Solved The 32-bit RAM Issue

[CreepinJesus]

I've got 4GB of RAM installed, but in 32-bit Vista (as is well known), only 3GB(ish) was available.

For reasons unknown to me, I decided to do a clean install to 64-bit (my computer supports both). So now I have a 64-bit system, but it still only let's me have 3GB of RAM. I feel robbed!

Does it have to be a 'dedicated' x64 system? Mine is a x86...

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello.

Look in "Start Menu", "All Programs", "Accessories", "System Tools", "System Information".

You have to remember other 'things' (like video) use RAM.
Most all "personal" computers are x86 based, it's x86 32-bit or x86 64-bit.

Keep us informed!








Later Ted

 

[CreepinJesus]

It all says 4.00GB everywhere, except in the Task Manager where it says 3069MB of total memory.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

It all says 4.00GB everywhere, except in the Task Manager where it says 3069MB of total memory.

Are you taking into account what your video card is using?









Later Ted

 

[CreepinJesus]

That's probably it...

But I was under the belief that 32-bit was limited to 3.5GB of RAM. When I was running 32-bit, I also had 3069 of RAM (according to TM). But now it's x64, I thought that it would use all 4GB (and above, if installed), but it's exactly the same.

Maybe I've been misinformed... :P

 

[CreepinJesus]

I'd also like to mention that I previously only has 2GB RAM. When this was the case, everything recognised all 2GB of it (including the Task Manager and this little gadget I have running). However, on upgrading to 4GB, only 3GB showed up.

No change was made in the video card, or any other piece of hardware...

At the end of the day, 3GB is still more than enough! But I'm just curious as to why it's like this...

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

This is the first one a search came up with; it will help explain some of it!

TabBlogger : The 3GB-not-4GB RAM problem











Later Ted

 

[sidewinder]

Hold on everyone.....

Don't confuse address space used by the video card with RAM used by the video card. On a 32-bit system, video card memory is mapped into the 4GB space addressable by the system. That should not be the case with a 64-bit system. So, if you have 4GB of RAM installed it should all be addressable as RAM. The video card memory should be mapped elsewhere in the 64-bit space.

All this depends on MB chipset.....

S-

 

[Axon]

Are you sure you enabled Memory Remapping in the NorthBridge settings in the BIOS?

 

[CreepinJesus]

Are you sure you enabled Memory Remapping in the NorthBridge settings in the BIOS?

I think the work "errm" says it all....

 

[Fumz]

I've read all too many posts about how guys feel "robbed" or "cheated" out of memory because Windows doesn't "report" all 4GB's. Ok ok, so 32-bit Windows doesn't report it, but that does not mean the system (hardware) isn't using it, it is, in the form of MMIO mapping.

Now, why you're not seeing all 4GB now is a tricky one. Are you positive you selected 64-bit instead of just another 32-bit install?

 

[CreepinJesus]

Yep - it's a whole different disc :P I have it stated in the System properties: 64-bit Operating System.

 

[Dwarf]

Hi CreepinJesus,

This could be a setting in your system configuration. To check, click the start orb and type 'msconfig' into the search box and press enter/return. After providing administrative credentials, the 'System Configuration' utility appears. Click the 'Boot' tab and then click 'Advanced options...'. On this page, ensure that the check box next to 'Maximum memory:' is clear (does NOT have a tick in it). Click 'OK' twice and then reboot your system for changes to take effect.
Dwarf

 

[sidewinder]

Ok ok, so 32-bit Windows doesn't report it, but that does not mean the system (hardware) isn't using it, it is, in the form of MMIO mapping.

No, you are confused. The 32-bit system has 4GB of memory address space. If you install 4GB of RAM, some of that RAM is wasted. Here is why:

Part of that 4GB address space is set aside to address BIOS, I/O cards, NICs, video/graphics cards, etc. On my system, for example, I have 2.8GB of addressable even though I have 4GB installed. Why? 1.2GB of the address space is used to address BIOS, I/O cards, NICs, video/graphics cards, etc.

This means that 1.2GB or RAM on my system is completely wasted. If I had 3GB or RAM installed, my system would perform exactly the same and not have any less RAM used by the system.

