DUAL CHANNEL PROBLEM

[paulxmr7]

Hello everyone, 

Today I have made a series of succesfully upgrades to my HP Notebook 15-db0xxxxx including:

★ RAM memory upgrade from 12 (1×8GB + 1×4GB) to 16GB by replacing the 4GB module with an 8GB module exactly the same as the original. Same vendor, same part number, same frequency, same capacity, etc. 

★ Replacing the HDD with a Samsung SSD, 870 EVO one.  

My question here, and my strange thing, is that if I have two exactly the same modules installed, the BIOS recognizes them, the BIOS is updated to the latest version... why isn't dual channel mode activated?

*RAM specs: 

✓ description: SODIMM DDR4 Synchronous  Unbuffered (Unregistered) 1866MHz (0,5 ns) 

✓ form factor: SODIMM

✓ part number: HMA81GS6JJR8N-VK 

✓ vendor: hynix 

✓ capacity: 8GB 

✓ band width (actually): 64 bits

✓ clock: 1866MHz 

✓ rank: 1

✓ voltage: 1.2V 

✓ bank locator: CHANNEL A 

The only difference I have been able to detect is that in one it indicates SK China and in the new one SK Korea. 

[TzortzisG]

Hello paulxmr7.

In the olden days you had to buy the two dual-channel RAM modules as a kit for them to work properly. I know I still buy these kits when I want to upgrade. However, on modern systems this is not necessary since the relevant motherboard components (together with the BIOS) will find the best possible compromise for the two RAM memories to work in dual-channel mode. In fact, some laptops even have an "async dual-channel" mode that is enabled when 2 different sized RAM modules are used. I don't think that HP laptops have this, but this is only based on testing the systems I've actually owned and used myself....

The almost identical RAM modules should run in dual-channel mode. If you're sure that they're not (HWiNFO is the best tool for this because CPU-Z doesn't really "spell out" dual-channel), there's not much you can do. HP systems have very simple options in the BIOS setup, you could try resetting these to their defaults. In some cases the BIOS gets "stuck" during the upgrade procedure and this fixes it. You can also try a different brand of RAM memory. To be honest, sometimes a system refuses to run dual-channel and if this is the case there's not a lot you can do. Reset BIOS from settings or taking out CMOS battery, taking out and reseating the RAM you already have, trying out other modules....that's about it.