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I suggest you to boot the Slackware installation CD or DVD (has no importance if 32-bit or 64-bit) and test your memories with MEMTEST.
In other hand, there was even Athlon64 for Socket 754, but being old enough that the booting of a modern 64-bit build of Slackware can be questionable because of additional features supposed to have the CPU by the 64-bit kernels.
Anyways, IF you have an old Socket 754 computer, I suggest you to stay in 32-bit, it will behave better.
Last edited by Darth Vader; 02-17-2018 at 01:18 PM.
Slackware64 has no problem with 4 GB of RAM. I'm running my Lenovo Thinkpad T410 on Slackware64 14.2, 4 GB RAM, with no issues. Also I have an older HP G62 laptop running Slackware64-current, 4 GB RAM, with no issues. Maybe you have a bad stick of RAM?
In other hand, there was even Athlon64 for Socket 754, but being old enough that the booting of a modern 64-bit build of Slackware can be questionable because of additional features supposed to have the CPU by the 64-bit kernels.
Anyways, IF you have an old Socket 754 computer, I suggest you to stay in 32-bit, will behave better.
I have a Socket 754 based Athlon64 3200+ machine. It's running a -current from late last year... perhaps I should try updating it to the latest. Haven't run into any issues running it in x86_64, but it's mostly a fileserver so perhaps I would notice issues if I were trying to use X. Boots fine, though.
i've installed 4 dimm x 1GB ram , BIOS can see all 4 GB but slackware 64 bit doesnt start
i 've an Athlon 64 bit and the only way to make slackware start is to ENABLE in BIOS the feature
S/W DRAM Over 4GB Remapping
in this way the BIOS can see all 4GB but makes in use only 3 GB so Slack could starts
I've read that problem was for 32 bit kernel, but i've 64bit compiled one so
i dont know where is the problem.
what do you think?
I think you should give more detail.
Do you see any message on-screen during the boot attempt?
You state you are trying to boot 64bit Slackware but then you mention you compiled the kernel yourself? Or am I reading that incorrectly?
When Slackware boots (using that BIOS setting), and you are at the command prompt, what do you see when you run the command "uname -a"? Please share the result in this thread.
I run slack64 from the first time when there were only 2 GB of ram
When I upgrade ram to 4 GB the bios reads all 4 gb but kernel doesn't startup without error
then I tried to boot with slack DVD but doesn't work too.
Then enabling the option S/W DRAM Over 4GB Remapping bios read 4gb but makes available just 3 GB then the system starts without problem... I don't think ram is broken
I run slack64 from the first time when there were only 2 GB of ram
When I upgrade ram to 4 GB the bios reads all 4 gb but kernel doesn't startup without error
then I tried to boot with slack DVD but doesn't work too.
Then enabling the option S/W DRAM Over 4GB Remapping bios read 4gb but makes available just 3 GB then the system starts without problem... I don't think ram is broken
uname -a
Linux MyMediaCenter 4.8.15 #2 Wed Mar 8 23:30:22 CET 2017 x86_64 AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3500+ AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux
Code:
bash-4.3# dmidecode --type 17
# dmidecode 3.0
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 2.3 present.
