[Request] Dell Inspiron 17R SE (7720) BIOS: add 32GB RAM support

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Hello! 

I've been having the above amazing machine for several years now. I'm starting to use it professionally; most of its capabilities are quite sufficient, except one thing. The laptop appears to have So-DIMM DDR3 RAM limitation to 8GB per slot (two slots here). Officially DELL, of course, says that this particular laptop model only supports 8GB total memory max, but I took a risk and installed two modules of Kingston HyperX 1600MHz memory four months ago and never had any problems with them. DELL not recommending 2*8GB RAM was purely because of a specifically sized hibernate partition (as I understand), which I don't even have due to installing Windows 7 from scratch with no such partitions. Anyway, my system sees all 16 gigabytes and can do very demanding tasks (I do scene rendering in 3D software).

But sometimes 16GB is not enough, and I started to investigate if 32GB can be installed. Such an upgrade would be quite expensive, of course, but it's still MUCH cheaper than buying a new laptop (I would want to buy one of these 16GB modules, test it, and then, if it works, buy another one). 

While investigating the issue, I have found a thread on Intel's website with a question, if 16GB memory modules (with 8Gbit memory chips) can be installed on a laptop with Intel Core i7-3630QM (I also have it). Judging from the answer of the memory manufacturer's representative, the problem is not with hardware (3rd Gen Intel Core i7 processors DO support up to 32GB DDR3 RAM), but with BIOS not being able to recognize 8Gbit memory chips on a 16GB memory module. At least that's how I understand it... They were discussing this memory, as far as I know.

Hi all,
 
Not sure if this is the best place for me to ask, so in case this is the wrong forum, please forgive me.
 
I like to upgrade my notebook to 32GB RAM using with the 2x new 16GB SODIMM memory from http://www.intelligentmemory.com/ but they claim that intel must release and BIOS upgrade for that to handle MRC address/codes, according to they're reŕesentative:
 
Our 16GB So-DIMM is compatible for the laptop which using Intel 5th GEN (Broadwell) i3/i5-i5-5xxxU, Intel ATOM C2000, but not support other kind of Intel CPU due to the BIOS limitation, of course, If Intel change the software-code or allow the customers to change it themselves, then it would be working on your platform by a simple BIOS update, you may consult with Phoenix technical support team to ask for details.
...
In fact, we not tested in the same/similar platform, also, due to the Intel BIOS limitation, called MRC (Memory Reference Code), it's able to identify module which assembled by 1,2 and 4 Gbit chips only. Our 16GB memory module are made by 8Gbit chips and the MRC does not yet contain the right software code, it is software issue but Intel is not yet fix
 
On the other hand Intel specs (ARK | Intel® Core™ i7-3630QM Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.40 GHz)) says it support up to 32GB RAM but it does  not say anything regarding the module chips. Can anyone help me out understand if I can use those memory or not?
 
 
Best regards.
 
 
Eric

So I'm basically asking if a MOD can be made to add support for 8 Gbit DDR3 RAM chips.

The latest BIOS (version A17, I unpacked it) for my machine can be downloaded from here, my system has been updated with it a year ago or so. 

I'll be immensely grateful to a person who does this MOD (or teaches me to do it myself) if it will work with the memory by Crucial. It will enable me to take more hardware-demanding projects without buying a new laptop (which I absolutely don't see as necessary). So I WILL donate if it works!

P.S. Do I understand correctly that such a mod could in principle be used by other DELL Inspiron 7720 owners? Because that would be just great! I am sure I'm not the only one who needs 24 or 32 GB RAM on this machine.

[DeathBringer]

You can't use 32 GB with two DIMM only.
Read Mobile 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ Processor Family, Mobile Intel® Pentium® Processor Family, and Mobile Intel® Celeron® Processor Family Datasheet, Volume 1 of 2

1.2.1 System Memory Support
...
1Gb, 2Gb, and 4Gb DDR3 DRAM device technologies are supported
— Using 4Gb DRAM device technologies, the largest memory capacity possible is 32 GB, assuming Dual Channel Mode with four x8 dual ranked DIMM memory configuration
...
2.1.1 System Memory Technology Supported
...
Standard 1-Gb, 2-Gb, and 4-Gb technologies and addressing are supported for x16 and x8 devices. There is no support for memory modules with different technologies or capacities on opposite sides of the same memory module.

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I also uploaded photos of my motherboard, here and here. Just in case

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DeathBringer,

Thank you, I have that data sheet and I have read that part. My question is, can Memory Reference Code of BIOS be modified so that 16GB modules are recognized by the motherboard. 

