Invisible Memory Not Available after Memory Upgrade?

[99bobster99]

Hello,

I downloaded the trial version of your RamDisk software (v5.6.0). I am using a Dell E6510 laptop running Windows XP SP3, with 4GB memory. Everything runs great, I added the "/PAE" attribute in the boot.ini file and configured the Invisible Memory and it was successfully installed. Your software showed 700MB of Invisible memory available. Now the problem ... I upgraded my memory from 4GB to 8GB, using PC3-10600 DDR3 SODIMM memory (same type as the initial 4GB memory modules), figuring I would increase my available Invisible memory. Not the case, after upgrading the memory to 8GB, Primo RamDisk no longer was able to allocate the invisible memory? The error message said "failed to enable invisible memory". Ok, I figured that I needed to uninstal the software, something from the 4GB configuration was still assigned. I put the 4GB modules back in the laptop, disabled the IM settings and then uninstalled the RamDisk software. Rebooted, all was gone. I shutdown the laptop, replaced the memory with the 8GB modules, booted XP, installed the RamDisk software, tried to enable the IM, same error, "failed to enable invisible memory" popup.

I ran a program called "Speccy" to compare the memory installed (4GB and the 8GB) and it checked out ok. Any suggestions on what the problem might be? I know you are going to say the new memory modules I installed are causing the issue (which they are), but why would it cause a difference?? I also tried to limit the assigned IM, when using the 8GB, to start at 1024MB, assign 1024MB, but same error message.

[Manny]

Just to be sure that it is RamDisk. Can you see the new amount of ram in bios and in windows(it should see all installed memory but show available limited to 3.3Gb)?
Also i think it would be useful for support team to know what hardware you are using. (CPU, GPU, motherboard)

[99bobster99]

Yes, it is the RamDisk program. Bios sees the full 8GB (8192MB) and limited to (8107MB).

I used Piriform's Speccy program, you can download it here;



http://www.piriform.com/speccy/download/standard



I'd like to email you the (2) Speccy files that shows my laptop's hardware configuration. I cannot seem to attach these files to this thread. Where should I email them?

[Manny]

you can use screen shot utility like http://clip2net.com it is free, easy to use and will give you url that you can post here.

Also here are two articles from Microsoft.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... 87503.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... 87508.aspx

Unfortunately i don't have much time right now to experiment and explore PAE, but you cad do that your own.
The only thing i know for sure that PAE is unstable, that is why it was removed from Win XP in SP3. Mainly it conflicts with Video Cards and HDD controllers. Also there are a lot of other tweaks except /PAE in boot.ini, you can read about them in articles.
I would suggest to add many records to boot.ini with different parameters, and test them all. Do not forget to gave first record with safe and working parameters to be able to boot in any case. Also avoid important data manipulations during this tests. With wrong parameters data can get corrupted.

If nothing will help, you can do following:
1) downgrade to SP2
2) Win XP x64
3) Win server 2003 R2 + WinXP feature pack --- you can face problems with finding fresh videocard drivers here
4) Win 7 x64 (the most stable and recommended variant)

Please post here about any progress you got, it is interesting for me also

[99bobster99]

Hi Manny,

Strange thing, I tried a few other products, Dataram, sees all the memory there (8192MB), it is using it fine?? I don't like their interface, I like yours a lot better. There has to be something odd going on with your program either not liking this new memory or something else strange. I'd like to email you my screenshots of the RAM info. I don't really want to install the clip2net software, sorry. Let me know. I also tried IMDisk with the PAE feature, it works as well. Again, I don't like their interface, very little options. Let me know, I'd like to assist you in any way possible to figure this glitch out.

[99bobster99]

I've been playing around with this for a bit, reading your links etc. I found that turning off "DEP" by changing my boot.ini file entry "/noexecute" option to "/noexecute=AlwaysOff" and leaving the "/PAE" allowed SuperSpeed Ramdisk Plus to work flawlessly. Still nothing with Primo RamDisk. I think I will run the SuperSpeed RamDisk for now, let me know if there is anything yo ucan think of on this?? Strange, seems that your RamDisk program has an issue with my new Mushkin memory modules?

[Manny]

I see, great to hear that you found work around, I'm not from dev or support teams and connected to this product same as you So i wish support guys will come to this thread some day

[99bobster99]

Hi Manny,

A Christmas miracle just happened , I

I replaced my 8GB of Mushkin memory for 8GB of Patriot memory and shazam, everything works fine with your RamDisk program! It was the memory modules, something "different" with the Mushkin PC3-10600 memory! What crap this Mushkin memory seems to be! I wrote in an earlier thread here that the SuperSpeed RamDisk was working, well after further review it locked up numerous times, so even though it "seemed" to allocate the unmanaged memory, at the end it didn't utilize it properly. I have to hand it to your program, it noticed a problem before installing itself! Very impressive!

thanks for your help Manny!

[Manny]

Yeah this is really miracle Very strange issue

[99bobster99]

Now that I have access to my invisible memory, I tried the trial version of your FancyCache. Very cool software my friend! My question is, i see that you've had it in Beta release for some time now. Any ideas on when it will be the final release? Oh, another question came to mind. Not sure I set mine up properly or not, butmy understanding of the functionality is that you need to utilize some window's managed memory for the Level 1 cache and then assign invisible memory to the Level 2 cache. Is this correct? Can the Level 1 cache be setup to also come from the invisible memory? I setup 512MB for Level 1, and split the available 4GB invisible memory between FancyCache and RamDisk. Seems to be a very stable configuration at the moment! Any suggestions on how to fully utilize my 8G with your 2 software?