Windows 10: Half RAM allocated to "Hardware Reserve"

Hello everyone. I really hope you can help me. I'm at the end of my rope.

First off, my specs:
Gigabyte 990FXA-UD3 mobo
AMD FX 8350 CPU
2 x G skill 4 GB sticks
EVGA 660 Ti GPU
OS on SSD
2 x 1 TB mechanical drives

Only half my RAM is showing as usable. The rest is shoved into hardware reserved. It doesn't matter what channels I use or even what RAM I use, it cuts whatever is in there by HALF. I even tried 4 sticks, cuts 16GB into 8GB.

I've tried CLEAN installs of Windows 10 AND 8.1, still cuts in half.

I've send mobo back to gigabyte, they tested and found no problem.

I tried a different CPU, still cut in half.

I tried different GPU, still RAM halved.

I've tried editing registry, unchecking that box for "maximum memory" in the msconfig boot menu. I've looked all through the BIOS and tweeked different settings. Nothing.

I'm hoping someone can help. I don't know what else to do here.

Included are screenshots.






:)

 

windows 10 upgrade, 20GB ram (3.4 usable) ?

how would I go about doing this? So far I only found power option fixes when I look up disabling turbo core.

 

windows 10 upgrade, 20GB ram (3.4 usable) ?

As this is an AMD board, perhaps this is the same problem:

Only half my 16GB of ram works, other half is hardware reserved.

with one comment:"disabling amd turbo core gave me back ALL of my memory."

 

Try checking some BIOS options (memory hole and the such). You might want to upgrade BIOS if possible (but check the manufacturer's site first for a changelog).

 

I saw this snippet: change the BIOS setting for Frame Buffer Location from [Above 4G] to [Below 4G}... and now i have 1MB in HW reserved and not 4G. Windows sees all *G as usable

 

BIOS is updated to latest version and I triple checked all my other drivers to make sure they are up to date.

 

I have not seen this before and is not something I've tried, I will try this when I get home.

 

Alright no good, I don't see anywhere in the BIOS where I can change this value. I've looked everywhere and also google searched, got nothing.

 

Update I tried another OS on another hard drive, same thing.

 

Have you checked the memory modules individually by taking both out, insert one at a time in both sockets, switch them around and see how they behave, make sure they don't have any bent pins and inserted fully.

 

Yes, I've even tried different RAM sticks and bought brand new ones.

 

I have almost same configuration and this is what it looks like here:



May be important that I'm using BIOS, not UEFI.

 

OK so I do see UEFI all over the place on this mobo. could that be something I am missing? I don't even understand what that is and how it is different than BIOS.

 

UEFI /EFI, (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is a standard firmware interface for PCs, designed to replace BIOS (basic input/output system).
What is UEFI? - Windows Help

In essence it's BIOS but not in ROM on the chip but on a special partition on BOOT drive. Old time BIOS (Legacy BIOS) provides just enough function to boot to that partition which takes over after that. Part of it stays in RAM so it could be modified on the fly. It also provides graphical interface for BIOS. On this MB it's pretty fundamental so I don't use it, except for looks there's not much to be gained.

 

How can I check if I'm using it? also can I switch back and forth between them to see if it makes a difference?

ALSO UPDATE: I bought 2 more sticks of GSKILL RAM. It is now still halving the RAM, shoving 8GB into hardware reserve, effectively cutting 16GB in half. So now I'm running 4 sticks of 4GB. Now I can use 8GB....... but half is still shoved in hardware reserved. LOL WTF