[SOLVED] 8GB in BIOS, 3.13GB useable?

-=HIGHHIGH=- · 06-23-2018, 08:19 PM

Hey folks!

I'm running CentOS (x86_64) with an old windows laptop and can only use 3.13GB RAM, despite the BIOS seeing 8GB.

Code:

[root@highhigh ~]# uname -a
Linux highhigh 3.10.0-862.3.3.el7.x86_64 #1 SMP Fri Jun 15 04:15:27 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I've tried various things and have searched online and bashed in commands to no end, it's time I asked for help from the pros..

First off, please note that I'm aware the onboard graphics is most likely nabbing around 512MB!!

Unable to flash the bios, the bios updates are only available as .exe files from Lenovo.

Using "sudo lshw" we can see the memory:

Code:

[root@highhigh ~]# sudo lshw
highhigh                    
    description: Notebook
    product: 20152 (LENOVO_MT_20152)
    vendor: LENOVO
    version: LENOVO IdeaPad Z585
    serial: QB06781354OA3OK
    width: 64 bits
    capabilities: smbios-2.7 dmi-2.7 smp vsyscall32
    configuration: boot=normal chassis=notebook family=IDEAPAD sku=LENOVO_MT_20152 uuid=D75186FC-11A7-272E-D1C4-089E0191DBB4
  *-core
       description: Motherboard
       product: Lenovo
       vendor: LENOVO
       physical id: 0
       version: 31900003WIN8 STD MLT
       serial: QB06781354
       slot: Chassis Location Unknown
     *-firmware
          description: BIOS
          vendor: LENOVO
          physical id: 0
          version: 60CN97WW
          date: 08/27/2013
          size: 128KiB
          capacity: 8MiB
          capabilities: pci upgrade shadowing cdboot bootselect edd int5printscreen int9keyboard int14serial int17printer int10video pc98 acpi usb biosbootspecification netboot
     *-memory
          description: System Memory
          physical id: b
          slot: System board or motherboard
          size: 8GiB
        *-bank:0
             description: SODIMM DDR3 Synchronous 1600 MHz (0.6 ns)
             product: HMT351S6EFR8C-PB
             vendor: Hynix/Hyundai
             physical id: 0
             serial: 2C125379
             slot: DIMM 0
             size: 4GiB
             width: 64 bits
             clock: 1600MHz (0.6ns)
        *-bank:1
             description: SODIMM DDR3 Synchronous 1600 MHz (0.6 ns)
             product: HMT351S6EFR8C-PB
             vendor: Hynix/Hyundai
             physical id: 1
             serial: 2CC25377
             slot: DIMM 0
             size: 4GiB
             width: 64 bits
             clock: 1600MHz (0.6ns)
     *-cpu
          description: CPU
          product: AMD A8-4500M APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics
          vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
          vendor_id: AuthenticAMD
          physical id: 11
          bus info: cpu@0
          version: AMD A8-4500M APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics
          slot: Socket FS1r2
          size: 1400MHz
          capacity: 1900MHz
          width: 64 bits
          clock: 100MHz
          capabilities: lm fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt pdpe1gb rdtscp x86-64 constant_tsc art rep_good nopl nonstop_tsc extd_apicid aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq monitor ssse3 fma cx16 sse4_1 sse4_2 popcnt aes xsave avx f16c lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy abm sse4a misalignsse 3dnowprefetch osvw ibs xop skinit wdt lwp fma4 tce nodeid_msr tbm topoext perfctr_core perfctr_nb cpb hw_pstate retpoline_amd vmmcall bmi1 arat npt lbrv svm_lock nrip_save tsc_scale vmcb_clean flushbyasid decodeassists pausefilter pfthreshold ssbd cpufreq
          configuration: cores=4 enabledcores=4 threads=4
        *-cache:0
             description: L1 cache
             physical id: 12
             slot: L1 Cache
             size: 192KiB
             capacity: 192KiB
             clock: 1GHz (1.0ns)
             capabilities: pipeline-burst internal write-back unified
             configuration: level=1
        *-cache:1
             description: L2 cache
             physical id: 13
             slot: L2 Cache
             size: 4MiB
             capacity: 4MiB
             clock: 1GHz (1.0ns)
             capabilities: pipeline-burst internal write-back unified
             configuration: level=2

(I wont paste the rest unless requested, seems invalid to this thread)

We can see here that only some of the memory is currently useable:

Code:

[root@highhigh ~]# free -m
              total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:           3209        2814         169           2         225         149
Swap:          1885          15        1870

The board is PAE compatible, from the looks of below:

Code:

