4GB or 3GB physical memory for 32 bit wondows vista

I have 4GB of physical RAM, windows vista shows only 3326MB. Does it really
help with performance if I have 4GB or should I just install 3GB memory? I
just bought the additional 2GB memory (had 2GB before) and wondering if I
should exchange for a 1GB one. Thanks.

"JC" <JC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B1B6F1D3-69D2-4E94-90A1-E4B7C69EC11C@microsoft.com...
>I have 4GB of physical RAM, windows vista shows only 3326MB. Does it really
> help with performance if I have 4GB or should I just install 3GB memory? I
> just bought the additional 2GB memory (had 2GB before) and wondering if I
> should exchange for a 1GB one. Thanks.

If your motherboard is dual-channel capable, install memory in pairs.
3 GB is OK if you install 1 GB, 1 GB, 512 MB, 512 MB

If you don't install in pairs, you won't get the benefit of Dual-channel.

Tom Lake

If it is dual channel memory, you definitely do NOT want to use just one 1GB
stick. Leave well enough alone -- at least you got 1/3 G of RAM more, and RAM
is cheap now (about $US 50/G) -- or install Vista x64 and if your motherboard
supports it you can use all 4GB.


I Bleed Blue and Gold
GO BEARS!


"JC" <JC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B1B6F1D3-69D2-4E94-90A1-E4B7C69EC11C@microsoft.com...
>I have 4GB of physical RAM, windows vista shows only 3326MB. Does it really
> help with performance if I have 4GB or should I just install 3GB memory? I
> just bought the additional 2GB memory (had 2GB before) and wondering if I
> should exchange for a 1GB one. Thanks.
>

Thanks. But this doesn't seem to answer my question.

I want to know if I should have 3BG or 4GB installed and whether the
additional 1Gb will help with the performance given that vista only show
3.3GB when I have 4GB installed.

I have two 1GB DD2 dual channel installed. I think that I have a choice of
two 1GB or two 512MB extra installed.

"Tom Lake" wrote:

>
> "JC" <JC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:B1B6F1D3-69D2-4E94-90A1-E4B7C69EC11C@microsoft.com...
> >I have 4GB of physical RAM, windows vista shows only 3326MB. Does it really
> > help with performance if I have 4GB or should I just install 3GB memory? I
> > just bought the additional 2GB memory (had 2GB before) and wondering if I
> > should exchange for a 1GB one. Thanks.
>
> If your motherboard is dual-channel capable, install memory in pairs.
> 3 GB is OK if you install 1 GB, 1 GB, 512 MB, 512 MB
>
> If you don't install in pairs, you won't get the benefit of Dual-channel.
>
> Tom Lake
>

"JC" <JC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:68212B89-45EC-4462-8FA2-47CDBBF0B096@microsoft.com...
> Thanks. But this doesn't seem to answer my question.
>
> I want to know if I should have 3BG or 4GB installed and whether the
> additional 1Gb will help with the performance given that vista only show
> 3.3GB when I have 4GB installed.
>
> I have two 1GB DD2 dual channel installed. I think that I have a choice of
> two 1GB or two 512MB extra installed.
>

You won't notice a difference between the two if you have memory in pairs.
If you already have two 1 GB sticks and two 512 MB sticks, use 'em,
otherwise
I'd go for the four 1 GB sticks and get the absolute maximum memory usage
I could.

Tom Lake

If you can install 3GB and get Vista to recognize it then there is almost no
benefit to installing 4GB and only have 3.2GB of it used by the OS with the
address space for the remainder being used to support hardware controller
cards which have their own memory
"Tom Lake" <toml_12953@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:A088BCDF-90C5-4070-BCEC-54CD3315441B@microsoft.com...
>
> "JC" <JC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:B1B6F1D3-69D2-4E94-90A1-E4B7C69EC11C@microsoft.com...
>>I have 4GB of physical RAM, windows vista shows only 3326MB. Does it
>>really
>> help with performance if I have 4GB or should I just install 3GB memory?
>> I
>> just bought the additional 2GB memory (had 2GB before) and wondering if I
>> should exchange for a 1GB one. Thanks.
>
> If your motherboard is dual-channel capable, install memory in pairs.
> 3 GB is OK if you install 1 GB, 1 GB, 512 MB, 512 MB
>
> If you don't install in pairs, you won't get the benefit of Dual-channel.
>
> Tom Lake
>

This is one of those topics that keeps popping up and can be answered by
"reviewing" previous posts.

