I have 4gb of DDR2 ram in my computer, but ever since I got it it's only recognised 2.75gb of it. Apparently this is due to the BIOS on xp only being able to handle that amount or something. My bios drivers were last updated in 2005 according to biosagentplus.com. Could that be why?


Also, if someone could let me know where to ask about a sound port problem (only the front sound port and the back microphone port works; I want to configure the computer to let me tell it which to use, but no clue how! I've not needed the microphone one before this last week), that's be great!

Many thanks, Thomas

The BIOS is on the motherboard and the board may have a limit but most "modern" boards are at least 4GB.

A 32bit OS is limited to 4GB but often only reports 3.5 or so.

Are all four of your "sticks" identical?

Try CPU_Z and see what it says about your RAM:

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

As to the audio ports:

What is the make and model of the computer and or motherboard?

If you do not know the latter it will also be listed in CPU_Z.

I have 2 x 2gb DDR2 sticks. Definitely comes up as 2.75 in system properties. If it's my 32bit OS there's nothing I can do, still I can keep this RAM til I upgrade to vista at some point.



Motherboard is pretty old I think, but does all I need it to and a good processor.

Does this look like the board?

http://www.motherboards.org/mobot/mo.../915PMS7-A60P/

Similar - it's green, not red but the other parts look pretty identical.

Do you have the RAM in alternate slots?

As to an upgrade wait for Windows 7. It should be released in about 6 months.

Also can you clarify this question:

"(only the front sound port and the back microphone port works; I want to configure the computer to let me tell it which to use"

Do you have other ports (front and back) that are not working?

Is this a new problem? Did they ever work before?

Yes the RAM is in the right place, alternate slots. I'll just wait for windows 7 in that case, thanks for clearing it up.

The sound has always been a little funny on my computer. I've always used the back "ports" (is that the right word?) as the front ones haven't worked in years. Since I was taking it in to get looked over I thought I'd get a new case put on as ports at the front of computers connect straight to the motherboard so replacing the case should fix them (the chip that connects to the motherboard was faulty, the motherboard itself is fine). So now I got it home I expected the front ones and the back ones to just work (is that normal?), but as I tried them I found that my headphones only work on the front port, and my microphone only works on the back port. (I actually have two sets of ports on the back, not sure why, always been that way, but the top set don't work either, never have.) I was told by the person who was fixing my computer that my sound was configured strangely, but I don't know what he meant. If it's just a setting I need to fiddle with I thought it'd be easier to do it myself.



While fiddling just now I found a new icon in my system tray called "sound effect". I've screenshotted it below. It seems to show that no mic is connected even though one is...

What program is that?

That is not a default XP screen.

Can you right click that icon and get properties?

.......................

Also I am running out for a few hours but will return.

Not sure, right-clicking the icon brings up a list of other windows-menus, such as "multimedia" which opens "Windows sound and audio devices", "sound recorder", "volume control" and "windows media player". The only other option apart from the one I screenshotted is "exit".

Some research reveals it is running from soundman.exe which is installed with realtek sound cards. Perhaps it's not new but I don't remember seeing it in the tray before. So do I need a new sound card? Which ports connect to the sound card?

Sounds like you have a sound card.

Most computers do not although many people refer to any audio as a sound card. This would also explain two sets of ports.

The card would be in a PCI slot perpendicular to the motherboard.

The motherboard audio ports would be directly on the motherboard.

So on the rear ports are you using the motherboard ports or the PCI card ports?

This would also affect the front case ports as if you are using the PCI card you would need to alter the wiring of the case ports.

We can look up how to do that or you could simply use the motherboard ports. If you choose the latter approach it would probably be best to remove that PCI card unless you desire its functionality.