Memory - System shows less than actually installed

[Guest]

After swearing at my new Vista installation - I started rummaging through all
the settings and I find that the system reports 768MB memory whereas I have
on that particular notebook 1.5GB and (since it is a swappable Dell drive)
2GB on my machine at work. The system never reports higher than the original
memory, which it was when I installed/upgraded to Vista.

I also suspect that since it is not reporting more than 768MB it is not
using the balance.

Questions: Does Vista use all of the memory installed, and not just what it
reports from the initial installation? And if so, especially if so, how do I
get it to recognize the balance of upgraded memory?

Removing and reinstalling memory modules did not do a thing. XP - on the
other hand, picks-up the memory correctly, so it is not hardware (I think).

 

[Guest]

Thank you, I'll check the machine at home - that is where Vista drive is
sitting, maybe if I reset the video settings somewhat - it will reset the
rest of the system.

I also thought of re-installing Vista with the new hardware, I do not have
much on it, the speed (or lack off) is driving me nuts and I am constantly at
the point of reformatting the whole thing back to XP - but it has such a
powerful chess game - I am loathe to give this one up <grinning>!