not telling the 3GB vs 4GB limitation

[liketofindoutwhy]

hm... i just got a Dell with 4GB of memory, and just found that it is
known that only about 3.1 to 3.5GB can be used...

(after upgrading to Vista SP1, it reports 4GB but only 3.3GB can be
used as reported in Task Manager)

So I went to Dell's website to configure a new computer and saw no
warning or no "Help me Choose"...

Wouldn't it be better if Dell could have told us, coz the money ($50
per GB) can be spent else where, such as

1. getting 800MHz 3GB rather than 667MHz 4GB....
2. getting a more powerful video card
3. getting a hard drive with higher RPM for the primary drive (for
swap file).

actually, even if I had known only 3.3GB can be used, I still would
have paid that extra $50. Just that if I had known, then there is at
least a choice I can make, or know I am making that choice.

 

[Little Billy]

hm... i just got a Dell with 4GB of memory, and just found that it is
known that only about 3.1 to 3.5GB can be used...

(after upgrading to Vista SP1, it reports 4GB but only 3.3GB can be
used as reported in Task Manager)

3 is all you can use with 32 bit OS

 

[Rock]

3 is all you can use with 32 bit OS

Not true.

 

[Jay B]

i've had the same problem on my optiplexes.
also on an xps 720, also an optiplex 755 running xp64.
it has to do with the chipset and the video card installed, etc.
a little disappointing.

i heard that some people got a credit back from dell when complaining to
them about it.
since i'm using XP, i'm not using anywhere near even 3 gb so it's not
critical.

 

[liketofindoutwhy]

It's called "profit" but I agree with you. FWIW, should you switch to
64bit Windows it will read the full 4 gb ram.

Will 64-bit Windows have any compatibility issue with 32-bit apps?
That will mean more money for MS... haha. Thanks for your hint.

 

[Little Billy]

i've had the same problem on my optiplexes.
also on an xps 720, also an optiplex 755 running xp64.
it has to do with the chipset and the video card installed, etc.
a little disappointing.

i heard that some people got a credit back from dell when complaining to
them about it.
since i'm using XP, i'm not using anywhere near even 3 gb so it's not
critical.

Yes. Or a faster processor.



Yes, that would have been better. Besides there's no point in getting more
than 2G. So why are manufacturers selling 4G when then know they're selling
a 32 bit Vista with the machine? Many people don't know computers and think
they'll be getting a faster machine. And btw, that additional 2G RAM can be
expensive on a laptop. On a Sony laptop it may be $300 more, I just looked.
Even on sale it's $150 while upgrade to 3G is free.

 

[LordBono]

I got done too, just spent a fortune on a "super" laptop with alienware, but
out of my 4-gigs only 2.8 is usable. Alienware also did not warn again this
limitation of a 32-bit operating system. I would have taken 2 gigs and gone
with a bigger HD or faster CPU.
I noticed after I received my machine that some websites like HP do warn
against this, so why not others?
Like all corporations these days it seems that lying and stealing is a much
better option than good customer service.

 

[Little Billy]

I got done too, just spent a fortune on a "super" laptop with alienware,
but
out of my 4-gigs only 2.8 is usable. Alienware also did not warn again
this
limitation of a 32-bit operating system. I would have taken 2 gigs and
gone
with a bigger HD or faster CPU.

How much more was the cost for the 2G more RAM? I know it's like $300 on
Sony laptop ($150 on sale) Better to get a faster CPU or faster hard drive
rpm

I noticed after I received my machine that some websites like HP do warn
against this, so why not others?
Like all corporations these days it seems that lying and stealing is a
much
better option than good customer service.

Well, I guess the 4G is in case you want to install a 64 bit OS. Yes, they
don't warn you. There's a reference number there and you look at bottom of
page lol

 

[Bob Levine]

Will 64-bit Windows have any compatibility issue with 32-bit apps?
That will mean more money for MS... haha. Thanks for your hint.

I'm running the entire Adobe Creative Suite 3 and MS Office 2007 on
Vista Ultimate 64. All's well.

Bob

 

[Ken Blake]

hm... i just got a Dell with 4GB of memory, and just found that it is
known that only about 3.1 to 3.5GB can be used...

(after upgrading to Vista SP1, it reports 4GB but only 3.3GB can be
used as reported in Task Manager)

So I went to Dell's website to configure a new computer and saw no
warning or no "Help me Choose"...

Wouldn't it be better if Dell could have told us,

Of course, but very few vendors, whether of computers or anything else, tell
us about the downsides of what they offer for sale.

 

[Swingman]

"liketofindoutwhy" in message

actually, even if I had known only 3.3GB can be used, I still would
have paid that extra $50. Just that if I had known, then there is at
least a choice I can make, or know I am making that choice.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605

 

[liketofindoutwhy]

"liketofindoutwhy" in message


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605

Holy cow... I thought I can use 3.3GB and that's ok... but in fact,
only 3.12GB can be used...

it goes like this, i think:

3.12GB can be used as reported by Microsoft's article above...

and then 3.12 GB = 3.12 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024 bytes = 3.35 billion
bytes

so Vista's Task Manager reports 3325MB is usable... and in fact, it is
3.12GB... so the last GB is only 12% utilized... instead of 32.5%.

oh well... by the way that article above says 3120MB is usable... and
then it says that is 3.12GB... isn't 3120MB the same as 3120 / 1024
GB = 3.047GB?

so does that mean the 4GB is really as good as 3.047GB ? or is
3.12GB accurate and it is really 3.12 x 1024 MB = 3195MB?

 

[Tony Harding]

Yes. Or a faster processor.


Yes, that would have been better. Besides there's no point in getting
more than 2G.

This is not true across the board, e.g., I'm running XP Pro x64 with 4GB
of memory and I've seen > 2 GB in use when editing video.

Also, the amount of RAM 32-bit versions of Windows sees depends on the
configuration, video cards, I/O cards, have their on board memory mapped
into Windows's high memory (almost said "high core" <g>). In general, I
think Windows sees 3.0-3.5 GB of 4GB of memory (it's been 3.0 on my
computers). If you go into Device Manager and choose Properties for your
video card, then click on the Resources tab, it'll show you the memory
that card needs.