Gateway MX3215 RAM upgrade issue


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hey guys, I'm working on a friend's laptop. I just installed a 1GB stick of Corsair ValueSelect RAM DDR2-533 SODIMM. The computer is only seeing 512 MB. It boots fine; I've already loaded Windows (new HDD install, too) and it seems to be working fine.

I've ran MemTest and it showed no errors. After looking on the Gateway website, I've found no BIOS updates.

Any Ideas where I can find one, or how I can fix this?

Thanks!

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  Heliosintrism said:
click start and run, then type msconfig. go to the boot tab, click advanced options and see if max ram is checked if so uncheck it and reboot.

The Video card on this laptop uses shared memory (right now it's set to 64 MB) and the BIOS only sees 512 MB. So it's not a Windows issue... any other ideas?

Update!

We went to BestBuy (she had a gift card) and took the laptop with us; I tried PNY and Kingston. Both would cause the computer not to boot. Put the Corsair RAM back in and it's still showing only 512 MB.

I ran Memtestx86 off a Ubuntu boot disk, and it showed no errors. I contacted Gateway support and they said, "Contact the memory manufacturer". This is driving me crazy. I've been looking at other forums and many people have had this same issue. I still have not found a solution, though.

Any ideas and/or help would be really super awesome! Thanks guys!

J

Hmm. This is quite the conundrum!

My initial thought was maybe the laptop doesn't support 1GB memory but...I looked over the specs and it does. (If it didn't would it even post with a 1gb stick in there?)

Is it the bios or vista that only shows 512MB or both?

Is there another memory slot you can try?

(I know this is stuff you probably already tried but it never hurts to ask.)

  DigitalManifestations said:
Hmm. This is quite the conundrum!

My initial thought was maybe the laptop doesn't support 1GB memory but...I looked over the specs and it does. (If it didn't would it even post with a 1gb stick in there?)

Is it the bios or vista that only shows 512MB or both?

Is there another memory slot you can try?

(I know this is stuff you probably already tried but it never hurts to ask.)

Both are showing exactly 448 MB (with shared video mem being 64 MB) in the BIOS and in XP. I took out the battery, held down the power button for 1 min, put battery back in... same thing. Only 512 total.

This computer only has one memory slot. It's killing me. I've been looking over this for a while now, and it's really ****ing me off. I'm about to go get some beer. Save me from a drunkin-stoned time, Neowin! You're my only hope.

  Mindovermaster said:
That's a hard one, RAIDy...

Are you sure the stick is 1gb? And as I read above, the computer can take 1gb...

:s

She ordered exactly what I told her to off of Newegg. I sent her the links, she paid then brought me the parts.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820145593

That's the RAM she bought... it came sealed in the original package.

I have to give the laptop back to her later today, and I was hoping to have this fixed for her. She said, "It really no big deal." But it is... she's missing half the RAM she paid for; 1 GB is much better than 512 MB. Stupid, worthless Gateway can't help. I didn't find any BIOS updates for this machine.

I'm really stumped on this one, guys. Tried two other GB sticks, and both would cause the computer not to boot. What am I missing?

After searching around the net I Found this forum

http://www.fixya.com/support/t209571-memor...y_mx3215_laptop

It looks like that laptop is VERY picky with the type of ram you install in it. Most people got a black screen with the ram they tried. One guy was successful, problem is he got it to work using the exact stick you bought. So now I don't know what to think. Only thing it could be is a bad stick you got from newegg, or maybe it is mislabel and is actually only 512. Maybe download some kind of memory identification software for windows. Like CPU-Z, and see if it matches the stick you ordered.

  Quote
I have the MX3215. I installed the following memory card and it works:

Corsair Value Select VS1GSDS533D2

960 MB shows up under Control Panel/System. 64 MB is used for the vidieo card.

  • 1 month later...

hi there! we have the exact same problem, I too have a gateway mx3215 and purchased a kingston 1gb module Kingston Newegg

That's the module I bought, booted it up and only 512 detected (combined with shared mem). I looked up the chipset of the mobo and it uses VN800, looking at VIA's website, the Kingston module I bought was not validated. Kingston part number KVR533D2S4 was.

Look closely at the difference of the two modules I tested with the laptop.

1GB KVR533D2S4 - Detected as 1gb 1GB Detected

1GB KVR533D2SO - Detected only as 512 512 Detected

Weird eh? Gateway laptops just plain sucks.

Looking at the list of validated memory modules with the chipset, there's not even a corsair brand listed.

Hope this helps.

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