My machine is less that a year old. I installed 6 GB because at the time I wasn't sure if I was going to go 64 bit or not. I ended up sticking with 32. Anyways, I read 6.00 GB (2.49 GB usable). I know I can't access all 6, but even my laptop (which is 32 bit and only 4 GB) says 3.25 GB usable. I originally ran memtest when the system was built, so I assume everything was seated correctly. But maybe if a chip was bad, it just never checked it (but I think I remember it doing both). Just wanted to check before I started checking sticks. (And I'm not using an onboard video card) I removed and cleaned. I even doubled checked the manual to make sure they were in the right slots. It's weird. I tested just 2 chips and system properties said 4 GB (2.49) usable. So whether it has 4 or 6, it still says only 2.49 available.

The difference is either caused by a "memory hole' or more RAM taken by the on-board video. If it's a memory hole, you should have a Memory Map setting in the BIOS. If it's taken by the video there is nothing you can do about it.Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:46:38 +0000, lucasbuck2 wrote: My machine is less that a year old. I installed 6 GB because at the time I wasn't sure if I was going to go 64 bit or not. I ended up sticking with 32. Anyways, I read 6.00 GB (2.49 GB usable). I know I can't access all 6, but even my laptop (which is 32 bit and only 4 GB) says 3.25 GB usable. Two points: 1. All 32-bit client versions of Windows (not just XP/Vista/7) have a 4GB address space (64-bit versions can use much more). That's the theoretical upper limit beyond which you can not go. But you can't use the entire address space. Even though you have a 4GB address space, you can only use around 3.1GB of RAM. That's because some of that space is used by hardware and is not available to the operating system and applications. The amount you can use varies, depending on what hardware you have installed, but can range from as little as 2GB to as much as 3.5GB. It's usually around 3.1GB. Note that the hardware is using the address space, not the actual RAM itself. If you have a greater amount of RAM, the rest of the RAM goes unused because there is no address space to map it to. 2. Instead of having a separate video card, you may have video support on the motherboard. If so, that video support uses some of your system RAM, and that can appreciably lower how much is available to you. Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP

Hi, 32 bit only supports up to 4 Gig and some of that will not be accessible to the OS depending on how much of the hardware, such as video, has to be mapped into memory. The 3.25 - 2.75 available is very typical.. Actually with 4 gig installed you could have 2.8 to 3.2 or so available depending on memory mapping of video cards and so on. The usable memory may be less than the installed memory on Windows 7-based computers http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978610 Windows 7 Physical Memory Limits http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778(VS.85).aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_7 The system memory that is reported in the System Information dialog box in Windows Vista is less than you expect if 4 GB of RAM is installed (Windows 7 is the same) http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605 Vista and 4GB RAM (Windows 7 is the same) http://compreviews.about.com/od/memory/a/Vista4GB.htm 32-bit and 64-bit Windows: frequently asked questions http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/32-bit-and-64-bit-Windows-frequently-asked-questions Measuring memory usage in Windows 7 http://brandonlive.com/2010/02/21/measuring-memory-usage-in-windows-7/ Hope this helps.Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

I understand I can't use the whole 6gb. But like I said, if my sad laptop with 4b installed is using 3.25, my newer desktop should be using more than 2.5. And like I mentioned, I'm not using onboard video. It had a Radeon 5800 series in it. Any suggestions on what I could track down?

Hi, The new desktop is mapping more into memory, likely the Video Card. Check with the System Maker and the Video Card Maker. If you do have on-board video on the motherboard make sure is it disabled in the BIOS and does not appear in Device Manager as enabled. Hope this helps.Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

Thanks. I did check in device manager, only the 5800 is listed.

Hi, Odds are the video card and possibly other devices are mapping themselves into memory. Check with their maker's support. Measuring memory usage in Windows 7 http://brandonlive.com/2010/02/21/measuring-memory-usage-in-windows-7/ The usable memory may be less than the installed memory on Windows 7-based computers http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978610 Some other useful utilities : VMMap - Free http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/dd535533 RAMMap - Free http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ff700229 Process Explorer - Free http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653 Hope this helps.Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

If you really want the answer to your question, then you should contact the Technical Support for your laptop and ask them. The manufacturer is best qualified to tell you about things like this. Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. ”

Run this PAE patch: PAE patch updated for Windows 7 SP1"A programmer is just a tool which converts caffeine into code" Want to install RSAT on Windows 7 Sp1? Check my HowTo: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=150221

Hi, Do not rush out to use a PAE patch : (remember they are all by unknown 3rd parties). Read - PAE-mode-induced driver compatibility issues - section. The system memory that is reported in the System Information dialog box in Windows Vista is less than you expect if 4 GB of RAM is installed. (Windows 7 is the same) http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605 You can find out a lot more using Google. =========================== Note the warnings in the KB above : Physical Address Extension http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366796(VS.85).aspx Open an Elevated Command Prompt BCDEdit /set PAE ForceEnable Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008 may report less memory than you expect (Windows 7 too) http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929580 RAM, Virtual Memory, Pagefile and all that stuff http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2267427 More help via MSDN Forums MSDN - Forums http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en/categories/ MSDN - Where is the Forum For…? http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en/whatforum/threads Hope this helps.Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.