[tlinux-users 00408] Qosmio G5-03M + 8GB RAM + Mandriva 2009.1 = only 4GB RAM found?

[Paul Wujek]

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get the full 8GB of RAM I 
have installed to be recognized by Linux?

The BIOS finds the whole 8GB (it's displayed on the BIOS GUI), Linux 
(Mandriva 2009.1) and Memtest86+ only find 4GB.

I suspect that this means that the BIOS is not telling Linux about the 
whole 8GB.

current stats:

# free -m
            total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:    3967      3193        773          0         51           584
-/+ buffers/cache:       2557       1409
Swap:    3992          0       3992

# cat /proc/meminfo | grep Mem
MemTotal:        4062252 kB
MemFree:          751992 kB

# dmidecode -t memory
# dmidecode 2.10                      SMBIOS 2.5 present.                  
Handle 0x0009, DMI type 5, 20 bytes
Memory Controller Information            Error Detecting Method: None
       Error Correcting Capabilities:
               None                        Supported Interleave: Other  
       Current Interleave: Other           Maximum Memory Module Size: 
4096 MB
       Maximum Total Memory Size: 8192 MB
       Supported Speeds:                                
Other                            Supported Memory Types:           
               Other                                    
DIMM                                     SDRAM                     
       Memory Module Voltage: Unknown           Associated Memory Slots: 
2                       0x000A                                   
0x000B                           Enabled Error Correcting Capabilities:
               None                        
Handle 0x000A, DMI type 6, 12 bytes
Memory Module Information                Socket Designation: SO-DIMM
       Bank Connections: 0 1            Current Speed: 3 ns              
Type: Other DIMM SDRAM           Installed Size: 4096 MB (Single-bank 
Connection)
       Enabled Size: 4096 MB (Single-bank Connection)        Error 
Status: OK                              
Handle 0x000B, DMI type 6, 12 bytes
Memory Module Information                Socket Designation: SO-DIMM
       Bank Connections: 2 3            Current Speed: 3 ns              
Type: Other DIMM SDRAM           Installed Size: 4096 MB (Single-bank 
Connection)
       Enabled Size: 4096 MB (Single-bank Connection)        Error 
Status: OK                              
Handle 0x0081, DMI type 16, 15 bytes
Physical Memory Array                     Location: System Board Or 
Motherboard
       Use: System Memory                         Error Correction Type: 
None                Maximum Capacity: 8 GB                     Error 
Information Handle: Not Provided
       Number Of Devices: 2                
Handle 0x0082, DMI type 17, 27 bytes
Memory Device
       Array Handle: 0x0081
       Error Information Handle: Not Provided
       Total Width: 64 bits
       Data Width: 64 bits
       Size: 4096 MB
       Form Factor: SODIMM
       Set: Unknown
       Locator: DIMM 0
       Bank Locator: CSA 0 & 1
       Type: DDR2
       Type Detail: Synchronous
       Speed: 800 MHz
       Manufacturer: 7F7F
       Serial Number: 2A03550D
       Asset Tag: Not Specified
       Part Number: EBE41UF8ABDA-8G-E

Handle 0x0083, DMI type 17, 27 bytes
Memory Device
       Array Handle: 0x0081
       Error Information Handle: Not Provided
       Total Width: 64 bits
       Data Width: 64 bits
       Size: 4096 MB
       Form Factor: SODIMM
       Set: Unknown
       Locator: DIMM 1
       Bank Locator: CSA 2 & 3
       Type: DDR2
       Type Detail: Synchronous
       Speed: 800 MHz
       Manufacturer: 7F7F
       Serial Number: 2409B362
       Asset Tag: Not Specified
       Part Number: EBE41UF8ABDA-8G-E