,
Windows xp x64 crashed.
| I reformat my RAID and run windows xp x64 setup, when it
copy files from
| CDROM, it report copy fail.
|
| I have tested ram by using "memtest86+" and all 4G ram no
problem.
|
| With a search, I found that someone alse have this
problem, for example:
|
http://www.planetamd64.com/lofiversion/index.php?t32742.html
|
| So, how can I resolve this problem?
|
| Thanks!

 

[Guest]

yes, I use 4 x 1GB DDR2 667 DDR2 ram

so they are pairs,

and:
the BIOS POST screen display 4096 MB,
memtest86+ test all OK,
and CPU-z report 4096MB memory installed on window xp(32bit).

but Windowx xp x64 crashed.

BTW:
I've typed err, it is "Memory Hole Rempping", not "Memory hole Mapping"

 

[Jim Macklin]

Are you having the error in Windows XP 32 bit or Windows XP
64 bit?


Windows XP 32 bit can address 4 GB, but only with some
tweaking of settings so all the RAM can be used.

Perhaps your W64 install has a problem ?



message
| yes, I use 4 x 1GB DDR2 667 DDR2 ram
|
| so they are pairs,
|
| and:
| the BIOS POST screen display 4096 MB,
| memtest86+ test all OK,
| and CPU-z report 4096MB memory installed on window
xp(32bit).
|
| but Windowx xp x64 crashed.
|
| BTW:
| I've typed err, it is "Memory Hole Rempping", not "Memory
hole Mapping"
|
|
| "Jim Macklin" wrote:
|
| > The EPoX EP-MF570 SLI motherboard features support for
AMD
| > Socket AM2 processors and up to 8GB dual-channel DDR2
800
| > system memory
| >
| > You have to add memory in matched pairs, since it is
DUAL
| > CHANNEL
| >
| > Number of Memory Slots 4×240pin
| > Memory Standard DDR2 800
| > Maximum Memory Supported 16GB
| > Dual Channel Supported Yes
| >
| >
| >
| >
in
| > message
| >
| > | My computer hardware is:
| > |
| > | AMD x2 3800+
| > | Epox MF570SLI (nvidia 570SLI chipset)
| > | nvidia 7300GT
| > | Adaptec 2100S SCSI160 RAID
| > | SoundBlaster Live
| > |
| > | Ok, when I have 2G ram installed, Windows XP x64 works
| > very nice for 1 years.
| > | Today, I buy additional 2GB ram and install them to my
| > computer.
| > |
| > | After that, problem begins:
| > |
| > | In BIOS:
| > | set "Memory hole Mapping" disable, BIOS and windows XP
x64
| > report only 2.5G
| > | ram, but runs well.
| > |
| > | set "Memory hole Mapping" enable, BIOS reports 4G ram,
| > Windows xp x64 crashed.
| > | I reformat my RAID and run windows xp x64 setup, when
it
| > copy files from
| > | CDROM, it report copy fail.
| > |
| > | I have tested ram by using "memtest86+" and all 4G ram
no
| > problem.
| > |
| > | With a search, I found that someone alse have this
| > problem, for example:
| > |
| >
http://www.planetamd64.com/lofiversion/index.php?t32742.html
| > |
| > | So, how can I resolve this problem?
| > |
| > | Thanks!
| >
| >
| >

 

[Guest]

In BIOS:
set "Memory hole Remapping" disable,
BIOS report only 2.5G ram,
windows XP x64 report only 2.5G ram, runs well,
windows Xp 32bit report only 2.5G ram, runs well.

set "Memory hole Remapping" enable,
BIOS reports 4G ram,
Windows xp x64 crashed,
windows xp 32bit runs ok but report only 2.5G ram.

 

[Paul]

In BIOS:
set "Memory hole Remapping" disable,
BIOS report only 2.5G ram,
windows XP x64 report only 2.5G ram, runs well,
windows Xp 32bit report only 2.5G ram, runs well.

set "Memory hole Remapping" enable,
BIOS reports 4G ram,
Windows xp x64 crashed,
windows xp 32bit runs ok but report only 2.5G ram.

Which BIOS versions have you tried ?

Sometimes, a motherboard maker screws up resource allocation
(memory map) in a particular BIOS release. In which case,
if they figure out how to fix it, another BIOS may have it
corrected.

Paul

 

[Guest]

I use the latest BIOS, date is 2007.7.18 (the old one is 2006.8.1),

all the same.

 

[Guest]

Are you having the error in Windows XP 32 bit or Windows XP
64 bit?


Windows XP 32 bit can address 4 GB, but only with some
tweaking of settings so all the RAM can be used.

Perhaps your W64 install has a problem ?



