Problems Installing Memory in GA-970A-DS3

[jaf]

Finally!  I just tried the 32mb sd card again, and this time the bios updated to F6! 

However, I'm now back at the original problem of four 4gb memory sticks show up as 8gb (8176 mb when I use F9 in the bios setup or viewing properties in the task manager.) 

[absic]

I can't understand why you are having so many problems with updating the BIOS and it must be really frustrating for you.

You can safely flash the same BIOS version and, for future reference you can also flash back to an earlier version if you wish to do so.

@BIOS should work in XP 64 bit have you downloaded and installed the latest version which is: B12.0723.1 and was released on 25/1012?

When you tried using QFlash:
Did you formatt your USB pendrive did through a Microsoft OS?
If yes and it was formatted as FAT32 did you plug your pendrive into a USB2.0 port on the PC? If it is recognised it will show up as a USB-HDD which can sometimes be confusing.
Is the pendrive 4Gb or less?
Have you tried a different make/brand of USB pendrive?
 I have a Sandisk Cruzer pendrive which works fine for QFlash but the Sandisk Edge Pendrive I also have doesn't work on my system (go figure).

Sorry to go over the same ground but sometimes it is easy to miss a simple thing and, as I say, flashing the BIOS should not be causing you so much trouble.

EDIT: Was just about to post the above when I saw your update.

OK, double check that your RAM modules really are 4Gb sticks and not 4 x 2GB sticks.
Don't laugh, I made this mistake myself and it can easily be done with the way that RAM is sometimes labelled.

If they are definitely 4Gb sticks, remove 2 sticks from the system and make sure that the remaining 2 are from the same kit and are plugged into the DIMM slots numbered DDR3_1 & DDR3_2. Do you now see 8Gb of RAM?

If you do great, but if you don't move the stick from DDR3_2 to DDR3_3. Do you now see 8Gb of RAM?

[jaf]

Okay, I'll try swapping them around.  The 4 sticks are all labeled 4gb and have the correct part number.  The packaging from Crucial didn't have them paired -- just four esd packs.

 I did try one pair in the appropriate slots (the one white and one blue slots labled DDR3_1 and DDR3_3) and got 4gb instead of the expected 8gb.  I don't remember if I tried the other pair or not.  I'll try that and then one with one of each of the remaining three to see if it makes a difference.

I did go to the crucial site and run their little utility that confirms the memory I bought is compatible with the motherboard, and it was.

Thanks for all your help.  I'm surprised how "touchy" that q-flash utility is with usb sticks and their size.  Also, just for information, FAT will work on a very small memory card (like the 32mb one I used.)

[jaf]

Happy and confused!    I started out with the intention of try all possible pairings of my four 4gb sticks.  First, I pulled the pair in slots 4 and 2 and power up.  I couldn't get to the BIOS!  So I took the two sticks in slots 1 and 3 and put them in 2 and 4, and got to the bios where I used F9 to find I had 8gb installed!  So I powered off and installed the other two sticks in slots 1 and 3, and got 16gb!

So now everything is fine (I will run a memtest from a bootable cd, but don't expect any problems.  I guess the whole problem was a re-seat of one of the first pair, though I had checked if they sticks were secure in their slots and the locking tabs were closed all the way.

Again, thanks for all the help.  Sometimes what you learn after the problem is fixed is worth it.  I have an updated bios and also a backup and all my system memory! 

[absic]

Pleased you got there in the end and hopefully now, there will be no more problems.