RAM reporting question in XP Pro

[Guest]

I have two systems.

System One
XP Home SP2
P4 CPU 3.2GHZ
2.5 GB ram installed

System Two
XP Pro SP2
Core 2 x6800 2.93GHZ
4GB ram installed but NOT reported :4x 1G dual channel) mobo supports up
to 8GB/bios indicates 4GB ram
Physical Address Extension (in system properties box)

System One reports 2.5gb RAM in System Properties.
Physical Memory T:2620908 A:2040260 SysCache:~510600
Kernel Memory T:~91000 Paged:~54000 NonPaged:~36000
Commit Charge T:~404000 Limit:4558992 P:439936

System Two reports 2.0GB RAM in System Properties.
Physcial Memory T:2095532 A:~1750000 SysCache:~175412
Kernel Memory T:~59000 Paged:~48000 NonPaged:~11500
Commit Charge T:206744 Limit:4033792 P:~650000

System One and System Two have PageFile set at 2046mb. (I tried reducing the
page file in System Two. No change to reported values in the task manager.)

boot.ini files in both systems no /3gb or /pae switches. Everything has
been directed by the OS, no hacks. I tried the /3gb hack on xp pro, but
nothing changed.

I've researched the 4GB ram issue in 32bit XP, but I still can't find a
clear answer to my concern. I just want to make sure that xp pro is actually
utilizing the physical memory over 2gb. I somewhat understand the nuances of
how the OS maps the memory and uses the page file. My only real concern is
just some evidence that System Two is actually "seeing" (and using) the
physical ram above 2gb.

Any suggestions? Is this just a reporting issue with the OS?

Thanks.

 

[Mak]

Hello,

What are you using to get the report on RAM availible to system for system2?
(I take it you don't have problems with system1).
Task Manager is ok, (ommit your paging file / commit charge / system cache
and so on - it's not related.)

You don't need to use any additional switches in boot.ini, /3GB affects
virtual per process memory allocation and doesn't do anything to physical
(RAM), /pae only required to access RAM > 4GB (you don't have that, and even
if you did, WinXP 32-bit won't allow you to use RAM above 4GB, due to
licensing limitation) and for hardware DEP... in any case you don't do
anything to your boot.ini.

What you need to do is to check for BIOS updates and make sure you don't
re-map additional 2GB of RAM above 4GB region. All that is BIOS.
(check BIOS manual or jump to your motherboard forums to find out what your
BIOS calls this setting(s)).

You should see somewhat between 3.2 and 3.5GB of RAM with correct BIOS
settings (depending on many things, and can be less too, but that's your
target). You will never see (or use) whole 4GB under WinXP32.
Reasons:
1. Windows XP-32 is artificially limited to max of 4GB of RAM.
2. To operate, PCI devices require addresses in 3-4GB region.
3. You can't relocate devices to above 4GB, you can only re-map RAM.
4. If you re-map RAM to above 4GB, RAM is lost to Windows XP due to #1. (and
that's what I think is happening, because your numbers are quite round)

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the detailed response. I dug further into the BIOS angle, and
discovered that my mobo, a DFI Infinity 975X, even with the most recent BIOS,
is having issues with a memory hole or memory mapping for installed RAM above
2GB.

Based on what you've said, if this issue is fixed in the BIOS then XP Pro
should report over 2GB RAM.

Thanks again for helping clear this up.

 

[Sharon F]

I have two systems.

System One
XP Home SP2
P4 CPU 3.2GHZ
2.5 GB ram installed

System Two
XP Pro SP2
Core 2 x6800 2.93GHZ
4GB ram installed but NOT reported :4x 1G dual channel) mobo supports up
to 8GB/bios indicates 4GB ram
Physical Address Extension (in system properties box)

System One reports 2.5gb RAM in System Properties.
Physical Memory T:2620908 A:2040260 SysCache:~510600
Kernel Memory T:~91000 Paged:~54000 NonPaged:~36000
Commit Charge T:~404000 Limit:4558992 P:439936

System Two reports 2.0GB RAM in System Properties.
Physcial Memory T:2095532 A:~1750000 SysCache:~175412
Kernel Memory T:~59000 Paged:~48000 NonPaged:~11500
Commit Charge T:206744 Limit:4033792 P:~650000

System One and System Two have PageFile set at 2046mb. (I tried reducing the
page file in System Two. No change to reported values in the task manager.)

boot.ini files in both systems no /3gb or /pae switches. Everything has
been directed by the OS, no hacks. I tried the /3gb hack on xp pro, but
nothing changed.

I've researched the 4GB ram issue in 32bit XP, but I still can't find a
clear answer to my concern. I just want to make sure that xp pro is actually
utilizing the physical memory over 2gb. I somewhat understand the nuances of
how the OS maps the memory and uses the page file. My only real concern is
just some evidence that System Two is actually "seeing" (and using) the
physical ram above 2gb.

Any suggestions? Is this just a reporting issue with the OS?

Thanks.

The URL below is for one of the best pages that I've seen on the 4GB RAM
topic:
http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2006/08/14/699521.aspx