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3217
September 12th, 2017 19:00
Bios will not update
I recently purchase additional memory for my Dell Optiplex 380. Of course, I was told to update my Bios BEFORE I installed my new memory, but I failed to do so. Then without checking my physical memory, I upgraded from windows 7 to windows 10(The logic being that 7 is now 2 off of the current and maybe that is why my computer is still slow). I guess by this point you realize I am not Bill Gates when it comes to computers.
In any event, my system is seeing the full 8GB but my physical memory actually went DOWN, when I added the second stick. I took one out and put only the new one in and then I put both in a reversed them and it is still the same. Complicating things further, I am unable to update my BIOS to the latest version because for some reason it will not install it.
I am assuming it is because my BIOS is not compatible with Windows 10. I tried to reverse the changes but it said I was unable to do so. What I am trying to figure out is it because my BIOS is not compatible with windows 10 (windows 10 is not on the compatibility chart when I click on the properties of the BIOS) or is it for some other reason. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, KEEP HITTING ENTER!!!!!
RoHe
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45.2K Posts
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September 13th, 2017 11:00
What form factor 380, desktop, mini-tower, small form?
Explain... where is it seeing all 8GB and where do you see that RAM went down?
Are you sure the new stick is compatible with this system and with the other stick?
What version of BIOS are you trying to update from and to what version? How are you running the update, inside Windows or from a DOS bootable USB??
lostinDell
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September 16th, 2017 16:00
When I run msinfo32 I see that it has 8GB but the total physical memory went down and is only 2.97.
I ran the crucial scanner to determine my memory compatability
I tried running both inside windows and from flash
I am trying to update to most current bios update. I uploaded an intermediate update and then tried to update the most current.
I bel;ieve the problem is the motherboard is not compatible with windows 10
RoHe
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45.2K Posts
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September 16th, 2017 18:00
Are you saying AVAILABLE physical memory went down while INSTALLED physical memory shows all 8 GB? That might be because Win 10 is hogging a lot more than Win 7, and/or more has been assigned to video and to pagefile.
Regardless of whether the PC supports Win 10 or not, you should still be able to flash update BIOS if you're running it from a DOS-bootable USB drive (eg, outside of Windows). How is the XD option set in BIOS setup, enabled or disabled? And did you try updating BIOS from USB with only the original RAM module installed?
If the motherboard wasn't compatible with Win 10, you wouldn't have been able to install it, so it may be compatible, even if Dell doesn't support it. Did you do an in place upgrade to Win 10 (eg, on top of Win 7) or did you reformat the hard drive and do a clean install?
vtoy116
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307 Posts
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September 16th, 2017 18:00
In my opinion you are trying to change too many things at once.The memory upgrade should not require a BIOS update. If your Windows 7 or Windows 10 is 32-bit, the maximum memory address space 4 GB but part of that is used by the system BIOS and graphics memory. If you have a graphics card with 1 GB of RAM, I can see why you could be down to 3 GB. It appears that your Windows 10 is working as it should, but if you want to address more memory you need to switch to 64-bit Windows 10. Check System Type under System Summary to see if your system is capable of 64-bit Windows (it should say x64-based PC and not x86-based PC). If I understand what you have written here, your BIOS is not the problem, your version of Windows is. Under Settings/System/About you should be able to verify whether or not you are running a 32-bit operating system.