[root@highhigh ~]# grep -i pae /proc/cpuinfo 
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt pdpe1gb rdtscp lm constant_tsc art rep_good nopl nonstop_tsc extd_apicid aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq monitor ssse3 fma cx16 sse4_1 sse4_2 popcnt aes xsave avx f16c lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy abm sse4a misalignsse 3dnowprefetch osvw ibs xop skinit wdt lwp fma4 tce nodeid_msr tbm topoext perfctr_core perfctr_nb cpb hw_pstate retpoline_amd vmmcall bmi1 arat npt lbrv svm_lock nrip_save tsc_scale vmcb_clean flushbyasid decodeassists pausefilter pfthreshold ssbd
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt pdpe1gb rdtscp lm constant_tsc art rep_good nopl nonstop_tsc extd_apicid aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq monitor ssse3 fma cx16 sse4_1 sse4_2 popcnt aes xsave avx f16c lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy abm sse4a misalignsse 3dnowprefetch osvw ibs xop skinit wdt lwp fma4 tce nodeid_msr tbm topoext perfctr_core perfctr_nb cpb hw_pstate retpoline_amd vmmcall bmi1 arat npt lbrv svm_lock nrip_save tsc_scale vmcb_clean flushbyasid decodeassists pausefilter pfthreshold ssbd
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt pdpe1gb rdtscp lm constant_tsc art rep_good nopl nonstop_tsc extd_apicid aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq monitor ssse3 fma cx16 sse4_1 sse4_2 popcnt aes xsave avx f16c lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy abm sse4a misalignsse 3dnowprefetch osvw ibs xop skinit wdt lwp fma4 tce nodeid_msr tbm topoext perfctr_core perfctr_nb cpb hw_pstate retpoline_amd vmmcall bmi1 arat npt lbrv svm_lock nrip_save tsc_scale vmcb_clean flushbyasid decodeassists pausefilter pfthreshold ssbd
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt pdpe1gb rdtscp lm constant_tsc art rep_good nopl nonstop_tsc extd_apicid aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq monitor ssse3 fma cx16 sse4_1 sse4_2 popcnt aes xsave avx f16c lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy abm sse4a misalignsse 3dnowprefetch osvw ibs xop skinit wdt lwp fma4 tce nodeid_msr tbm topoext perfctr_core perfctr_nb cpb hw_pstate retpoline_amd vmmcall bmi1 arat npt lbrv svm_lock nrip_save tsc_scale vmcb_clean flushbyasid decodeassists pausefilter pfthreshold ssbd

thanks in advance, any suggestions are welcomed with open arms!!

Keruskerfuerst · 06-24-2018, 12:23 AM

Can you use top on console?

It might be nessecary to flash the Bios.

-=HIGHHIGH=- · 06-24-2018, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keruskerfuerst

Can you use top on console?

Yes, the system only views 3.13GB.
My original post was using stats from htop to easily find the viewable RAM size.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keruskerfuerst

It might be nessecary to flash the Bios.

Unable to flash the bios, the bios updates are only available as .exe files from Lenovo.

Thanks for the reply, Keruskerfuerst. Any other suggestions?

mrmazda · 06-24-2018, 02:00 AM

.exe files are often just containers designed to unzip into a specific Windows directory, and their contents accessible using your favorite distro's unzip extractor.

eylli · 06-24-2018, 04:50 AM

Update through windows PE

jsbjsb001 · 06-24-2018, 06:00 AM

A couple of thoughts:

* You should only update your BIOS if you're sure that will fix the problem - it's not clear to me that doing that will fix it.

* If you're using a 64-bit version of CentOS and therefore your machine must be a 64-bit machine, if it's working, then; that can't be the problem that you're machine is only a 32-bit machine. If you were using a 32-bit system, then it will only be able to use 4GB of RAM and not 8GB of RAM.

* On my CentOS 7.4 system (that has 8GB of RAM), 7.7GB is usable and not the whole 8GB of RAM - because some of it is reserved by the hardware for it's own use and therefore is not available to the OS.

* It seems strange to me given the above that your machine's BIOS see's the 8GB of RAM, but the OS only see's 3.13GB of RAM.

So, a couple of suggestions:

Are you sure that the OS is only seeing 3.13GB of RAM? Have you had a look at another utility to make sure that IS the case?

Have you ran memtest on your machine to see if there ain't any problems with the installed RAM, that maybe stopping the OS seeing the rest of the RAM installed?

Bear in mind that it's quite normal that at least some of the RAM will be unavailable to the OS for it's use and therefore, the OS will not be able to address the whole 8GB of RAM.

Also bear in mind that exactly how much is available to the OS, will most probably vary depending on your hardware.

-=HIGHHIGH=- · 06-24-2018, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsbjsb001

* You should only update your BIOS if you're sure that will fix the problem - it's not clear to me that doing that will fix it.

..agreed, I'm downloading a windows 8 ISO to install on an external drive should it come to this..

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsbjsb001

* If you're using a 64-bit version of CentOS and therefore your machine must be a 64-bit machine, if it's working, then; that can't be the problem that you're machine is only a 32-bit machine. If you were using a 32-bit system, then it will only be able to use 4GB of RAM and not 8GB of RAM.

