i only have 256mb ddr pc3200, but when i go to system, under my specs it is listed as 224mb....why!!!! can someone please help me

Windows uses some RAM and windows recognises 1mb as 1024kb whilst your manufacturer will say 1mb is 1000kb.

These are the two reasons.

Why is your RAM so low anyways? perhaps it is time to upgrade - 512mb these days is the bare minimum.

Regards,

Korrupt

So you have 32MB of RAM "missing"? An integrated VGA card,or HyperMemory Radeon,or Turbo Cache GeForce might be using it because these devices don't have video memory so they use the system's RAM. Post your mobo and gpu type.

korrupt is wrong... mr47 is right.

you have onboard video that is using 32MB of your system memory. there is nothing wrong with your memory.

cheers

my mobo is asrock k8vm800, my gpu is nvidia 6600le 256mb ddr agp8x

hmm...
try disableing the onboard VGA option in your BIOS.

your integrated video is stealing system memory. Do not run XP with less than 512mb it will run slow with most new programs.