Ram not detected in Manjaro,but is detected in the BIOS

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1

Manjaro only detects 4GB of RAM out of 8GB.
But the BIOS detects all of it,and Windows doesn’t have a problem detecting it either.
I have no idea why it’s happening.
I don’t have an iGPU nor an APU…

Specs:
CPU: FX-8320E
RAM: Kingston D3N9 1333MHz CL9 4GB x2 (Dual channel)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P Rev 2.0
GPUs:
Main GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GT430 2GB
Second GPU: ATi Radeon HD 6970 2GB GDDR5 (for GPU passthrough)
Storage: A very old 80GB TOSHIBA HDD

(This weird setup is part of an experiment i am doing :D)

Here is the memory part from Dmidecode:

Handle 0x002C, DMI type 16, 23 bytes
Physical Memory Array
	Location: System Board Or Motherboard
	Use: System Memory
	Error Correction Type: None
	Maximum Capacity: 32 GB
	Error Information Handle: Not Provided
	Number Of Devices: 4

Handle 0x002D, DMI type 19, 31 bytes
Memory Array Mapped Address
	Starting Address: 0x00000000000
	Ending Address: 0x001FFFFFFFF
	Range Size: 8 GB
	Physical Array Handle: 0x002C
	Partition Width: 255

Handle 0x002E, DMI type 17, 34 bytes
Memory Device
	Array Handle: 0x002C
	Error Information Handle: Not Provided
	Total Width: 64 bits
	Data Width: 64 bits
	Size: 4 GB
	Form Factor: DIMM
	Set: None
	Locator: Node0_Dimm0
	Bank Locator: Node0_Bank0
	Type: DDR3
	Type Detail: Synchronous Unbuffered (Unregistered)
	Speed: 667 MT/s
	Manufacturer: Kingston          
	Serial Number: 5B231E54    
	Asset Tag: Dimm0_AssetTag
	Part Number: 99U5471-012.A
	Rank: 2
	Configured Memory Speed: 667 MT/s

Handle 0x002F, DMI type 20, 35 bytes
Memory Device Mapped Address
	Starting Address: 0x00000000000
	Ending Address: 0x000000003FF
	Range Size: 1 kB
	Physical Device Handle: 0x002E
	Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x002D
	Partition Row Position: Unknown
	Interleave Position: Unknown
	Interleaved Data Depth: Unknown

Handle 0x0030, DMI type 17, 34 bytes
Memory Device
	Array Handle: 0x002C
	Error Information Handle: Not Provided
	Total Width: Unknown
	Data Width: 64 bits
	Size: No Module Installed
	Form Factor: DIMM
	Set: None
	Locator: Node0_Dimm1
	Bank Locator: Node0_Bank0
	Type: Unknown
	Type Detail: Synchronous
	Speed: Unknown
	Manufacturer: Dimm1_Manufacturer
	Serial Number: Dimm1_SerNum
	Asset Tag: Dimm1_AssetTag
	Part Number: Dimm1_PartNum
	Rank: Unknown
	Configured Memory Speed: Unknown

Handle 0x0031, DMI type 126, 35 bytes
Inactive

Handle 0x0032, DMI type 17, 34 bytes
Memory Device
	Array Handle: 0x002C
	Error Information Handle: Not Provided
	Total Width: 64 bits
	Data Width: 64 bits
	Size: 4 GB
	Form Factor: DIMM
	Set: None
	Locator: Node0_Dimm2
	Bank Locator: Node0_Bank0
	Type: DDR3
	Type Detail: Synchronous Unbuffered (Unregistered)
	Speed: 667 MT/s
	Manufacturer: Kingston          
	Serial Number: 5226C72A    
	Asset Tag: Dimm2_AssetTag
	Part Number: 99U5471-020.A
	Rank: 2
	Configured Memory Speed: 667 MT/s

Handle 0x0033, DMI type 20, 35 bytes
Memory Device Mapped Address
	Starting Address: 0x00000000000
	Ending Address: 0x000FFFFFFFF
	Range Size: 4 GB
	Physical Device Handle: 0x0032
	Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x002D
	Partition Row Position: Unknown
	Interleave Position: Unknown
	Interleaved Data Depth: Unknown

Handle 0x0034, DMI type 17, 34 bytes
Memory Device
	Array Handle: 0x002C
	Error Information Handle: Not Provided
	Total Width: Unknown
	Data Width: 64 bits
	Size: No Module Installed
	Form Factor: DIMM
	Set: None
	Locator: Node0_Dimm3
	Bank Locator: Node0_Bank0
	Type: Unknown
	Type Detail: Synchronous
	Speed: Unknown
	Manufacturer: Dimm3_Manufacturer
	Serial Number: Dimm3_SerNum
	Asset Tag: Dimm3_AssetTag
	Part Number: Dimm3_PartNum
	Rank: Unknown
	Configured Memory Speed: Unknown
2

