Limited RAM

[Phoenix CMXIV]

I just built a computer, and my error region is my ram. i have 4gb(2x2gb) DDR3 1333 ram. My BIOS says that i have 467892??? anyway my BIOS says i have 4gb RAM. I checked it on my computer, running Windows XP SP3, the "System" panal under Control Panal says i have 3 GB ram.

How can i be sure that my comp is using all 4 gb?

 

[nickc]

in order for any os to use 4gig or more it has to be 64bit os or it will only use 2 gig and will only see 3 to 3.5 gig.

 

[Phoenix CMXIV]

it sees 3 gig, how can i make it get the extra .5??? i assume the 64 is an entirly new OS?

 

[gbhall]

There are no ways in standard Windows 32-bit retail versions to use more than 2Gb per application and about 3.2Gb overall. If you are not even seeing at least 3.12 Gb, check your bios to see how much memory is being devoted to the video ram shadowing.

Windows XP-64 and Vista64 are both entirely different versions of Windows which can use the full 4Gb or more. There is no real reason (at present) to use either in a general-purpose PC. So you bought 4Gb and can only use 3Gb - bad luck, never mind, it will come in handy some time.

 

[Phoenix CMXIV]

check your bios to see how much memory is being devoted to the video ram shadowing.

could that be what i use the unused portion of my memory to? Seeing as my OS wont use it, can i divert it somewhere? like video?

 

[gbhall]

You'd think so, would'nt you, but the reality is no. This goes to the fundamental design of Windows XP32 and how the hardware is mapped first. This link explains it in the usual gobbledegook http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605 which is about Vista, but XP is exactly the same. What I said about video mapping, if it is currenlty 256Mb or even 512Mb with very large cards, you can reduce that, but the only effect is to make more memory from the 3.2GB available for applications.