I just looked it up on the website and it's got a maximum memory of 4 gb so that shouldn't be the problem, I don't know what it could be though as I didn't have any problems going from 1 to 2 gbs.

As for why, I've seriously started to get into computers over the last few months and just really enjoy it. So I guess I'm doing it basically because I can lol.

I have a Gigabyte GA-81K1100 motherboard. It has dual channel memory which is working but it should be showing 3 gbs of memory and is only showing 2. (I have 6- 512 DDR's installed)

Here are the instructions that came with the motherboard:
GA-8IK1100 supports Dual Channel Technology. When Dual Channel Technology is activated, the bandwidth of memory bus will be double the original the fastest speed at 6.4GB/S DDR400. GA-8IK1100 includes six DIMM slots, and each Channel has 3 DIMMs as following:
» Channel A: DIMM 1,2, 3
» Channel B : DIMM 4, 5, 6
Below are the explanations:(I only put in what was applicable to my situation)

5. if six DDR memory modules are installed: To activate the Dual Channel Technology and to make the size of each DDR memory module detected, please use six DDR memory modules with identical size and type and insert them into the six DIMMs following the sequence below. DIMM 1: Double or Single Side DIMM 2: Single Side DIMM 3: Single Side DIMM 4: Double or Single Side (if DIMM1 is inserted a double-side module, then DI1MM4 must also be inserted a double-side one.) DIMM 5; Single Side DIMM 6; Single Side


That is what I did and I am sure they are in right, the DIMM number 3 and 6 are the ones that aren't showing.

I’ve looked through the bios and there is nothing there that I can see that might need to be changed.

I'm wondering if the problem could be my CPU as that's the only thing I haven't upgraded (a salesman recommended against it saying it would only improve my performance about 5%) My current processor is a 1.73 gb Pentium 4, could it be that it can’t handle the extra memory?

This is what it Gigabyte says about the CPU: Supports 800MHz FSB Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor with HT Technology-Leveraging the Intel® 875P chipset to support 3GHz+ P4 CPUs on 800MHz FSB, Intel Hyper-Threading Technology and advanced features, the GA-8IK1100 delivers a full-value, highest performance solution for today's most demanding tasks.

If the problem is the CPU, how can I be sure I get the right one? And if it’s not would a new processor be a good idea anyways?

Thanks

Thanks Bernice, I had read that article and that's what actually got me thinking about doing it. I really think it's the way to go. I didn't get the monitor in the article but I ended up buying 2 new ones so they would match and am happy with it. My video card has some software for it and I found a site called ultramon that does too but other than that I have found very little else, I think it will become much more popular in the future as it makes things so much easier and it's fun too.

Thanks again Darren, guess I got a busy night ahead lol. Catch you later.

Yesterday I was using some "clean up" software and I think I screwed up some windows files, to make a long story short I'm going to reinstall Windows (again, I must have a record, still haven't learned I gotta save lol). I'm also going to repartion my hard drives-I have 2 (120 GB each), I have partioned them before, don't know if it makes much of a difference sort of do it just because I can. I was going to partion one into 3 drives of 40 GB's each, one for the Operating system and related software (security programs etc.}, One for Web development related software (really wasting space here-doesn't need nearly that much I think) and the last for audio. I'm keeping the other drives 120 GB's for video. What I'm wondering is would you go differently? maybe more for audio? is there any point to setting space up for another operating system? I don't know anything about them.

Well I did it, still trying to get everything right having to play with resolution, size etc. It's pretty cool though being able to have 2 browsers working on screen at once. Going to experiment with some video shortly. You were right, all the set up is done through the XP's display. Everything is pretty automatic.

But give me a minute to wipe the egg off my face, it looks like my video card is already set up to handle multiple displays. I have the "Asylum" NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900 Ultra [Display adapter].
I reread the paperwork and it is made for this. Now I'm just wondering after I get another monitor if all I have to do is plug it in or reinstall the drivers etc?

Was curious about adding a 2nd monitor to my computer. What I'd like to be able to do would say have Word open on one of them and a website on another so I could keep Word up while I copied and pasted, or is it possible to keep a site up on one and go to a link on the other. Can I run 2 video programs-memory shouldn't be a problem as I have plenty. Also would like to move the cursor back and forth between monitors-how does this work? I was told I would need a second video card and also told I might not depending if I connected them parallel or serial. After the hookup I presume it is basically the software that controls everything? If so, does anyone have any recommendations?
Thanks