Vaio BIOS not recognizing 4 GB of RAM

[me61ic]

Hi there everybody, I have succesfully upgraded my Vaio VGN-AR31M with Phoenix BIOS version, R0200J6, from Vista 32bits to Windows 7 64 bits. I wanted to upgrade as I do a lot of video editing with my machine and I want to take all that the processor can give out of my Vaio.
I think I did a lot of research before proceeding.

First of all I wanted to upgrade the RAM of the machine to 4GB but I saw in the SONY support pages that the maximum RAM available for this notebook was 2GB. I then came across this link where some people say they have successfully upgraded the RAM for a Vaio AR-41 to 4gb using 2 Kingston DDR2 667:
http://readmystuff.wordpress.com/2009/0 ... e-4gb-ram/
Went on and bought the 2 RAM memories here:
http://www.avenidadelcomercio.es/Compon ... EMF-2G.htm

Installed them while still using Vista Home Premium 32bits and it was showing 4GB through Panel Control -> System, everything was working as intended, I knew the system was showing that, even though it was really only using 3GB. I could verify this using Everest Corporate Edition.

Now in Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bits, I go to Control Panel -> System, and it shows 4GB (3GB usable). I could also verify this using Everest Corporate Edition.

I have followed the instructions on this link http://communities.vmware.com/thread/93 ... 5&tstart=0
and I have edited the BIOS to allow virtualization in my machine, but it still shows RAM 4GB (3GB usable).

I also came accross this link:
http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=989
and have followed the instructions, made the changes, but it still only uses 3 GB.

My main problem is that I think my computer is only using 3GB of RAM although it has 2x2GB modules installed, I have read that Sony doesn't let upgrading RAM on my computer VGN-AR31M above 2GB as they want you to buy newer computers... As I have read the limitation is done though the BIOS, but once I enter the BIOS I can pretty much change NOTHING in there, there are no options for anything appart from boot sequence and time. That is why I would like to modify the Phoenix BIOS somehow to let the computer use the whole upgraded 4GB of RAM

I have also noticed that I am not able to resume from hibernation mode with the 4GB of RAM, I do not get the options for restarting windows pressing F8 and that the nice start up animation flying logo of Windows 7 does not appear, I get the Vista green bar instead when the 4GB are installed, but amazingly, when the older RAM modules (2x1GB) are installed, or If I take away one of the newer 2GB modules and leave just one intalled, both the hibernation + the start up animation flying logo works perfectly, and I am able to enter the different options after restarting and pressing F8.

I would like to be able to alter the BIOS somehow to solve all this anoying behaviour. Any ideas how to change this?

Thanks in advance.

[1234s282]

Because this is a laptop , theres a big chance that the other 1gb is being taken by graphics and other in built system functions.

Load up the Windows Experience Index Performance information item from control panel and click on the "view and print details" button - how much shared graphics memory does it say? This amount gets taken off the total system memory

Regards
Admin

[me61ic]

Because this is a laptop , theres a big chance that the other 1gb is being taken by graphics and other in built system functions.

Load up the Windows Experience Index Performance information item from control panel and click on the "view and print details" button - how much shared graphics memory does it say? This amount gets taken off the total system memory

Ok here is what it says (sorry it is in Spanish I'll mark the shared one):
Gráficos
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tipo del adaptador de monitor NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600
Memoria de gráficos disponible en total 1407 MB
Memoria dedicada de gráficos 128 MB
Memoria dedicada del sistema 0 MB
Memoria compartida del sistema 1279 MB (shared)
Mostrar la versión del controlador del adaptador 7.15.11.6369
Resolución del monitor principal 1440x900
Versión de DirectX DirectX 9.0 o posterior

I understand that there must be some sharing, but isn't it strange that I cannot hibernate (keeps restarting in a cycle, and I have to either insert the Win7 disc to repair load up files or remove one of the 2GB modules to have just 2GB of RAM), I cannot enter the safe mode (hitting F8 does not work with 4GB but it does work if I remove one of the 2GB modules of RAM).

