8GB RAM upgrade for ES1-311-C9XM only recognised as 2GB

oz_anon
oz_anon Member Posts: 2 New User

I bought an Acer Aspire ES1-311-C9XM notebook a while back. It only came with 2GB of RAM so I decided to upgrade the RAM. After doing a bit of research on the net I found out that it could be upgraded to 8GB of RAM. The RAM module in it originally was a SKhynix HMT425S6AFR6A-PB 2GB PC3L-12800S-11-13-C3 1600MHz 204pin SODIMM. I found an 8GB RAM module whose specs matched the original's, a Corsair CMSO8GX3M1C1600C11 8GB DDR3L 1600MHz module, but when I replaced the original 2GB RAM with the new 8GB RAM (there's only 1 RAM socket), the notebook was still only showing 2GB RAM available, both in the UEFI (BIOS) and in Windows 8.1 64-bit.

 

I tried taking the new RAM module out an inserting it again. No difference.

 

I tried resetting the UEFI (BIOS). Still no difference.

 

I tried looking for a UEFI (BIOS) update on the Acer website. There wasn't one.

 

Can anyone make any suggestions about how to get it to work?

Best Answer

  • oz_anon
    oz_anon Member Posts: 2 New User
    Answer ✓

    Well, after trying the RAM last week with no success, I was all set to try to return it, but I thought I'd check out any responses here and try any suggestions first (thanks IronFly for your reply). So last night I opened up the notebook and put the new 8GB RAM module in again. When I fired it up, the first thing I did was check how much RAM was being reported in the UEFI (BIOS). It was still only reporting 2GB RAM. So I selected "Reset default setting", then saved and exited the UEFI. Windows 8.1 then started. When it did, I checked out how much RAM was being reported in Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > System, in Windows Task Manager and in msconfig. All of the above were reporting only 2GB RAM. I had checked that the Maximum RAM setting in msconfig was deselected when I first installed the 8GB RAM module (msconfig > Boot > Advanced options... > Maximum memory), but I double checked it again this time just to be sure.

     

    After having no success this time around, I thought I'd restart the notebook to see if that might fix the problem. No luck. Both the UEFI and Windows 8.1 were both reporting only 2GB of RAM.

     

    At this point I thought I remembered something in Windows 7 Safe Mode that allowed you to test the RAM, so I thought I'd see if Windows 8.1 Safe Mode had this as well. I hit the Windows symbol in the bottom left corner of the desktop to access the Windows 8.1 Tiles, selected PC settings > Update and recovery > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now. When the system started in Safe Mode, I selected Troubleshoot > Advanced options but couldn't see an option to test the RAM, so I selected UEFI Firmware settings and restarted. At this point I thought that if it didn't work this time, I was taking the RAM back for a refund.

     

    I think the UEFI was still reporting only 2GB of RAM so I thought I'd just save and exit, turn the notebook off and take out the RAM. When I exited the UEFI, though, I let it boot into Windows. This time the boot was a little bit different. It took longer than normal - at least twice as long as it would normally take to get to the login screen on Windows 8.1. When I logged in, the first thing I did was open the Task Manager and, to my complete shock and surprise, it was reporting 8GB of RAM!!!

     

    SUCCESS!!!

     

    I have no idea why it worked this time but not the other times. The only thing I can think of was that I accessed the UEFI from within Windows this time rather than hitting F2 at startup.

     

    After getting over my surprise, I thought I'd better make sure it wasn't a one-off or an intermittent thing, so I rebooted about a dozen times in a dozen different ways to make sure, and each time it came back as 8GB of RAM.

     

    So, in summary, the RAM is working fine now. If it stays this way, I won't update this topic, but if something weird starts happening again, I'll post more info. In the meantime, I'll be enjoying the 8GB of RAM!

Answers

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    your new ram module seems correct, locking at specs, so it's a bit strange that BIOS and OS can only "read" 2GB.

     

    by the way the official Acer 8GB ram are:

    Memory HYNIX SO-DIMM DDR3L 1600 8GB HMT41GS6BFR8A-PB LF+HF 512*8 25nm Polaris

    Memory KINGSTON SO-DIMM DDR3L 1600 8GB ACR16D3LS1KFG/8G LF+HF 512*8 Elpida chip, F-die, 30nm

     

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • oz_anon
    oz_anon Member Posts: 2 New User
    Answer ✓

    Well, after trying the RAM last week with no success, I was all set to try to return it, but I thought I'd check out any responses here and try any suggestions first (thanks IronFly for your reply). So last night I opened up the notebook and put the new 8GB RAM module in again. When I fired it up, the first thing I did was check how much RAM was being reported in the UEFI (BIOS). It was still only reporting 2GB RAM. So I selected "Reset default setting", then saved and exited the UEFI. Windows 8.1 then started. When it did, I checked out how much RAM was being reported in Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > System, in Windows Task Manager and in msconfig. All of the above were reporting only 2GB RAM. I had checked that the Maximum RAM setting in msconfig was deselected when I first installed the 8GB RAM module (msconfig > Boot > Advanced options... > Maximum memory), but I double checked it again this time just to be sure.

     

    After having no success this time around, I thought I'd restart the notebook to see if that might fix the problem. No luck. Both the UEFI and Windows 8.1 were both reporting only 2GB of RAM.

     

    At this point I thought I remembered something in Windows 7 Safe Mode that allowed you to test the RAM, so I thought I'd see if Windows 8.1 Safe Mode had this as well. I hit the Windows symbol in the bottom left corner of the desktop to access the Windows 8.1 Tiles, selected PC settings > Update and recovery > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now. When the system started in Safe Mode, I selected Troubleshoot > Advanced options but couldn't see an option to test the RAM, so I selected UEFI Firmware settings and restarted. At this point I thought that if it didn't work this time, I was taking the RAM back for a refund.

     

    I think the UEFI was still reporting only 2GB of RAM so I thought I'd just save and exit, turn the notebook off and take out the RAM. When I exited the UEFI, though, I let it boot into Windows. This time the boot was a little bit different. It took longer than normal - at least twice as long as it would normally take to get to the login screen on Windows 8.1. When I logged in, the first thing I did was open the Task Manager and, to my complete shock and surprise, it was reporting 8GB of RAM!!!

     

    SUCCESS!!!

     

    I have no idea why it worked this time but not the other times. The only thing I can think of was that I accessed the UEFI from within Windows this time rather than hitting F2 at startup.

     

    After getting over my surprise, I thought I'd better make sure it wasn't a one-off or an intermittent thing, so I rebooted about a dozen times in a dozen different ways to make sure, and each time it came back as 8GB of RAM.

     

    So, in summary, the RAM is working fine now. If it stays this way, I won't update this topic, but if something weird starts happening again, I'll post more info. In the meantime, I'll be enjoying the 8GB of RAM!

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    Glad you fixed!

    I'm not an Acer employee.