Vista - Why does 4GB RAM only show as 3GB?

I know that when using 32-bit Vista you can't expect to see all 4GB of
installed RAM but I was under the impression that you should see between 3.1
and 3.5GB. My new Dell Precision laptop has 4GB RAM but only shows exactly
3GB. The BIOS reports 4GB.

Is this unusual or indicative of a problem?

--
And loving it,

-Q
_________________________________________________
Qu0llSixFour@xxxxxx
(Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

"Qu0ll" <Qu0llSixFour@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:42B8305D-A848-4411-BA89-FA521D2D9D20@xxxxxxIt's normal. Different MBs support different amounts. Some see as much
as 3.5 GB, some as little as 3GB, like yours. If the laptop supports 64
bit and you need more than 3 GB, you need to install 64 bit Vista.

It depends on what is installed on the computer. Video cards with larger
amounts of memory will have smaller shown memory. After SP1 you should see
all of it even though nothing has changed.


"Qu0ll" <Qu0llSixFour@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:42B8305D-A848-4411-BA89-FA521D2D9D20@xxxxxx

"John Barnes" <jbarnes@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:#5nZsRYlIHA.4244@xxxxxx
The video card has 512MB of memory so perhaps that is a factor then. Nice
to know though that all 4GB RAM will be accessible under SP1. Thanks for
the confirmation.

--
And loving it,

-Q
_________________________________________________
Qu0llSixFour@xxxxxx
(Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

"Qu0ll" <Qu0llSixFour@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:F3B677C3-908D-45E0-AF48-FB75409E97AA@xxxxxxNo, it WON'T be accessible. It will be reported in the System Properties as 4 GB
but it still won't be used by the OS.

Tom Lake

"Tom Lake" <toml_12953@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:6EF267C4-4B30-4CD6-AB4B-C5DECBCFF967@xxxxxxYes, hence my other post.

Actually, I notice that my Server 2003 machine is 32-bit with 4GB and seems
to see and use all 4GB. So it's not just a 32-bit thing - it must be
related to the nature of the OS itself. Most of the explanations I've seen
for the low reporting are based on the "it's a 32-bit OS" argument.

--
And loving it,

-Q
_________________________________________________
Qu0llSixFour@xxxxxx
(Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

"Qu0ll" <Qu0llSixFour@xxxxxx> wrote:
It's a BIG factor. See http://members.cox.net/slatteryt/RAM.html
No! SP1 will tell you that there's 4GB installed, but it won't use any
more of it than pre-SP1 systems did. The change is cosmetic only.

--
Tim Slattery
MS MVP(Shell/User)
Slattery_T@xxxxxx
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt

On Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:46:41 +1100, Qu0ll wrote:
Asked and answered several times per week. Suggest you peruse the group.

"Qu0ll" <Qu0llSixFour@xxxxxx> wrote:
Hmm...I wonder. This page
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/w.../bb404900.aspx says
Server 2003 32 bit supports 4GB, and that claim is made for 32-bit XP
and Vista systems also. This one
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/w.../bb429524.aspx says
that 32-bit Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition supports up to 64GB,
which
means it would have to support PAE.

I don't know a lot about the server systems, but I suspect that if
you're not running the R2 Enterprise edition, it may be showing 4GB
but it's not using it anymore than Vista - with or without SP1 -
does.

And you're right that it's a 32-bit hardware thing. A 32-bit address
space translates to 4GB. That has to be used to access BIOS, Video
RAM and a few other things. What's left over after those needs are
satisfied is used for system RAM.

--
Tim Slattery
MS MVP(Shell/User)
Slattery_T@xxxxxx
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt

"Tim Slattery" <Slattery_T@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1c1av398rk1dsd5er31hc3nv60mnsqajso@xxxxxx32 bit Windows Server versions DO support PAE, which gives 36 bits of
address space, which allows 64 GB of physical RAM. But all other 32 bit
limitations still apply.

PAE is a hack whose time has finally passed.