Yes, it previously ran with 8GB a while ago - I am definitely using 64-bit CentOS

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsbjsb001

* On my CentOS 7.4 system (that has 8GB of RAM), 7.7GB is usable and not the whole 8GB of RAM - because some of it is reserved by the hardware for it's own use and therefore is not available to the OS.

As in my original post, the graphics are using some but..not 5GB!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsbjsb001

* It seems strange to me given the above that your machine's BIOS see's the 8GB of RAM, but the OS only see's 3.13GB of RAM.

Indeed, more tests needed!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsbjsb001

Have you ran memtest on your machine to see if there ain't any problems with the installed RAM, that maybe stopping the OS seeing the rest of the RAM installed?

..a wonderful suggestion, ill run that now.

Appreciate the input and time taken to give help on all the above posts. Thank you!

-=HIGHHIGH=- · 06-24-2018, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

.exe files are often just containers designed to unzip into a specific Windows directory, and their contents accessible using your favorite distro's unzip extractor.

No archive program could reads this .exe and running it with WINE from my Mac only resulted in errors.
I'll try some memtests before proceeding..

-=HIGHHIGH=- · 06-24-2018, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsbjsb001

Have you ran memtest on your machine to see if there ain't any problems with the installed RAM, that maybe stopping the OS seeing the rest of the RAM installed?

Code:

[root@highhigh ~]# memtest-setup
ERROR: memtest86+ does not support EFI platforms.

jsbjsb001 · 06-24-2018, 09:54 AM

Try running it off a live CD/USB instead. As, it can't test memory in use by the OS (or memory the OS does not have access to) while CentOS is running.

https://ask.fedoraproject.org/en/que...-support-uefi/

-=HIGHHIGH=- · 06-24-2018, 01:42 PM

Thanks for the advice.

As the bios likely needed flashing and I also struggled to format a decent memory tester onto a USB from my Mac I've taken a strange route but, we're getting there..

- installed some light MSDOS OS, just to test and see if i could get some memory checks / bios flash running.
..no luck

- downloaded windows 8.1 (as this version matches the Lenovo drivers on their support website).
- attempted to install windows 8.1 using three USB's as HDD's. Who knew, it doesn't like that!
- attempted to use an external drive, needed to be GPT format.. had to remove all my wonderful content to format the drive

- found out then that windows wont accept external drives as main HDD, did I format for nothing?
- Not to be defeated. I pulled apart the external drive, removed the disk and frame.
- found an adapter, mounted external disk inside the faulty laptop.
- booted (after many bios hurdles and more reboots than you could count) and installed 8.1.

when loading 8.1, device info says something like:
RAM: 8GB (3.24GB usable)
..argh!

- transferred the bios flash to this new setup.
- flashed bios.
- rebooted.
- checked 'MSCONFIG' > advanced options > maximum memory.
- rebooted.
- unable to use more than 3.24GB.
- downloaded MemTest86+.
- flashed a USB into a bootable memory tester.
- running MemTest, computer just turned itself off, I assume due to heat?

no errors were found YET, but ill place it on some books and try again.
I did take it apart a few days back and give the heatsink and board a very good clean, as well as poke a few larger exit vents for that hot air.. it should be fine on some books, we hope!

I'll check back with updates, thanks for your help so far.

MemTest (like everything else) see's the RAM but the OS's cant.
There is no memory restriction options in the BIOS either.

Remember I have swapped the sticks about:
If i remove one stick of RAM it sees 3GB, i swap for the other and it sees 3GB.
I use either on the other RAM slot individually, same problem..
SO, it seems one stick is not at fault, nor is the individual slot at fault.

WHY OH WHY?!

jsbjsb001 · 06-24-2018, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -=HIGHHIGH=-

...
- running MemTest, computer just turned itself off, I assume due to heat?
...

Just "turned itself off" ?!

That is NOT normal. If that's true, then you have a hardware problem that cannot be fixed with software.

I'd say based on that your RAM is faulty or a over-heating problem. Try determine which one it is. If your machine has not just "turned itself off" before running memtest, then I'd say it's faulty RAM that's the issue.

mrmazda · 06-24-2018, 01:52 PM

memtest86 v7.4 (not memtest86+) burned to CD WFM on Gigabyte 1151/Kaby Lake (DDR4).

-=HIGHHIGH=- · 06-24-2018, 02:47 PM

https://i.imgur.com/BwqlyrJ.jpg

running MemTest86+ quite successfully now.
I can see the two RAM sticks at 4096 MB each at the bottom yet at the top it states:
Memory: 3508M.

Any ideas? I'm assuming if this is not normal maybe PAE is not being invoked properly?
Unsure, haven't used MemTest before..

-=HIGHHIGH=- · 06-24-2018, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

memtest86 v7.4 (not memtest86+) burned to CD WFM on Gigabyte 1151/Kaby Lake (DDR4).

OK, i'll try that now - thank you!