Graphic Card Question

[TMA]

I bought this graphic card GeForce 8600 that comes with 512mb DDR2. My
computer has 4gb of memory (also DDR2). Now, even though vista reports 4gb
as total phisical memory, all my other programs will report 2.7 gb. Why is
this happening? How can I be sure there's nothing stealing my memory?

 

[TMA]

Question? before you installed the card did you see that the programs were

reporting more ram?

Yes, before installing the card it was reporting correct amount of memory
(4096 mb, I think).

Most machines with 32 bit OS's use about 2.7 to 3.3 gigs of the 4 gigs of
installed ram.. the rest cannot be addressed because the hardware needs to
reserve memory space for its own functions... (not the ram but the
addresses must be reserved)

I'm running Vista Ultimate x64 + SP1

 

[TMA]

Check your BIOS setting and make sure you have select PCIe Gfx as

primary graphic adapter and not sharing memory.

It is set as primary. But I have also checked System Information and it
says:

Total 4096
Appropriated 1152
Avaiable 2944

Why is that? The only option I have there for Graphics are DISABLED, 4MB AND
8MB ... I set it to DISABLED.