Only 4 out of 6gb RAM available after installing ubuntu on new ssd (dual boot with windows 10 in separate SSDs)

Question

I just got a new SSD and installed Ubuntu there. I already had windows 10 installed on a different SSD.

I mostly followed the information in Dual Boot Windows 10 and Linux Ubuntu on Separate SSD.

However, I did not configure anything related to boot EFI etc, as it does not seem to apply for my PC (?). It works relatively normally, when I start the PC I can choose between windows and Ubuntu in the GNU GRUB menu. The problem is that now only 4 GB out of the 6 GB of RAM are available, in both windows and Ubuntu. In windows it specifically says that 6 GB are installed but only 4 available. In Ubuntu it just says 3.8 GB.

Does anyone know why this may be happening, or what I can do to fix it?

This is the output of sudo lshw -C memory:

  *-firmware                
       description: BIOS
       vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
       physical id: 0
       version: F2
       date: 11/10/2009
       size: 128KiB
       capacity: 1984KiB
       capabilities: pci pnp upgrade shadowing cdboot bootselect edd int13floppy360 int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int5printscreen int9keyboard int14serial int17printer int10video acpi usb ls120boot zipboot biosbootspecification
  *-cache:0
       description: L1 cache
       physical id: c
       slot: Internal Cache
       size: 64KiB
       capacity: 64KiB
       capabilities: synchronous internal write-back
       configuration: level=1
  *-cache:1
       description: L2 cache
       physical id: d
       slot: External Cache
       size: 8MiB
       capabilities: synchronous internal write-back
       configuration: level=2
  *-memory
       description: System Memory
       physical id: 16
       slot: System board or motherboard
       size: 6GiB
     *-bank:0
          description: DIMM 400 MHz (2.5 ns)
          physical id: 0
          slot: A0
          size: 2GiB
          width: 2244 bits
          clock: 400MHz (2.5ns)
     *-bank:1
          description: DIMM [empty]
          physical id: 1
          slot: A1
     *-bank:2
          description: DIMM 400 MHz (2.5 ns)
          physical id: 2
          slot: A2
          size: 2GiB
          width: 2244 bits
          clock: 400MHz (2.5ns)
     *-bank:3
          description: DIMM [empty]
          physical id: 3
          slot: A3
     *-bank:4
          description: DIMM 400 MHz (2.5 ns)
          physical id: 4
          slot: A4
          size: 2GiB
          width: 2244 bits
          clock: 400MHz (2.5ns)
     *-bank:5
          description: DIMM [empty]
          physical id: 5
          slot: A5

I also ran memtest. All the RAM appears but the total memory is shown as 4095:

Please provide output of "sudo lshw". The memory section is important. I think you can get memory section also with "sudo lshw -C memory" — Mr.Michael.Schulze, Aug 07 '19 at 14:23
Do not know why Frustrated18.04 was downgraded other than it should be a comment/question, but otherwise is an answer. Its my first question. Second question is if system is not UEFI, then very old and may not support more than 4GB? Did you check manual on amount of RAM supported (per slot?). What brand/model system? — oldfred, Aug 07 '19 at 14:24
@Mr.Michael.Schulze I added the memory part of the output, it seems normal — a4a4, Aug 07 '19 at 14:46
@oldfred all 6gb were working normally, before i installed ubuntu as dual boot in a new ssd — a4a4, Aug 07 '19 at 14:47
@Mr.Michael.Schulze no, it is a geforce gtx 560ti, as far as i can tell it should not be taking up any more memory most of the time — a4a4, Aug 07 '19 at 14:57
It may have something to do with the RAM configuration (where the modules are physically installed) -- Since they are not installed in pairs, you may have to put them in a specific location. Check the mobo documentation. — Nmath, Aug 07 '19 at 15:00
@Nmath the interesting thing though is that OP says everything was working fine before installing Ubuntu on a new SSD — You'reAGitForNotUsingGit, Aug 07 '19 at 15:01
Regarding the wrong system time problem: Clock time is off on dual boot. Nothing to worry about and can be fixed if you really need it. — danzel, Aug 07 '19 at 15:43
@danzel thanks, i will probably make the changes for the clock later — a4a4, Aug 07 '19 at 15:51
Please review your BIOS settings if 2GB of memory are assigned to be used with graphics. If not, I'd say one of your memorycards has a problem, just slightly corroded contacts may be the problem. — mook765, Aug 07 '19 at 16:44
Try each memory card and see if system works at 2GB with each. In installing SSD, you may have bumped memory card just enough to cause issue. Make sure each is firmly installed. Also is F2 the latest UEFI/BIOS for your system? — oldfred, Aug 07 '19 at 17:19
"I also ran memtest. All the RAM appears but the total memory is shown as 4095" makes this off topic. You have a hardware problem. @oldfred nope; PAE is 32-bit and accepts more than 4 Gb ;) — Rinzwind, Aug 08 '19 at 10:17
thanks, it is possible it is something hardware related I suppose, i will try to find out these days — a4a4, Aug 08 '19 at 11:38

Only 4 out of 6gb RAM available after installing ubuntu on new ssd (dual boot with windows 10 in separate SSDs)

0 Answers0