64 bit not using 3.5 gb of RAM

[Jordan K]

So I recently bought an alienware m9750 laptop, of course I got 4gigs of ram,
alienware didnt offer a 64 bit OS so I bought vista home premium 64 bit,
While the 32 bit OS was on there it showed 2.8 gigs of RAM, didnt think too
much of it because somebody told me 32 bit OSs maxed out at 3 gigs, but now
after installing the 64 bit OS it's still only showing and using 2.8 gigs of
RAM. Now in the BIOS it shows total physical memory 4046 MB or somewhere in
that ballpark, and then it says total avaliable is 2800 and some od MB. Now I
know 4 gigs of ram should show at least 3.2. 3.5, anything over 3 would make
me happy, I just want to know that it's using as much as it is supposed to.
PLEASE HELP!!!!

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

How much is being shared for video? Laptops generally share the system ram
to video, you get the remainder.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[Jordan K]

Rick,
So I'm okay with computers, but this new stuff is getting over my head, I'm
running Dual Nvidia 8700s which I believe have 512 for each, so I would lose
a gig, if this is the case then I guess I dont have a problem, but I thought
a graphics card would use it's own RAM and not the system RAM, even though in
a laptop everything is pretty much "integrated" I would think if the Nvidia
cards are there then they would have their own RAM. If it was the video cards
sucking the gig is there any way of checking to make sure it is the video
cards and not some stupid setting alienware put on there because they
installed a 32bit OS?