Wanting to upgrade RAM, may need BIOS update before doing so

[Firef131]

I've had this laptop for a very long time now.  I've worked on computers my whole life and I'm running into issues with trying to upgrade the RAM.  It's had 4GB since I've had it.  The problem I'm running into is the BIOS is NOT recognizing the new RAM.  I bought 2 8GB sticks, all numbers matching from my original memory to the new.  The System Diagnostic page (F2) shows the 16GB, but the BIOS is only showing 6GB and keeps going thru a BSOD loop with different codes each time, kernel, handle exceptions, etc.  HP no longer supports this laptop, and it won't find any BIOS update on the HP site.  This has always been a great computer and well taken care of, its running Win 10 and always updated.  Not sure what to do.

[pbroussard]

Did you try running 1 module at a time? Maybe one is bad.

Also model Dv7t-3100 doesn't come up on Support page, please check the label for a full Model number or Product ID.

[Firef131]

Being as the Sys Diag page shows the full 16GB and the BIOS is only showing 6GB, Id say just putting one in won't do much as it's not even recognizing 1 full 8 GB stick.

[Huffer]

Please tell us exactly what memory you tried to install. And then the processor. Intel Core 1st gen are notoriously finicky for example and your laptop is from that era.  And in some cases max memory for that era of system may be 8 gb. If I recall after all this time only Quad Cores can take 16 gb of DDR3-1333 I think. 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, @Firef131 

Your notebook only supports a max of 2 x 4 GB which may be why the 2 x 8 GB of memory isn't working.

Memory RAM & SSD Upgrades | hp - compaq | pavilion dv7 series | Pavilion dv7t-3100 CTO | Crucial.com

Here are the info and exe links to the last BIOS update HP released for your notebook.

F.1D

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp50501-51000/sp50586.html

Exe:

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp50501-51000/sp50586.exe 

Note that the BIOS file was written to be run on Windows 7, so trying to update the BIOS when running Windows 10 could permanently destroy your notebook.

If you don't already have this version installed, I highly recommend you temporarily install W7 to update the BIOS.

And yes, Huffer is right about the first gen quad core processors supporting up to 2 x 8 GB of memory but you have to be very picky about what memory you use.

I cannot be any faster than 1333 MHz.   DDR3L-1600 memory will not work.

It has to be 1.5V, and it has to be low density--having 8 of the little black memory chips on each side of the circuit board, not 4.