Solved Vista not using available memory

How odd it may seem (everyone else complaining about Vista eating up too much memory) I'm puzzled by the fact that my Vista x64 only uses a maximum of 3 Gb RAM on a desktop, where 6 Gb is available.

Any suggestions on how I can improve my PC performance by forcing Vista (and a 64-bit video editing application) to use all available memory?

Welcome
To start lets test the memory
Guide to using Memtest86+ - Geeks to Go Forums

Then right click on the bottom task bar. Bring up task manager and show us the ram usage

Thanks for replying so quickly.

I've read the memtest guide and would appreciate not going that far at first. In the meantime I have made a screenshot of the task manager's memory usage and attached it here.

Does'nt Vista have a test for the memory where you are not requested to open the case?

You can use the built in memory, case is not required to be openend or you can take a much more accurate test. I suggest the accurate test. Once you pass we will not go back to test again. If that is the problem we will never find it.

Richard,
Thank you. I'll follow your advice, investigate the RAM thoroughly and then get back. Probably not until tomorrow (I'm on GMT+1)

Thanks,

Bent

Dont worry about the time. When ready, just post. If Im here Ill help; if not others will be here.

Hi again,

Have used MEMTEST86+ v/4.20 with the good(!) outcome that my 6Gb RAM is OK. Not a single flaw. I have not opened the case, however. Only tested all 6Gb in situ with MEMTEST booted from CD. Think I'll wait with the single memory bank testing until other options have been examinated.

I'm still thinking the hardware itself is OK and that I (we) maybe should be looking for a logical flaw somewhere. It seems to me, that in spite of Vista in Task manager reports all 6Gb as being present, and in spite of my Vista being a 64 bit version, it behaves like it's operating in 32 bit mode only.

Is there any place I can see or change the way Vista controls 32 bit or 64 bit mode?

Looking fwd to your ideas.

Bent

Its behaving like 32 bit, are you sure that you are 64 bit?
Go to the computer icon on the desktop (if not there type computer in search), then right click and then properties. Do you see 64 bit or 32 bit?

No, Windows always uses just about half the ram the system has. This way if you start a heavy ram application, youre not dogged down.

This is normal, and not even sure if you can force windows to use more.

I understand the question to mean, even with heavy needs, all ram is not used?

I run folding at home and I'm just over 3Gig of ram. Most I've every got was 5Gig on a huge unit, aka the program used under 3Gig.

I think unless you do movie/photo editing or rendering, there really isn't applications that will eat up alot of ram.

The system properties screen is attached. As you may find, it's a four-kernel AMD Phenom II x4 810 processor having access to 6 Gb of RAM running under a 64-bit Vista Home Premium OS.

Actually, I am running video rendering from time to time using Power Director (PD) Ultra64 v/9.0.0.2930. The memory usage then increases to a maximum of 2.5 Gb of which PD is using only 350 Mb. However, when rendering, CPU usage is close to 100% in all four kernels, as shown in the rendering attachment. So in this situation, I would not benefit from replacing hard disk accesses by memory accesses anyway.

What I'm really after is why Vista appears to not exploit all available memory to hold information from hard disk in situations where hard disk usage is the bottleneck and free memory is available. And then free up the memory again if I decide to load further memory intensive apps. I would expect a more intelligent behaviour from a 21st century OS.

But thank you for your support. I'll assign appropriate reputation marks when done!

Bent

Yha, you'd thuink it would, but i'm betting it is a program issue over a windows issue.

I guess you're right. Unless somebody comes up with a hidden handle in Vista, enabling the use of all 6Gb for harddisk simulation, I'll close the thread here and live with the system as is.
Thanks to all of you.
Bent

I have not given up - yet.
I have identified an old thread in this forum, saying something about physical memory versus available memory. I have then run 'systeminfo.exe' from syswow64 and received the following info:
"
Microsoft Windows [version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. Alle rettigheder forbeholdes.
C:\Users\Bent>systeminfo
Værtsnavn: STATIONAER1
OS-navn: Microsoft® Windows VistaT Home Premium
OS-version: 6.0.6002 Service Pack 2 Build 6002
OS-producent: Microsoft Corporation
OS-konfiguration: Separat arbejdsstation
Operativsystemets build-type: Multiprocessor Free
Registreret ejer: Bent
Registreret organisation:
Produkt-id: 89583-OEM-7332157-00211
Oprindelig installationsdato: 24-07-2011, 20:42:24
Systemets starttid: 04-12-2011, 08:01:48
Systemproducent: Acer
Systemmodel: Aspire M5300
Systemtype: x64-based PC
Processorer: 1 processor(er) er installeret.
[01]: AMD64 Family 16 Model 4 Stepping 2 Authe
cAMD ~2600 Mhz
BIOS-version: American Megatrends Inc. P01-A1, 20-05-2009
Windows-mappen: C:\Windows
Systemmappe: C:\Windows\system32
Startenhed: \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Systemets landestandard: da;Dansk
Landestandard: da;Dansk
Tidszone: (GMT+01:00) København, Stockholm, Oslo, Madrid
aris
Fysisk hukommelse i alt: 6.141 MB
Tilgængelig fysisk hukommelse: 4.017 MB
Sidefil: maksimal størrelse: 12.485 MB
Sidefil: tilgængelig: 10.161 MB
Sidefil: i brug: 2.324 MB
Sidefilplaceringer: C:\pagefile.sys
Domæne: HJEMMENETVAERK
Logonserver: \\STATIONAER1
Hotfix: 262 hotfix er installeret.
[01]: {0B4CEEAE-AA88-490C-BCB2-AAC3421981A4}
"
I have found the following info interesting:
Fysisk hukommelse i alt: 6.141 MB (meaning 'physical memory')
Tilgængelig fysisk hukommelse: 4.017 MB (meaning 'accessible physical mmory')
and further:
Windows-mappen: C:\Windows (meaning 'windows folder')
Systemmappe: C:\Windows\system32 (meaning 'system folder')

Isn't system32 a sign of the system operating in 32 bit mode only?? and where would I look to confirm or change that setting? If possible at all?

Any ideas?

Isn't system32 a sign of the system operating in 32 bit mode only?? and where would I look to confirm or change that setting? If possible at all?

Click to expand...

No, because Windows has had the System32 folder for so long it's hard-wired into many apps. So we have the counterintuitive situation that in 64 bit systems Windows\System32 is where the 64 bit OS files live, and Windows\SysWow64 is where the 32 bit emulation lives.

32 bit programs that have System32 hard wired are redirected to SysWow64. Got it? I know it's weird but it works.

Thank you for this explanation. Being an old timer within computing I have seen many cases of hard wiring (also cases where a future proof solution would have been as easy to obtain) and I still don't like'm.

Anyway, I'll accept the fact that my PC manufacturer has equipped my PC with so much ram that I'll only be able to exploit it fully when all apps are in 64-bit. And by then my PC will probably have gone to the eternal PC fields. I only paid for more than I needed.

Thank you all for your contributions, I'll close the thread now.

Over and out
Bent