I have taken out the hibernation feature, but now that the battery is coming to the end of its life, sometimes it switches the computer off by itself and when I plug it in again it tries to start through the windows safe mode selection screen, that does not work, so it enters that cycle of permanent restarting (the cycle goes like restart-vaio logo-blank screen-restart-vaio logo and so on) so it is a little annoying having to switch off completely and take one of the RAM modules away, then it does show the flying windows start-up animation and it does enter the safe mode correctly. When the 4GB of RAM are installed instead of the flying windows start-up animation of windows 7 I get the green bar of Vista, but if I take one the 2GB modules it shows the flying windows .

[MrTangoWhisky]

This sounds like an incompatibility of the memory drivers or the chipsets... Have you once tried booting a linux? I prefer Knoppix to check wether its the HW or the SW and it is for free...

[me61ic]

This sounds like an incompatibility of the memory drivers or the chipsets... Have you once tried booting a linux? I prefer Knoppix to check wether its the HW or the SW and it is for free...

No I haven't tried, but I will if you think it can help out finding the problem. What should I do? just burn a cd with whatever in under download and restart the system with that CD on? Will it say if something is wrong with hardware or software??? By the way as I said before, I changed both RAM modules, I previously had 2 modules of 1GB each and I changed them both with another 2 modules of 2GB each. They are both Kingston, and if I just remove one of them, the system starts as it should, showing the flying logo and letting me enter the hibernation or safe mode if I want... I guess if it would be SW or HW it would fail with just one module installed or with both of them in place ??? That is why I was thinking it would have to be because of the BIOS saying there are 2GB of RAM and finding out there 4GB instead.

[MrTangoWhisky]

If another OS is able to start (indicates a HAL-problem in Windows) and it has the right tools on board to check the hardware (as Knoppix has!) then it is possibly not the BIOS, not the Chipset but just the good old Windows HAL. And yes, in deed I think this would help us to get closer to the problem. As you described the bootup-cycle it finishes the POST and than tries to load the Windows core with incompatible RAM-adresses wich causes the crash. But if even Knoppix isn't able to load, then there might be a limitation in the built in chipset or hopefully just a little tiny tweak to set in the BIOS. BTW. have you ever had a look in the BIOS with 4Gb on board? This might give us a hint, where to search...

[me61ic]

Ok, I'll burn the disc now and give it a try, I'll post the results as soon as I do it.

Yes, I have tried to enter the BIOS with the 4GB of RAM installed and I am able to do it without problems, I only have the same options as with 2GB ie to change the start-up sequence and time, nothing else really, do you want me to capture screens so you can have a look?

By the way many thanks to everybody for all the help

[me61ic]

Ok, I'll burn the disc now and give it a try, I'll post the results as soon as I do it.

Ok, here is the result:

It works with the 4GB installed although I can not see what appears in the screen, everything is fuzzy, but I can still go through the menu and select the options in there (thanks god it's got the auto screenreader)
I also removed one of the 2Gb modules of RAM and it works perfectly also the screen. I have uploaded a couple of videos so you can see by yourself:

Vaio AR with 4g of RAM loading Knoppix -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaAyrZXFh-M


Vaio AR with 2g of RAM loading Knoppix -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bA-HL7RQ9w

[me61ic]

Here are 2 videos of Win 7 loading with 4GB and 2 GB of RAM

Vaio AR with 4g of RAM loading Win7 -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_l1A9HEaZk


Vaio AR with 2g of RAM loading Win7 -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VgDJX7M6Ok

I have read here that I might be having the problems because of the RAM allocated for video sharing, but is it possible to change it in this VAIO???
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Foru...e4754d900c

[banana19]

Here are 2 videos of Win 7 loading with 4GB and 2 GB of RAM

Vaio AR with 4g of RAM loading Win7 -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_l1A9HEaZk


Vaio AR with 2g of RAM loading Win7 -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VgDJX7M6Ok

I have read here that I might be having the problems because of the RAM allocated for video sharing, but is it possible to change it in this VAIO???
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Foru...e4754d900c

could tango found you a slower booting Linux (i like puupy linux) theres no video options in you bios? looks like it has nvidia grafix. nvidia has its own overclock software. installing it may give you some additional video options.

Nick