Windows 7: 3 GB installed but only 1GB usable.

I just built a new system and decided to try out Windows 7. Everything is just amazing but I do have 1 problem. I have 3 GB memory installed and 7 recognizes this but says only 1GB is usable.

My system is basically.

i7 Quad 920
Gibabyte EX58-UD4P Motherboard
3GB DDR3 Corsair Memory
ATI Radon HD4670 1G DDR3 Graphics Card
Soundblaster Platinum Sound Card
Seagate SATA Barracuda 500GB 7200 RPM HD with drivers from 3/10/09



I am using the Windows 7 RC 7100 with all updates.

I have seen many places here and around that talks about 32bit only using 3 gb ram...I get that but nowhere talking about using less when that much is installed.

I did see something about Video cards using up memory...I thought that was why I bought a 1gb card in the first place..I thought it had its own ram....I don't understand why it uses my memory.

As you can see my memory usage is extremely high because of this and I am afraid of doing anything.

Also, I tried the x64 version and it only used showed 3gb and 2 usable.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for your suggestion..

Grandpa

when you boot have you ran the MEMORY Diagnostics.?
What did it say?
Have your swapped memory modules around?
Does your video card access RAM for use?

Don't know how to run memory diagonstics...I'll see what I can find out
No But I will switch them
How would I find out about the video card?

did you check the settings in BIOS?

What setting in bios you mean....I did have to turn up the voltage to 1.6 v to run the memory at rated 1600 speed....that is only setting I see in bios

Switching does nothing and mem test said no problems...it did not give me a report when I logged in though.

Cant find info on graphics card using memory yet

Normally there is a setting to "Auto detect memory". which I'm sure your BIOS does... since your post shows 3GB : 1 usable.
Memory diagnostics, will run a gamot of tests on your memory chips to make sure they are 100%. which is located under Admin tools.

some times different manufactures set there mobos to access RAM at different times. which only makes so much usable by the system.
I think that is adjustable in the BIOS under memory. your manual should tell you how to check or adjust.
some references to same problem:

usually this is because you are using a 32 bit OS...
and im pretty sure the cause is you graphics card...
if you see your wei then click on view detailed performace information
you can see how much really your GPU is taking out the 4gb total usuable ram
try to find the 64 bit version and install that one....
it should give you access to all that ram...

Hello Grandpa Ubu,

Welcome to Seven Forums.

Have you had a look at the performance tab in task manager (ctrl+shift+esc).

Gary

I think 32 bit Windows 7 can recognize memory up to 3.5 gigs and 64 bit 8 gigs. Ubu is using a separate graphics card with its own memory so since his system is seeing the full memory and his photos show very little mem usage for every thing exept firefox (98 meg) I would like to see whats using up 2.5 gigs of ram and the suggestions about running an independant memory test to see if it is working and what is using it are right on. I defer to the experts but offer whatever help I can give.

K