Intelligent Memory's representative clearly thinks that this is the issue, not actual hardware limitation. Is he wrong??

As I see it, Intel just don't care enough to collaborate with the manufacturers of motherboards so that they could make updated BIOS versions with 8Gb memory chip support. There are new motherboards being produced with the latest Intel processor support and therefore more advanced memory capabilities.

[DeathBringer]

Intelligent Memory said about Broadwell core. but i7-3630QM has Ivy Bridge core.
Post photos of your current DIMMs. How many chips it have?

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Our 16GB So-DIMM is compatible for the laptop which using Intel 5th GEN (Broadwell) i3/i5-i5-5xxxU, Intel ATOM C2000, but not support other kind of Intel CPU due to the BIOS limitation, of course, If Intel change the software-code or allow the customers to change it themselves, then it would be working on your platform by a simple BIOS update, you may consult with Phoenix technical support team to ask for details.
...
In fact, we not tested in the same/similar platform, also, due to the Intel BIOS limitation, called MRC (Memory Reference Code), it's able to identify module which assembled by 1,2 and 4 Gbit chips only. Our 16GB memory module are made by 8Gbit chips and the MRC does not yet contain the right software code, it is software issue but Intel is not yet fix

I' well aware that I have Ivy Bridge. I can see it on my CPU-Z screenshots. I also know that this is 3rd Generation Core i7, whereas 5th Generation is needed for 8Gb chips be recognized by an unmodified BIOS.

I am asking about this software code change. Can it be made? Or it is too complicated for a person who does BIOS modifications? I'm sure I'm not the only one who needs this.

Important: Notebooks or other systems with Intel 3rd, 4th or older CPU-generations are unfortunately not able to take 16GB modules. Please do not order 16GB modules just to 'try them'. We can assure you that older Intel based platforms can not recognize the memory and will not boot.

http://www.intelligentmemory.com/support/faq/

Even on their website they are hinting that 3rd and 4th generation systems won't recognize memory, not that it's fundamentally incompatible. Which I still see as an opportunity.

Post photos of your current DIMMs. How many chips it have?

16. It has 4Gbit chips, obviously.

[DeathBringer]

Or it is too complicated for a person who does BIOS modifications?

I think it's impossible.

16. It has 4Gbit chips, obviously.

I was hoping for a miracle - it could based on 8 Gb chips.

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I think it's impossible.

Why exactly? 

I was hoping for a miracle - it could based on 8 Gb chips.

That would make my memory incompatible with my system. I don't want such miracles 

[DeathBringer]

Because of a motherboard hasn't memory controller, but CPU has.
Memory Reference Code in BIOS is applied only to the management of memory settings (frequency, timing and so on), not to maximum supported capacity of chips.
So if CPU doesn't support 8 Gb chips then a motherboard doesn't support them too.
The miracle could be "undocumented" support by CPU.

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I know where the memory controller is located.

So you're saying that I'M representative is wrong, when he says that the problem is not with incurable hardware-level CPU-memory incompatibility, but rather with BIOS merely not recognizing these chips due to the lack of relevant MRC in it?

Forgive me for being so persistent. I'm just trying to connect his answer and yours. It looks to me that you're simply giving me an alternative opinion and not explaining to me where exactly the other opinion is wrong and why. So I'm basically stuck with two opposite opinions with no overwhelming evidence for any one of them.

Why do 5th Generation Core i7 processors (Broadwell) support 8Gbit chips apart from the fact that their motherboards have modified MRC? What can be so different in their memory controller that it can work with 8Gbit chips, in contrast to 4th and 3rd generation processors? 

Take this model, for example. It's specifications say that it supports maximum of 32GB RAM. If we didn't know anything about Intel modifying their software code to bring unofficial support of 8Gbit chips, we could safely assume that this processor also supports 32 GB total memory only with 4 modules 8GB each and with 4Gbit chips, not with two modules 16GB each and 8Gbit chips. Does it make any sense to you?

The miracle could be "undocumented" support by CPU.

Well, you see, from what I have investigated, there is that undocumented support. That this support can be unlocked by modifying BIOS's MRC. Question is, how can we find out for sure that Ivy Bridge processors have that support, and if there indeed is, how do we change the MRC?

Ivy Bridge also officially support the maximum of 32GB RAM, just like Broadwell. So no difference here. That's what puzzles me and gives hope for a miracle