Bios update

[Elldallan]

looking for help. I have a DFI Lanparty Ut NF4 Ultra and I am looking to update my bios, now I am not an experienced pc user nor am i a noob, somewhere in between, i will explain my probs

When i boot first screen tells me i have 2888000(think that is the right amount of numbers lol) basically i have 4 gb installed on vista 32 but only shows 2.8 in first screen on boot and also in vista welcome screen .Pc wizard showed 4 1gb low density sticks in 4 slots !!!

Now since I have updated to service pack one in vista the welcome screen is now showing 4gb ???? as well as pc wizard but still only shoiwing 2.8 gb when i first boot.


I am thinking I may need to update my bios????? think it is award bios v 6 but then not sure i looking at right thing.

lastly when i had a quick peak at dfi site all bits pertaining to bios in CHINESE grrrr so does any one jnow where i can look in english .
#

Thanks

 

[Deacon]

A bios update is might do the trick, but I think the last update for that bios was in 2005.

http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/other/114

There is a cool tool on that page called CPU-Z. Run that application and look at your system memory. If the system is reading 4 GB then you should be good and your system will use as much RAM as a 32-bit OS can....

32 bit OS by default have issues registering 4 GB RAM. Depending on the hardware you may only see 2.x or 3.x. There are other ways around this, but the bottom line for breaking the 4GB barrier is going to be to use a 64-bit system.

 

[mrcool]

32-bit Vista and XP can actually use up to 128 GB of RAM, but only 3GB will be visible on the API (application layer: what the programs you use run on) The OS is able to the other RAM as well as Virtual OSes you may have lying around.

Sorry, not sure about the BIOS update thing. I've never updated a laptop BIOS. Usually a BIOS is to fix a serious problem or add compatibility with new hardware (CPU, RAM...) Laptop's aren't really into that. They don't have hardware update options like normal computers.

 

[Sneakers O'Toole]

32 bit os can only see 3.4 GB of ram tops. On startup if the mobo is only reconizing 2.8 then a bios update is needed. Read some forums and check for your model if there has been a update. (Since its DFI I would assume yes) and just flash the mobo and your good to go. If you wanna get full ability out of all the 4 GB of ram then you will need to move over to 64bit vista. All valve games work fine on 64-bit so if thats all you play then you should be fine. Once you get 64 bit os you can get 8gb of ram and turn off the page file. Its glorious.

 

[Techdre]

What you run into here is a MMIO issue. This is when the OS Max supported RAM run into the Hardware need for memory address space.

The best way I can explain it is like this:

All the Hardware in your system i.e. Video card, sound card, NIC, Motherboard chipset ... require memory address to function. Since a 32bit OS only support 4GB of Memory address and you installed the Max in physical RAM your hardware reserves the address space and Windows truncates to make room for the reserved address blocks.

Now you can get a new BIOS and it may show your total physical RAM during BOOT but if you go into Vista
Click the Orb and type "msinfo32" in the search box it will show you the Physical RAM that the system properties shows you and the Available RAM which may still say a little over 2GB.

 

[Techdre]

May I add some system configuration have more avalible memory than others. I seen system with 4GB of physical RAM only read 2GB of avalible RAM and that same system with lower end part i.e. video card and NIC see 3GB of avalible RAM.

If Deacon is right and the last BIOS update for your system was in 2005 you may already have that version and WYSIWIG

You should also know that if something happens while your flashing your BIOS and it does not take your motherboard will become a paper weight or a door stop. If you do deside to update be 110% sure that you have the correct BIOS for your motherboard

 

[Deacon]

If your system can handle vista well then i would suggest installing the 64bit version. If not, I would suggest getting a few pounds/euros together and getting some new parts or a new system. Many of the deal sites have complete systems w/ good specs for under $600 USD.

I just saw a few good systems on Buy, passwird, and gottadeal

 

[mrcool]

Sorry, not sure about the BIOS update thing. I've never updated a laptop BIOS. Usually a BIOS is to fix a serious problem or add compatibility with new hardware (CPU, RAM...) Laptop's aren't really into that. They don't have hardware update options like normal computers.

Wow, I need to stop posting when I'm not awake, lol...

 

[Zergspower]

I may have Vista ulti-64 but i got a very similar problem.
updating your BIOS is risky if you havnt heard already so i would choose that as a last resort

BUT the way i fixed it is i popped my CMOS battery out and put it back in, when you first boot youl get a checksum error blah blah blah- ignore it it will reboot and fix itself.

Now when you boot up properly itl say you have 4.1mil somethin memory installed after that it should say something about switching to SATA or IDE ( maybe depends if you have an IDE cable hooked up) press yes and it will reboot. Then go into your bios settings and ungang your memory if its ganged and that should do it.

To ungang you just press DEL and go to integrated peripherals? (most are differently named im just going by what mine says) change it and press f10 to save and that should do it.

 

[Techdre]

One other thing that might help you, if your has a Memory Hole setting usually it is located under the Advanced Chipset Features. I've seen this acually displayed 2 ways if you have this and your BIOS gives you numbers in MB set it to the lowest setting possible. Some BIOS give to either Software or Hardware setting if this is the case set it to Software.

Hope this helps

 

[Havegooda {A|R}]

Just to clear something up. 32-bit OSes can access a full 4GB of RAM. The problem is, the 4GB of RAM limitation includes ALL types of RAM in the system. Physical ram, vRAM, soundcard RAM, etc. There's varying amounts, but the general range is 3-3.4GB of usable RAM, depending on your system configuration.

~Gooda~