Article #929605, Support.com, addresses all your questions including a "Work
around". Following are two quotes from the article:

1. The reduction in available system memory depends on the devices that are
installed in the computer. However, to avoid potential driver compatibility
issues, the 32-bit versions of Windows Vista limit the total available
memory to 3.12 GB. See the "More information" section for information about
potential driver compatibility issues.
If a computer has many installed devices, the available memory may be
reduced to 3 GB or less. However, the maximum memory available in 32-bit
versions of Windows Vista is typically 3.12 GB.

2. WORKAROUND
For Windows Vista to use all 4 GB of memory on a computer that has 4 GB of
memory installed, the computer must meet the following requirements: (note
therre are several "steps" listed in the article - one of which must be a 64
bit processor).


"JC" <JC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B1B6F1D3-69D2-4E94-90A1-E4B7C69EC11C@microsoft.com...
>I have 4GB of physical RAM, windows vista shows only 3326MB. Does it really
> help with performance if I have 4GB or should I just install 3GB memory? I
> just bought the additional 2GB memory (had 2GB before) and wondering if I
> should exchange for a 1GB one. Thanks.

JC <JC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I have 4GB of physical RAM, windows vista shows only 3326MB. Does it really
>help with performance if I have 4GB or should I just install 3GB memory? I
>just bought the additional 2GB memory (had 2GB before) and wondering if I
>should exchange for a 1GB one. Thanks.

It's normal for 32-bit Vista (or any other 32-bit system) not to see
the entire 4GB. Some of the 4GB address space must be used to access
video memory, BIOS, etc. See http://members.cox.net/slatteryt/RAM.html

You computer is currently sees and is able to use 3326MB. If you have
only 3GB installed, it will be able to see and use only that much.
Whether you're actually using and benefiting from that extra 326MB is
another question. You probably won't notice the difference.

You should read your motherboard or system manual before making a move
here. As others have said, memory sticks often need to be installed in
balanced pairs.

--
Tim Slattery
MS MVP(Shell/User)
Slattery_T@bls.gov
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt

On Fri, 7 Dec 2007 12:17:00 -0800, JC <JC@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:

> I have 4GB of physical RAM, windows vista shows only 3326MB. Does it really
> help with performance if I have 4GB or should I just install 3GB memory? I
> just bought the additional 2GB memory (had 2GB before) and wondering if I
> should exchange for a 1GB one. Thanks.


Two points:

1. All 32-bit versions of Windows (XP as well as Vista), even though
they have a 4GB address space, can only use *around* 3.1GB of RAM.
That's because some of that space is used by hardware and not
available to the operating system and applications. The amount you can
use varies, depending on what hardware you have installed, but is
usually around 3.1GB.

2. How much you need or good performance, or can make effective use
of, is *not* a one-size-fits-all situation. You get good performance
if the amount of RAM you have keeps you from using the page file, and
that depends on what apps you run.

For most people running common business applications in Vista,
somewhere in the range of 1-2GB is sufficient, and any more than that
will do nothing for you. Installing more RAM than is necessary is a
waste of money.

On the other hand if you do things like editing large photographic
images, more RAM will very likely be beneficial.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Well, 32 bit systems can only address 4 gig but they use some of it
for add-on cards, etc. The difference between 4 gig and what you have
is what the system uses. If you have 3 gig instead of 4 you loose
some so you have less than 3 gig so yes, with 4 gig you have more
available.

On Fri, 7 Dec 2007 12:17:00 -0800, JC <JC@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:

>I have 4GB of physical RAM, windows vista shows only 3326MB. Does it really
>help with performance if I have 4GB or should I just install 3GB memory? I
>just bought the additional 2GB memory (had 2GB before) and wondering if I
>should exchange for a 1GB one. Thanks.