S-

 

[Fumz]

Ok ok, so 32-bit Windows doesn't report it, but that does not mean the system (hardware) isn't using it, it is, in the form of MMIO mapping.

No, you are confused. The 32-bit system has 4GB of memory address space. If you install 4GB of RAM, some of that RAM is wasted. Here is why:

Part of that 4GB address space is set aside to address BIOS, I/O cards, NICs, video/graphics cards, etc. On my system, for example, I have 2.8GB of addressable even though I have 4GB installed. Why? 1.2GB of the address space is used to address BIOS, I/O cards, NICs, video/graphics cards, etc.

This means that 1.2GB or RAM on my system is completely wasted. If I had 3GB or RAM installed, my system would perform exactly the same and not have any less RAM used by the system.

S-

It's you who is confused.

I just said that the system will use a portion of RAM for MMIO mapping. Your second paragraph just restates that using more words and different words.

If the memory, at the hardware level is being used for MMIO mapping, then by definition, it's not being "wasted". That the operating system doesn't "see" it is meaningless.

The only part that could be considered "wasted" is the really insignificant couple hundred MB or so that Windows sets aside to assure driver compatibility and such; that's it... nowhere near the 1.xxGB that's allocated to MMIO devices.

 

[sidewinder]

Fumz,

You are confusing address space with RAM. The BIOS, I/O cards, NICs, video/graphics cards, etc. have their own memory space (separate from RAM) that is mapped into the 4GB address space.

Think about it, if the system worked as you believe, a part of RAM would always be used by the BIOS, I/O cards, NICs, video/graphics cards, etc. Systems with 2GB or ram would never show that much RAM as available to be used as RAM.

You might want to learn more about how the hardware works before you talk as an expert...

S-

 

[Fumz]

sidewinder,

Perhaps you should pay closer attention to what I said before you jump to conclusions? I am not mixing up physical memory with address space; in fact, I made the distinction clear.

I began by saying that people thought physical RAM was being wasted. Wasted, by definition, means that part of your physical RAM is not being used. This is not true. It is being used, and I said how it's being used, by MMIO devices.

MMIO devices take the amount of physical RAM they require regardless of the amount of RAM you have, regardless of whether you run a 32-bit or 64-bit OS.

That is how systems function. If you only have 2GB, MMIO devices still take the amount of RAM required leaving the OS with less than 2GB. That the OS displays 2GB's of RAM is misleading. It's not that this "problem" doesn't exist before you install 4GB's of RAM, it's that it doesn't show up until you install 4GB's of RAM.

 

[sidewinder]

Fumz,

I can't argue with the unarmed....

Learn more about the address space, RAM, and how memory for BIOS, I/O cards, NICs, video/graphics cards, etc., are mapped into that address space.

If you have 4MB of RAM installed on a 32-bit system, part of that RAM is indeed being wasted (not used) because it is not part of the 4GB address space.

S-

 

[Fumz]

Oh god... is what I said really that difficult to understand? Nobody is arguing that the 32-bit OS's addressable space isn't limited. Yes, the OS has "wasted" addressable space... but I never said anything about that. I'm talking about the hardware and the hardware alone.

Here:
bit-tech.net | Review - Is More Memory Better?
bit-tech.net | 64-bit: More than just the RAM

Stubborn refusal to listen to what I said and misdirect into a discussion about the OS's addressable space doesn't get you past the fact that the RAM, on the hardware level, is being used. A 4GB kit on a 32-bit OS does not have 1.xxGB's of RAM "locked out" and unused, ie... wasted.

 

[sidewinder]

Fumz,

You still don't get it. Pay attention and read carefully now:

BIOS, I/O cards, NICs, video/graphics cards, etc. have their own address space that gets mapped into the 4GB address space of a 32 bit system. Do you under stand what that means?

Let me give you one example that should make this clear to you: My system has a video card installed with 640MB of RAM on it. That RAM is mapped into the 4GB address space of the system.

That means that at least 640MB of the 4GB of RAM installed is not mapped into the 4GB of address space. That means the system cannot address at least 640MB of the 4GB of RAM installed. In other words, that 640MB of RAM is wasted.

Please tell me you understand what I just told you and you now see how what you are saying is wrong!

S-