Main memory (RAM) usage

[Guest]

Hi! I have a question. My computer has 4 GB of main memory (4 sticks of 1 GB
each) . However, Windows Vista recognizes only about 3.3 GB (3327 MB, to be
more exact). Or, at least, that is what I read when I go to -Control
Panel-System-View RAM and Processor speed. So, about 700 MB is missing.
What's going on? Any help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[Brett I. Holcomb]

Check out the MS Knowledge base. In 32 bit systems some of the 4 gig
is used by cards such as video, etc. You don't get a full 4 gig
available - it's used.

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Some of the 4GB of available memory addresses ina 32-bit operating system
are reserved by the system for its hardware. The remaining addresses, 3.3GB
in your case, are allocated to system memory. This is a fairly well
documented limitation of a 32-bit OS.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

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

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

It isn't missing. It is being used by the system.

 

[jorgen]

It isn't missing. It is being used by the system.

I don't think it is. Either it is hidden behind memory mapped io, or
remapped above 4G, where 32-bit vista and xp cannot go

 

[jorgen]

Hi,

Some of the 4GB of available memory addresses ina 32-bit operating
system are reserved by the system for its hardware. The remaining
addresses, 3.3GB in your case, are allocated to system memory. This is a
fairly well documented limitation of a 32-bit OS.

this limitation was introduced in SP2. Before it was 4GB+MMIO (with PAE
enabled)

 

[Dustin Harper]

The 32 bit operating system (Windows, as well as others) are limited to
4 GB of total addressed memory. This includes I/O devices, RAM, video
RAM, etc. While you may have 4 GB of RAM, your video card, and other
devices use this mapped total, so the OS only "see's" 3.3 GB of RAM
available.

 

[ato_zee]

The 32 bit operating system (Windows, as well as others) are limited to
4 GB of total addressed memory. This includes I/O devices, RAM, video
RAM, etc. While you may have 4 GB of RAM, your video card, and other
devices use this mapped total, so the OS only "see's" 3.3 GB of RAM
available.

I've got the same problem with 64bit Vista Ultimate, Asus P5VD2-X
motherboard, 4GB Crucial DDR2. So it's not just a 32bit problem,
I've all the MS updates, including the optional ones, and
KB929777, as of yesterdays updates.
How do I fix it?

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

It may also be a limitation of the motherboard. If it cannot handle more
than 4GB of address space, it will not report more than that. You can try
enabline the option in the BIOS to map around the memory hole to see if that
helps.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

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

 

[Guest]

Now, hold on a second here. When I had only 2GB of RAM installed (2 sticks of
1 GB each) Windows told me that I had 2 GB installed (2047 MB, according to
the Control Panel). Add another 2 sticks of the same size, and instead of
having 4GB (or about 4094, if my arithmetic is correct) you get 3327 MB!
Am I missing something?

 

[Guest]

Now, hold on a second here. When I had 2 GB of RAM installed, that is what
Vista told me I had ( 2047 MB ). Add another 2 sticks (double the RAM) and
instead of having 4094 MB (if my arithmetic is correct), Vista tells me I got
only 3327 MB!
Am I missing something ?

 

[JW]

The information in the following KB article may help you to understand why
cannot use all of your 4GB of memory.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605/en-us

 

[Wandering]

What's the point of your argument? These folks have told you how it is in
Vista. There are hundreds of post asking the same question in this forum,
and the answer is always the same. You are arguing how you think it should
be, they are telling you how it is. There is no middle ground there.

The facts are what they are!

By the way, I only have 1 GB, and Vista reports 763 MB.

 

[Guest]

What's the point of your argument? These folks have told you how it is in
Vista. There are hundreds of post asking the same question in this forum,
and the answer is always the same. You are arguing how you think it should
be, they are telling you how it is. There is no middle ground there.

The facts are what they are!

By the way, I only have 1 GB, and Vista reports 763 MB.

C.B.