message
| yes, I use 4 x 1GB DDR2 667 DDR2 ram
|
| so they are pairs,
|
| and:
| the BIOS POST screen display 4096 MB,
| memtest86+ test all OK,
| and CPU-z report 4096MB memory installed on window
xp(32bit).
|
| but Windowx xp x64 crashed.
|
| BTW:
| I've typed err, it is "Memory Hole Rempping", not "Memory
hole Mapping"
|
|
| "Jim Macklin" wrote:
|
| > The EPoX EP-MF570 SLI motherboard features support for
AMD
| > Socket AM2 processors and up to 8GB dual-channel DDR2
800
| > system memory
| >
| > You have to add memory in matched pairs, since it is
DUAL
| > CHANNEL
| >
| > Number of Memory Slots 4×240pin
| > Memory Standard DDR2 800
| > Maximum Memory Supported 16GB
| > Dual Channel Supported Yes
| >
| >
| >
| >
in
| > message
| >
| > | My computer hardware is:
| > |
| > | AMD x2 3800+
| > | Epox MF570SLI (nvidia 570SLI chipset)
| > | nvidia 7300GT
| > | Adaptec 2100S SCSI160 RAID
| > | SoundBlaster Live
| > |
| > | Ok, when I have 2G ram installed, Windows XP x64 works
| > very nice for 1 years.
| > | Today, I buy additional 2GB ram and install them to my
| > computer.
| > |
| > | After that, problem begins:
| > |
| > | In BIOS:
| > | set "Memory hole Mapping" disable, BIOS and windows XP
x64
| > report only 2.5G
| > | ram, but runs well.
| > |
| > | set "Memory hole Mapping" enable, BIOS reports 4G ram,
| > Windows xp x64 crashed.
| > | I reformat my RAID and run windows xp x64 setup, when
it
| > copy files from
| > | CDROM, it report copy fail.
| > |
| > | I have tested ram by using "memtest86+" and all 4G ram
no
| > problem.
| > |
| > | With a search, I found that someone alse have this
| > problem, for example:
| > |
| >
http://www.planetamd64.com/lofiversion/index.php?t32742.html
| > |
| > | So, how can I resolve this problem?
| > |
| > | Thanks!
| >
| >
| >

 

[Guest]

:

Sorry about the double post, I hope to eliminate it but I wasn't familiar
with your posting system.

Anyway Jim, I'm going to listen and hope to allow you to kill 2 birds
(HyperIris & I) with one stone. I've yet to buy my new Mobo but I'm planning
on a Gigabyte GA-MA69G-S3H which will allow paired 240 DDR2 modules. I was
planning on starting with 2x 2GB PC6400 that are designed for Vista for 4GB
total. But I was hoping to run XP Pro w/SP2 for a while and was looking for
guidance on those "tweakings of settings."

Take care, enjoy!
Kerm Nelson

 

[Guest]

Jim & HyperIris sorry about the doublepost. I wasn't familiar with this
posting system.

I am planning to buy a new motherboard (GA-MA69G-S3H) and place 2x 2GB
modules on it for 4GB. While I will move to Vista Ultimate I'm hoping to stay
with XP Pro (32) for a while and so I am very interested in how to "tweak the
settings" to use all 4GBs. I'm hoping your advice Jim will help both
HyperIris & I.

Thanks,
Take care,
enjoy!
Kerm

 

[Guest]

oh, I still can't make 4G ram work with WinXp x64 on my computer, and WinXp
can work with 4G, and report 2.5G.

let Win xp 32bit recognise full 4G physical ram seems impossible, due to
PCI/PCIE and other hardware use some hardware address for mem mapped I/O,
even with PAE on.

 

[Guest]

HyperIris,
Sorry again for the triple post on the 20th, I was really tired that night
and obviously not attentive to what I was doing. I'm going to check some
other resources (friends) for ideas but it looks like since I'm still in the
planning phase I'll end up buying Vista 64 instead of WinXP again. I'll keep
monitoring here too and will let you know if I stumble onto anything. My
various XP books talk about adding memory when you need it but don't detail
struggling to make it all work. Nor have I "found" anything in the massive
knowledge base here even though something must exist. I never needed 4 GB on
my current XP Pro machine so I'd not bumped into this problem.
Thanks for your patience.

Take care,
enjoy!
Kerm

 

[Guest]

I found this on microsoft KB:

"To reduce driver compatibility issues, Windows XP Service Pack 2 includes
hardware abstraction layer (HAL) changes that mimic the 32-bit HAL DMA
behavior. The modified HAL grants unlimited map registers when the computer
is running in PAE mode. Additionally, the kernel memory manager ignores any
physical address that is greater than 4 GB. Any system RAM that is greater
than the 4 GB barrier would be made unaddressable by Windows and be unusable
in the system. By limiting the address space to 4 GB, devices with 32-bit DMA
bus master capability will not see a transaction with an address that is
greater than the 4 GB barrier. Because these changes remove the need to
double-buffer the transactions, they avoid a class of bugs in some drivers
that is related to the correct implementation of double buffering support. "


and most motherboard use "Memory Hole Remapping" map about 1~~1.5G ram to
4~~5.5G physical address, so , windows xp sp2 32bit can not use more than
about 3G ram, though /PAE enabled.

that is what i know.

 

[Guest]

Well you've done better than I. I know I haven't done much online research
but my 4 XP books don't have anything. I think I've decided I'll possibly
dual boot or simply go with Vista 64. While in some ways this rewards MS, my
concern is to be able to use the hardware until the various softwares are
compatable with Vista. I don't think I'll find much more information but I'll
keep watching here.
Kerm

 

[Guest]

OK.

With windows xp, server 2003 r2 and vista x86/x64 tested,

I can sure that the adaptec asr-2100s scsi raid driver made the problem
(dpti2o.sys).

though the driver is WHQL one, but it still buggy, and it seems that adaptec
abandon it (and all I2O card). the newest driver was built in 2003 ! and no
further update ( no vista driver).

when the driver working in PAE and huge memory (>=4G), it crashed.

so, I'm planning write a new driver for it, but it may need a lot of disasm
and reference linux kernel source. so I don't know when and how I can do it.

if Microsoft or Adaptec could open the DPT I2O scsi miniport driver source,
I think it will be a nice thing.