Windows 7 Added memory,system slower

darco

New Member
My system came with 3gigs of dual channel ddr2 5300 memory. Today I removed 2 512mb sticks and added 2gb x2 sticks of Crucial Dual Channel memory for a total of 6gigs. Windows reports it fine.
A few things;
1-unable to run the Windows Experience Index. I get an error that windows is reporting an error somewhere in the driver etc...
2-Seems to take longer to boot. Previously under 2mins,now over 3 but then on subsequent boots, boots normally. 3-Played Gears of Ware to test and it lagged quite a bit.
Currently running a mem test to make sure none of the memory is defective. Tomorrow I will remove the stock memory and see how it runs.
Do you think theres a compatibility issue w/the stock memory and the new sticks?
thxs
darco



Win 7 Beta x64
Gateway FX7024
Intel Core 2 Duo Q6600
GT8800
Sata II HDD
POS Mobo non overclockable
 
Was it one of those generic memory types that are inexpenisve that you buy in the store or was it one of the ones made specifically for your type of memory?
 
Well, firstly, I would pull all the sticks out, and reseat them, making the dual 2 GB sticks closest to the processor, and the other two 1GB furthest from the processor (If they alternate, go 2,1,2,1 where 2 is closest to the processor.

Then, I would run Windows, and click start > right click my computer > manage
Then, go to services and applications > services
Find Superfetch, and right click > properties > disable in the drop down menu, then click stop, and exit all the windows.

Then restart, and see if it has improved. If not, I'd do a Windows Reinstall.
 
Thanks Kyle..that was on my plate to relocate the mem. I did what you said and I dont see any improvement. I guess reformatting is the way to go...I am going to hold off before doing that.
thanks
darco
 
Hi guy -- even taking 2 mins to boot sounds like an aweful long time . 3 Mins reminds me of running Windows /286 on a 256KB machine (a long long long time ago). Something is definitely NOT right here.

As well as doing what KYLE says go into the BIOS of the computer and see ig there are any MEMTEST or MEMCHECK utilities.

Note also that if you add memory sticks the computer will run at the SLOWEST one.

I can't imagine any circumstances where 6GB RAM on a decently specced computer would run slower than 3GB using Windows 7 X-64.

One other possible thing also that might be causing a problem is that the "paging" disk could be taking longer to format etc on boot up. Sometimes by default the paging disk is 1/2 X the size of the REAL Memory in the machine. So instrad of 1.5GB virtual memory your computer might be allocating 3GB and if you have slow disks this will take longer to initialize.

I'd experiment with reducing the paging to say 1GB or even (although at your own risk) switching it off altogether. On a home computer with 6GB RAM you really won't be doing much paging whatever apps you are running. - Running a load of servers / virtual machines is another matter.

Cheers

Jimbo
 
I ran MEMTEST overnight and no problems detected...
The memory I added is rated at the same speed.....
I left the paging as "system managed" but I will check that as well.
Actually it seems to run fine while in Windows, but when I ran Gears of War, it seemed slower and paused for a millisecond where it didnt pause before....
Still unable to run the WEI.....

darco
 
Hi there -- can't help you unfortuantely in any way with Games stuff -- these in any case often use direct memory access to speed them up rather than use Windows Bios or official published API calls.

It's possible (outside my area so this could be 100% BS but it seems to me a reasonable guess) that your Video is probably 32 bit and can't see any more than 4GB (if that) of RAM so it's doing something funny with its RAM access. It might be trying to access an address that doesn't exist any more so it has to use the Windows "recovery" routines or something.

As I said Games programming is extremely specialized as you are usually trying to squeeze every bit of performance out of the machine -- and this often means using "unofficial hooks" "undocumented back door interfaces" or even direct hardware access.

Good luck with it -- I'm sure this will all be fixed in the final but Games will probably be one of the last things to be 100% fixed (unless the manufacturers have some arrangement with Microsoft - who will insist even more that people stick to the published Windows API and standards).

Cheers
jimbo
 
I removed the stock memory and left only the new 4gig of the new crucial memory. I am now able to run the WEI and it actually raised my memory score by .4 points.....
That what I was thinking orignally that the new and old memory were maybe conflicting in someway...dang the 4gigs was only $49 shipped.....hmm not sure if I should buy 4gigs more cuz the mobo maybe also be the culprit...I have always built my own systems and this mobo drives me crazy that I cannot overclock anything...arrghh

darco

**edit*...ran GOW w/4gigs and it played flawlessly....added the stock memory and the problem returns.....
***edit***removed the stock 1gig sticks, added the 512 sticks, and the issue returns...
 
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