Installed memory: 8GB (6GB usable) - 2 GB is Hardware Reserved

I have a 64-bit windows 10 desktop with 4GB (2x2GB) of memory that I built about nine years ago. A week ago I purchased more memory (2x2GB) of the same brand/model/specs to bring the total up to 8GB but when I installed it, windows said 8GB is installed but only 4GB is usable. Furthermore, bios only recognized the 4GB. I removed the two new ones memory sticks that I purchased and went back to 4GB I originally had and Windows then said 4GB installed and only 2GB usable. The bios also recognized only 2GB. I tried reseating the DIMMS with several combinations and it now says 8GB installed with 6GB usable (again, BIOS only recognizes 6GB). So each time BIOS is only recognizing what Windows says is usable, not what Windows says is installed. I have a dedicated GPU. Resource Monitor shows 2GB is "hardware reserved". I'd for all 8GB to be usable, not just the 6GB.

Heres what I've tried so far:
1. msconfig memory limits is unchecked.
2. a fresh install of Windows
3. reflashed BIOS (I was already on the latest version)
4. Ran "Speccy" software and it reads all four DIMMS
5. Checked for any RAM management settings in BIOS but there are none. Motherboard manual URL below http://download1.gigabyte.us/Files/M...x58-ud3r_e.pdf
6. All DIMMS have been tested individually and work fine.
7. Ran Memtest86 for 23 hours and it produced zero errors.
8. Tried both fail-safe and opimized default settings in BIOS.
There are other things I tried that I can't think of off the top of my head. Any thoughts/input would be great.

Components:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16813128375
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...0666CL9D-4GBNQ

Specs:
Operating System
Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
CPU
Intel Core i7 920 @ 2.67GHz 65 °C
Bloomfield 45nm Technology
RAM
8.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 532MHz (8-8-8-20)
Motherboard
Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd. EX58-UD3R (Socket 1366) 35 °C
Graphics
SyncMaster (1920x1200@59Hz)
512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9500 GT (EVGA) 60 °C
Storage
111GB Crucial_CT120M500SSD1 (SSD)
298GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAKS-00L9A0 (SATA) 33 °C
Optical Drives
HL-DT-ST CDRW/DVD GCC4482 ATA Device
Audio
Realtek High Definition Audio

Whole bunch things to try here,

http://i4memory.com/showthread.php?t=19200#post120083

Or it could be the problem with the CPU or mobo pins that are bent. I've seen some users who own an x58 system have that issue and so far they fixed it by unbenting the pins. To be honest, the board and cpu a re so sensitive to pressure...maybe thats why you had this problem. Anyway, I'd reccomend doing what stormy and AndreTen suggested first.

RyougaLolakie said:

Or it could be the problem with the CPU or mobo pins that are bent. I've seen some users who own an x58 system have that issue and so far they fixed it by unbenting the pins. To be honest, the board and cpu a re so sensitive to pressure...maybe thats why you had this problem. Anyway, I'd reccomend doing what stormy and AndreTen suggested first.

I'm starting to suspect this since I've tried everything else. So Windows would recognize the 8GB installed even though the pins are bent? I figured if the pins are bent, it would only recognize and use what it can see but its seeing 8GB and saying only 6GB is usable.

Can you collect the information in this post - Hardware Reserved Memory issue: need help with my BIOS maybe?! - Windows 10 Forums - and attach it here?

The maximum memory capacity is read from the SPD chips on the DIMMs. However, BIOS/UEFI can limit the amount accessible to the OS for any number of reasons.

shobuddy said:

I'm starting to suspect this since I've tried everything else. So Windows would recognize the 8GB installed even though the pins are bent? I figured if the pins are bent, it would only recognize and use what it can see but its seeing 8GB and saying only 6GB is usable.

Yeah, I used to own an x58 system that does this after my bro-in-law reinstalled the cpu cooler. After that, it does the reboot thing three times (it said Detecting Dram Settings) then it finally booted. Kinda sad that the mobo was flawed because of that the pins are bent. :/

Most probably, it's being shared by graphics

It is 9 years old so some of the hardware has probably gone out of spec, pretty much EOL.
I went through that lot on mine that was 10 years old, swapping out memory modules as they weren't being recognised properly, cleaning sockets, modules, swapping out with spares etc. Then problems started to appear with USB stuff. I reckon the MCH/Chipset had pretty much died. So that was it, a dead MOBO.

There can also be differences in current production RAM Modules compared to the older ones enough to cause problems.

PolarNettles said:

Can you collect the information in this post - Hardware Reserved Memory issue: need help with my BIOS maybe?! - Windows 10 Forums - and attach it here?

The maximum memory capacity is read from the SPD chips on the DIMMs. However, BIOS/UEFI can limit the amount accessible to the OS for any number of reasons.

Thanks for the response, I've uploaded the reports to my dropbox: Dropbox - RWX