Handle 0x0042, DMI type 17, 27 bytes
Memory Device
Array Handle: 0x0041
Error Information Handle: Not Provided
Total Width: 64 bits
Data Width: 64 bits
Size: 1024 MB
Form Factor: DIMM
Set: None
Locator: A0
Bank Locator: Bank0/1
Type: Unknown
Type Detail: None
Speed: 400 MHz
Manufacturer: None
Serial Number: None
Asset Tag: None
Part Number: None
Handle 0x0043, DMI type 17, 27 bytes
Memory Device
Array Handle: 0x0041
Error Information Handle: Not Provided
Total Width: 64 bits
Data Width: 64 bits
Size: 1024 MB
Form Factor: DIMM
Set: None
Locator: A1
Bank Locator: Bank2/3
Type: Unknown
Type Detail: None
Speed: 400 MHz
Manufacturer: None
Serial Number: None
Asset Tag: None
Part Number: None
Handle 0x0044, DMI type 17, 27 bytes
Memory Device
Array Handle: 0x0041
Error Information Handle: Not Provided
Total Width: 64 bits
Data Width: 64 bits
Size: 1024 MB
Form Factor: DIMM
Set: None
Locator: A2
Bank Locator: Bank4/5
Type: Unknown
Type Detail: None
Speed: 400 MHz
Manufacturer: None
Serial Number: None
Asset Tag: None
Part Number: None
Handle 0x0045, DMI type 17, 27 bytes
Memory Device
Array Handle: 0x0041
Error Information Handle: Not Provided
Total Width: 64 bits
Data Width: 64 bits
Size: 1024 MB
Form Factor: DIMM
Set: None
Locator: A3
Bank Locator: Bank6/7
Type: Unknown
Type Detail: None
Speed: 400 MHz
Manufacturer: None
Serial Number: None
Asset Tag: None
Part Number: None
I 've done memtest with everyone DDR , nobody was faulted , but when i use all of them togheter i 've to enable the option S/W DRAM Over 4G Remapping, otherwise memtest stop and reeboot continuosly after 4 sec.
So, at the end of day, looks as not being a Slackware64 issue IF even the memtest go ballistic after 4 seconds.
In other hand, looks like that "S/W DRAM Over 4G Remapping" is a must be enabled for the usage with physical 4GB memory in your Socket 939 motherboard, at least according with the Asus manual:
Due to chipset resource allocation, the system may detect less than 4 GB of system memory when you installed four 1 GB DDR memory modules.
Long story short, that is all your ageing motherboard can, and the "4GB issue" on A8N-SLI is well known, and well discussed even in the Windows Forums...
Sorry to disappoint you, but again I suggest you to install the Slackware 32-bit, to not waste your already limited memory and your precious CPU cycles, and be happy.
Heck, what 64-bit computing you can do in a thing driven with 3GB over DDR400 in the best case?
PS. Slackware 32-bit is really limited on memory usage at 64GB RAM via PAE, not that's very important on your case...
Last edited by Darth Vader; 02-18-2018 at 11:26 AM.
I've read the manual of my motherboard too but I think
Quote:
Due to chipset resource allocation, the system may detect less than 4 GB of system memory when you installed four 1 GB DDR memory modules.
this is not my case , infact in the BIOS i can see all of 4 GB of RAM, I think the note refers when BIOS doesnt show 4 GB... I think this, maybe i wrong ?...
otherwise the function "S/W DRAM Over 4G Remapping" is used but i lose 1 GB, if i use the other option "H/WRAM DOver 4G Remapping" i dont lose anything,
but linux doesnt start... Sostantially i notice that if BIOS makes available 4 GB linux doesnt start, if it makes available just 3 GB linux starts...
Do you think if i install kernel 32 bit i could use all of 4 GB using BIOS funcion "H/W RAM DOver 4G Remapping" and not "S/W RAM DOver 4G Remapping" ?
I know that today it is hard to believe, BUT that motherboard's manual say clear into "A8N-SLI specifications summary" that it "supports up to 2 GB system memory"
And that match what I remember about the motherboards which use DDR1 memories, as that they can use max 2GB.
Your motherboard was well made, and probably was for gaming, that's WHY it (still) looks modern, with its 4 SATA3, 2 PCIE x16 and 2 PCIE x1.
BUT it was made on an age when the usual computer had 1GB memory (and used Windows XP), while the gaming ones had expensive 2GB DDR400 in dual channel.
I suggest you to consider yourself lucky that it still support 3GB memory while having a stable performing and deal with.
Last edited by Darth Vader; 02-19-2018 at 03:18 AM.
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