can you return

inxi -Fza
1 Like
3 
inxi -Fza:
> System:
>   Kernel: 5.16.14-1-MANJARO arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 11.2.0
>     parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.16-x86_64
>     root=UUID=c5aaa779-11d2-4c84-9ecc-e60f9e1991a7 rw quiet apparmor=1
>     security=apparmor udev.log_priority=3
>   Desktop: Xfce v: 4.16.0 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.29 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm
>     v: 4.16.1 dm: LightDM v: 1.30.0 Distro: Manjaro Linux base: Arch Linux
> Machine:
>   Type: Desktop Mobo: Gigabyte model: 970A-DS3P v: x.x serial: N/A
>     BIOS: American Megatrends v: FD date: 02/26/2016
> CPU:
>   Info: model: AMD FX-8320E socket: AM3 bits: 64 type: MT MCP
>     arch: Piledriver family: 0x15 (21) model-id: 2 stepping: 0
>     microcode: 0x6000852
>   Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 8 smt: enabled cache: L1: 384 KiB
>     desc: d-8x16 KiB; i-4x64 KiB L2: 8 MiB desc: 4x2 MiB L3: 8 MiB
>     desc: 1x8 MiB
>   Speed (MHz): avg: 1400 min/max: 1400/3200 boost: enabled
>     base/boost: 3200/3200 scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: schedutil
>     volts: 1.1 V ext-clock: 200 MHz cores: 1: 1400 2: 1400 3: 1400 4: 1400
>     5: 1400 6: 1400 7: 1400 8: 1400 bogomips: 51462
>   Flags: avx ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
>   Vulnerabilities:
>   Type: itlb_multihit status: Not affected
>   Type: l1tf status: Not affected
>   Type: mds status: Not affected
>   Type: meltdown status: Not affected
>   Type: spec_store_bypass
>     mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
>   Type: spectre_v1
>     mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
>   Type: spectre_v2
>     mitigation: Retpolines, IBPB: conditional, STIBP: disabled, RSB filling
>   Type: srbds status: Not affected
>   Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
> Graphics:
>   Device-1: NVIDIA GF108 [GeForce GT 430] driver: nouveau v: kernel pcie:
>     gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16 ports: active: HDMI-A-1
>     empty: DVI-I-1,VGA-1 bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:0de1 class-ID: 0300
>   Device-2: AMD Cayman XT [Radeon HD 6970] vendor: PC Partner / Sapphire
>     driver: radeon v: kernel pcie: gen: 2 speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 4 link-max:
>     lanes: 16 ports: active: none
>     empty: DP-1, DP-2, DVI-D-1, DVI-I-2, HDMI-A-2 bus-ID: 05:00.0
>     chip-ID: 1002:6718 class-ID: 0300
>   Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.3 compositor: xfwm v: 4.16.1 driver:
>     X: loaded: modesetting,radeon alternate: fbdev,vesa gpu: nouveau
>     display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
>   Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.00x11.22")
>     s-diag: 582mm (22.93")
>   Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI-1 model: AOC 2270W serial: <filter>
>     built: 2015 res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 102 gamma: 1.2
>     size: 477x268mm (18.78x10.55") diag: 547mm (21.5") ratio: 16:9 modes:
>     max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
>   Message: Unable to show GL data. Required tool glxinfo missing.
> Audio:
>   Device-1: AMD SBx00 Azalia vendor: Gigabyte driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
>     bus-ID: 00:14.2 chip-ID: 1002:4383 class-ID: 0403
>   Device-2: NVIDIA GF108 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
>     v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 01:00.1
>     chip-ID: 10de:0bea class-ID: 0403
>   Device-3: AMD Cayman/Antilles HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 6930/6950/6970/6990]
>     vendor: PC Partner / Sapphire driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 2
>     speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 4 link-max: lanes: 16 bus-ID: 05:00.1
>     chip-ID: 1002:aa80 class-ID: 0403
>   Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.16.14-1-MANJARO running: yes
>   Sound Server-2: JACK v: 1.9.20 running: no
>   Sound Server-3: PulseAudio v: 15.0 running: yes
>   Sound Server-4: PipeWire v: 0.3.48 running: yes
> Network:
>   Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
>     vendor: Gigabyte driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s
>     lanes: 1 port: d000 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
>   IF: enp3s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
> Drives:
>   Local Storage: total: 74.53 GiB used: 14.77 GiB (19.8%)
>   SMART Message: Required tool smartctl not installed. Check --recommends
>   ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Toshiba model: MK8052GSX
>     size: 74.53 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 1.5 Gb/s
>     type: N/A serial: <filter> rev: 0A scheme: MBR
> Partition:
>   ID-1: / raw-size: 74.53 GiB size: 72.81 GiB (97.69%)
>     used: 14.77 GiB (20.3%) fs: ext4 block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/sda1
>     maj-min: 8:1
> Swap:
>   Alert: No swap data was found.
> Sensors:
>   System Temperatures: cpu: 26.1 C mobo: N/A
>   Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
>   GPU: device: radeon temp: 52.5 C device: nouveau temp: 63.0 C mV: 900.00
> Info:
>   Processes: 260 Uptime: 1h 3m wakeups: 0 Memory: 3.78 GiB
>   used: 2.12 GiB (55.9%) Init: systemd v: 250 tool: systemctl Compilers:
>   gcc: 11.2.0 clang: 13.0.1 Packages: 1132 pacman: 1121 lib: 326 flatpak: 0
>   snap: 11 Shell: Bash (sudo) v: 5.1.16 running-in: xfce4-terminal
>   inxi: 3.3.15

