Steps to debug memory/motherboard (Via VB8001) problem

[Svein Skogen (listmail account)]

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George Hartzell wrote:
*SNIP!*

> 
> With both DIMMs installed the system only reports 3GB to the BIOS and
> to FreeBSD, others have reported this and it seems to be a limitation
> of the BIOS and the integrated video.

Here we find the first clue! ;)

> The fact that the DIMMs work in isolation and I have problems
> independent of which one goes in which slot suggests that the problem
> is either:
> 
>  a) with the motherboard
> 
>  b) with how -CURRENT sets up or drives the hardware.
> 
>  c) bad memory that only shows up when both DIMMs are in use.
> 
> I didn't get the RAM and the board from the same vendor, so I'm kind
> of expecting some finger pointing.
> 
> Left to my own devices, I'd blame the motherboard and try to get it
> swapped.
> 
> Is it more likely to be a memory problem?  A -CURRENT problem?

Neighter. This sounds like a bios issue with the mainboard. If the bios
doesn't find all the memory that is actually attached to the mainboard,
this usually means that eighter the memory is the wrong speed for the
mainboard (less likely these days, more of a problem before the DDR
days, as you don't get an error message), or that the bios simply
doesn't know how to address the memory found. This is more likely since
a lot of mainboard manufacturers are hell-bent on "32 bit windows cannot
use more than 3gb of ram and still have swap", and promptly refuses to
acknowledge that someone might be tempted to run anything that isn't a
32bit windows version. Check if there is a new bios available, and if
not mail the mainboard manufacturer about the problem.

//Svein


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