Windows showing second RAM slot empty, benchmark tool showing both occupied.

[AmaTin]

im having an issue with my laptop. my uncle noticed i had 4gb of ram on my laptop and he was surprised. my laptop was operating really slow so he offered to upgrade my ram to the max compatible 32gb (3200) and upgrade my nvme ssd from a gen 3 250gb - to a gen 4 1tb. when he opened the casing in the back, we saw 2 sticks in there and assumed maybe they were 2gb each. However, when we pulled one out, it said 4gb. confused we pulled out the other one and that just had the replace with HP spare sticker showing the replacement part number. however when we plugged it back in and turned on the laptop, task manager only showed 4gb of ram and only 1 slot used out of 2. CPU Z however showed both sticks totaling 8gb ram. my uncle proceeded to install all the new hardware into my laptop and installed win 11 on my new ssd. after booting it up, we checked system about as well as task manager and it still only showed one slot occupied while the other as empty and total ram at 16gb. checked CPU Z again and it shows 32gb. the type of ram i purchased was

TEAMGROUP ELITE DDR4 3200mhz 32GB(2x16GB) RAM - SN: 1F2405100080005 and  SN: 1F2405100080006. what are my possible fixes to this?

[Nal_NR]

Hi @AmaTin,

Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

I'd be glad to help you! 

Based on the information you’ve provided, it seems like your HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15-EC1xxx is not recognizing the full 32GB of RAM in the system’s Task Manager and System About, even though CPU-Z correctly identifies both sticks totaling 32GB. This discrepancy suggests a possible issue with hardware recognition or BIOS settings. Let’s go through some troubleshooting steps to resolve this:

Step 1: Check RAM Seating and Reinstall

Power Down and Reseat the RAM:

• Turn off your laptop, unplug the power adapter, and remove the battery (if possible).
• Open the back casing again and carefully remove both RAM sticks.
• Reinstall them, ensuring they are properly seated in their slots. Press down until you hear a click or until the clips on the side secure the RAM firmly in place.

Swap RAM Slots:

• Try swapping the RAM sticks between the slots to see if the recognition changes. Sometimes, a slot might not be fully seated or functioning correctly.

Step 2: Update BIOS

Check for BIOS Updates:

• Go to the HP support page for your specific laptop model and check for the latest BIOS updates.
• Download and install the latest BIOS update. This can sometimes resolve hardware recognition issues, especially with newly installed RAM.

Reset BIOS Settings:

• Restart your laptop and press F10 during startup to enter the BIOS setup.
• Once in BIOS, look for the option to Load Default Settings or Reset to Default and apply these settings. This can help refresh the system’s hardware detection.

Step 3: Check BIOS for Memory Settings

1. Verify Memory Settings in BIOS:
   • While in the BIOS, navigate to the Advanced or Memory section.
   • Ensure both RAM slots are recognized. If one slot shows as empty, there might be a slot issue or a BIOS configuration that needs adjustment.

Please find the remaining steps in the next post. 

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

[Nal_NR]

Hi @AmaTin,

Please find the remaining steps below. 

Step 4: Run Memory Diagnostics

1. Use Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool:
   • Press Win + R, type mdsched.exe, and press Enter to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool.
   • Choose Restart now and check for problems. This will scan your RAM for any issues during the next startup.
   • Check the results once the scan is complete to see if any issues with the RAM are reported.

Step 5: Check Operating System Limits

1. Verify OS RAM Limits:
   • Ensure your Windows 11 installation is a 64-bit version, as 32-bit versions have a limitation on the amount of RAM they can use.
   • Check the System Information (press Win + X and select System) to confirm that your system type is 64-bit.

Step 6: Test Each RAM Stick Individually

1. Test RAM Sticks One at a Time:
   • Try booting with one RAM stick installed at a time to verify that both sticks are functioning correctly on their own.
   • This can help identify if one stick is faulty or if one of the slots on the motherboard might be problematic.

Step 7: Check for Motherboard Compatibility

1. Verify RAM Compatibility:
   • Check your laptop's manual or the HP website for the exact RAM specifications supported by your motherboard. Ensure the installed RAM sticks match these specifications.
   • Even though the RAM is 3200MHz, some systems may default to a lower speed if compatibility issues arise.

Step 8: Inspect for Faulty Hardware

1. Test with Different RAM:
   • If possible, test with a different set of compatible RAM sticks to see if the laptop recognizes the full amount in Task Manager.
   • This can help determine if the issue is with the new RAM or the motherboard.

If the above steps do not resolve the issue, there may be a deeper compatibility problem between your laptop’s motherboard and the installed RAM, or there could be a fault with the RAM slots on the motherboard. In such cases, contacting HP support for hardware diagnostics might be necessary.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

[AmaTin]

Hi, thank you for the thorough explanation. I tried all the the steps that you mentioned and it did not solve my issue. Additionally, I tried to boot the laptop  by only installing in one ram at a time and tested it in each slot; slot 1 boots, slot 2 does not. I tried this with both RAM in both slot and the conclusion is the same - one slot does not work/register the RAM. It seems to me that it might be a hardware issue, but would you have any other suggestions I could try?

[Nal_NR]

Hi @AmaTin ,

We apologize for the inconvenience, but it seems that the issue persists even after attempting the troubleshooting steps mentioned above.

This might require one-on-one interaction via remote assistance to fix the issue. 

I've sent you a private message with further instructions. In order to access your private messages, click the private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Support Community profile, next to your profile Name or simply click on this link.

If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the Accepted Solution button, that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!