inxi -mxx:
> Memory:
>   RAM: total: 3.78 GiB used: 2.12 GiB (55.9%)
>   Array-1: capacity: 32 GiB note: check slots: 4 EC: None
>     max-module-size: 4 GiB note: est.
>   Device-1: Node0_Dimm0 info: single-bank type: DDR3 size: 4 GiB
>     speed: 667 MT/s volts: N/A manufacturer: Kingston part-no: 99U5471-012.A
>   Device-2: Node0_Dimm1 type: no module installed
>   Device-3: Node0_Dimm2 info: single-bank type: DDR3 size: 4 GiB
>     speed: 667 MT/s volts: N/A manufacturer: Kingston part-no: 99U5471-020.A
>   Device-4: Node0_Dimm3 type: no module installed
4

The Linux kernel does not decide the amount of RAM accessible - this is an information provided by your hardware.

Some of your RAM is most likely dying.

5

It doesn’t make any sense…
It is detected in the BIOS
It is detected in Windows 10
I can do memtest to test the DIMMs but it doesn’t look like it’s a case of bad RAM.

Also Dmidecode has no problem detecting it…

6

On what evidence do you deduct the kernel cannot see your installed memory?

The system detects 2 slots populated with 4G each.

inxi says only 4G available - where approx. 50% is used.

That is why I said that your ram is failing … I don’t know why or how - or perhaps inxi has a calculation error or your ram is really failing?

Verified inxi has no calculation bug

$ sudo inxi -mxx
Memory:
  RAM: total: 62.68 GiB used: 38.73 GiB (61.8%)
  Array-1: capacity: 128 GiB note: est. slots: 4 EC: None
    max-module-size: 32 GiB note: est.
  Device-1: ChannelA-DIMM0 type: no module installed
  Device-2: ChannelA-DIMM1 type: DDR4 size: 32 GiB speed: spec: 2933 MT/s
    actual: 2666 MT/s volts: 1.2 manufacturer: Samsung
    part-no: M378A4G43AB2-CVF
  Device-3: ChannelB-DIMM0 type: no module installed
  Device-4: ChannelB-DIMM1 type: DDR4 size: 32 GiB speed: spec: 2933 MT/s
    actual: 2666 MT/s volts: 1.2 manufacturer: Samsung
    part-no: M378A4G43AB2-CVF
7

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Hardware_probe

8

I noticed something,if i do the test with sudo it recognizes all of my DIMMs,
But if i don’t use sudo it only sees a single DIMM.

Maybe i have a bad DIMM after all!

https://linux-hardware.org/?probe=8101ed4e60

I did some trouble shooting,
It’s not inxi and not the kernel - seems like the BIOS is doing that.

So yeah it could be failing,
I will buy new DIMMs and see.
I won’t be able to test it with memtest anyway since the BIOS doesn’t let anything access one of the DIMMs.

9

That is already weird, more indication that there is a problem with one of your modules. you can try to remove them, get a piece of printer paper, fold it around the contact side of the ram module and gently slide the paper back and forward to clean the contacts. Don’t touch the contact with you fingers and ground yourself before doing this!
Re seat the ram modules and run memtest for a while. Both modules should be found by memtest, if not one of the ram modules or the ram slots in you motherboard is at fault.

Updating bios is also a possibility

1 Like
10

Problem solved!
Thanks!

$ sudo inxi -mxx
Memory:
  RAM: total: 7.72 GiB used: 1.79 GiB (23.2%)
  Array-1: capacity: 32 GiB note: check slots: 4 EC: None
    max-module-size: 4 GiB note: est.
  Device-1: Node0_Dimm0 info: single-bank type: DDR3 size: 4 GiB
    speed: 667 MT/s volts: N/A manufacturer: Kingston part-no: 99U5471-020.A
  Device-2: Node0_Dimm1 type: no module installed
  Device-3: Node0_Dimm2 info: single-bank type: DDR3 size: 4 GiB
    speed: 667 MT/s volts: N/A manufacturer: Kingston part-no: 99U5471-012.A
  Device-4: Node0_Dimm3 type: no module installed

Apparently somehow one of the DIMMs came loose.
I installed this kit years ago and only started having problems today coincidentally right after installing Manjaro :sweat_smile:

That’s why i said that it worked on Windows - Because it did.
It worked as recently as today,such a weird thing to happen - RAM coming loose :rofl:

1 Like
11

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