Bios not seeing ram but with a twist . Good Luck!

[Dflint24]

Alright here is the situation. this computer is an 8300 SFF and can handle 32gb of ram 4x8 slots . I also have an 8200 SFF uses the same ram and can take up to 32gb the ram i am using is 1600mhz CL11 pc3-12800 and not ultra low power as manual says not to. In the 8200 all the ram is detected in the bios and windows does see 32gb but in the 8300 bios only picks up 16gb and same with windows . installed one stick into each slot one at a time and booted to test the slots . each slot is working correctly . if i swap the 16gb to the other set of channels from white to black on the board it will work and detect 16 gb . I have the lastest bios ver. 3.xx . but this is where it gets interesting so windows and bios only say 16gb but cpu-id actually sees all 32gb gives clocks on all and says dual . i even installed the original ram that came with the machine which is 2gb per stick and i have four again unit is only seeing one channel does not see the other so i only have 4gb instead of 8gb . i have reset the cmos and reinstalled windows 10 pro just because and factory defaulted bios settings . honestly i have done everything that i can think of to get this to work and none of this makes sense to me on why it shouldn't work and its not because the board only can take 16gb because i used the 2gb ram in the unit . so the question is why does the unit not detect the other channel of ram but Cpu-id does see it . any ideas or thoughts please let me know . Thanks! 

[BeemerBiker]

This can happen if one or more of the memory is 2rx8 and the other 1rx8.  CPUz will see 2rx8 and report that slots 1 and 2 are used but actually  there is only one memory stick that has two banks.

I saw this on a system I had where I mixed different banked memory..  The system would not boot with 4 stick but if I pulled the last one out the system booted and CPUz reported (mistakenly) that all slots were used.

i am guessing you are mixing different banked memory and the BIOS is not programmed to handle this correctly.

[Dflint24]

all the ram sticks are exactly the same this is the one i am using Timetec 16GB Kit (2 x 8GB) DDR3L-1600 UDIMM - Timetecinc.com - Memory of Lifetime and Easy Upgrades . I have tried the original OEM sticks and it still does the same thing . I know its not an issues with the ram as it works just fine in the 8200 SFF . i just can not figure this out . its hurting my brain 😂

[Dflint24]

Timetec 16GB Kit (2 x 8GB) DDR3L-1600 UDIMM - Timetecinc.com - Memory of Lifetime and Easy Upgrades

[Dflint24]

The ram i am using is all the same brand and exact type .  so that should be an issue. its not the ram itself it works in the 8200 and i even tried the stock 2gb sticks put 4 in and bios could only see 4 gbs . this hurts my brain 😂 . I put a different processor in it today the i7 3770 and well its doing the same thing . 

[BeemerBiker]

The latest bios for the 8300sff is 3.07

In looking at the download page there are actually 4 bios available and there is something, IMHO, unusual

for example, the version 5.03 bios  supports the following

HP Compaq Elite 8300 Small Form Factor PC
HP Compaq Elite 8300 Ultra-slim PC

The SFF system has 4 memory slots supporting 32gb, the USDT has only 2 slots with max of 16gb.

Could the 5.03 bios have been installed by accident at one time?

Try downloading the installing the 3.07 bios again.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-compaq-elite-8300-small-form-factor-pc/5232852

I do not have an elite 8300 so I can only guess. When installing the 3.07 was there a request to select SFF or USDT?

I recently priced an Elite x2 g8 and there was a 4 month wait.  The only HP I have are old, Pro3400 and z400

[Dflint24]

the  latest one is 3.08 i see when i look up using OS 8.1 . I did update the bios from 2.57 then to 2.90 then 3.08 but was having the issue prior to that thinking updating the bios would fix it . i just reflashed 3.08 and no change . no request for SFF or USDT  . the bios does see it as the SFF.  

[BeemerBiker]

There is another possibility.  It is possible a memory scan only reports 16gb due to timing problems but CPUz reportrs 32gb as it just looks at the SPD setting.  ( am guessing of course

Try the excellent diagnostic memtest86

https://www.memtest86.com/download.htm

It is an ISO that fits on a CD or USB flash and boots up.

Otherwise I am out of ideas to where it looks like a faulty memory controller.

[Dflint24]

ram memtest and everything passed 😂 . this is unreal 

[Dflint24]

i also made sure it was the correct motherboard for this unit and well it is. Anyone else have anymore ideas