Windows 7 64 bit RAM issue?

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  1. Posts : 4
    Windows 7 64 bit (7057)
       #1

    SOLVED: Windows 7 64 bit RAM issue?


    Heres my story:

    I upgraded from W7 32 (7000) to W7 32 (7057). So I was using 7057 for little bit... Then I bought 2GB of RAM (Making 4GB total) and a new video card (4670 1GB DDR3 ) I knew that 32 bit can't recognize 4GB of RAM, so I decided to give 64 bit a whirl.

    I formatted my target HDD (a Seagate 120GB IDE) and then installed it without a problem. I go to my system specs and it says under RAM:
    4.00GB (3.12GB usable)
    So this made me mad...
    I found out my BIOS was out of date, becuase when I booted, it said 3200MB of RAM, when my motherboard can have a max of 4GB.

    SOOO... I updated my BIOS and now when I boot it says 4096MB, YAY!

    I go into Windows all excited, and it says:
    4.00GB (2.87GB usable)
    Now I'm REALLY mad...
    How does it go down? Does anyone know whats wrong or does anyone else have this problem?

    I've reached a dead end...

    SPECS:
    Intel Pentium D 3.00Ghz
    Abit IL9 Pro
    4GB OCZ Platinum DDR2 RAM 800mhz
    HIS HD Radeon 4670 IceQ 1GB DDR3
    Hitachi SATA HDD 80GB (Windows XP 32 bit)
    Seagate IDE HDD 120GB (Windows 7 64 bit build 7057)
    Seagate IDE HDD 160GB (Mac OS X 10.5.6)
    I think I'm missing something... oh well
    Last edited by Topper59; 24 Mar 2009 at 15:51.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 445
    Vista Ult 64bit - Windows 7 Ult 7264 64bit
       #2

    Hi Topper and Welcome!

    I don't know of any place in Windows where it says "Useable" RAM amounts but most say Available.
    Well all I can say is this, when you boot your OS it is going to need RAM to do it's thing, and I believe what you see as useable is actually available and the system is using the missing (used) amounts.
    With 4G's of RAM, W7 will boot and use approx 1.2 to 1.4G's just to operate, so you're not really out of range as long as the system "sees" all the physical RAM installed in the system, which it does for you.

    Hope that helped
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 8,870
    Windows 7 Ult, Windows 8.1 Pro,
       #3

    Yep the Op system and other programs uses 25-35 percent of the total Ram so having 2.87GB left in reserve is about right.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 623
    vista x64/ win 7 x64
       #4

    Which will cause the OP to not need to page itself so much which in turn should increase system response.

    I switched off paging all together, ram is there to be used not to look nice on the memory availability. The less you've free to more you actually use your investment.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 5,941
    Linux CENTOS 7 / various Windows OS'es and servers
       #5

    Topper59 said:
    Heres my story:

    I upgraded from W7 32 (7000) to W7 32 (7057). So I was using 7057 for little bit... Then I bought 2GB of RAM (Making 4GB total) and a new video card (4670 1GB DDR3 ) I knew that 32 bit can't recognize 4GB of RAM, so I decided to give 64 bit a whirl.

    I formatted my target HDD (a Seagate 120GB IDE) and then installed it without a problem. I go to my system specs and it says under RAM:
    4.00GB (3.12GB usable)
    So this made me mad...
    I found out my BIOS was out of date, becuase when I booted, it said 3200MB of RAM, when my motherboard can have a max of 4GB.

    SOOO... I updated my BIOS and now when I boot it says 4096MB, YAY!

    I go into Windows all excited, and it says:
    4.00GB (2.87GB usable)
    Now I'm REALLY mad...
    How does it go down? Does anyone know whats wrong or does anyone else have this problem?

    I've reached a dead end...

    SPECS:
    Intel Pentium D 3.00Ghz
    Abit IL9 Pro
    4GB OCZ Platinum DDR2 RAM 800mhz
    HIS HD Radeon 4670 IceQ 1GB DDR3
    Hitachi SATA HDD 80GB (Windows XP 32 bit)
    Seagate IDE HDD 120GB (Windows 7 64 bit build 7057)
    Seagate IDE HDD 160GB (Mac OS X 10.5.6)
    I think I'm missing something... oh well
    Well the Video (1GB) on your board --needs an address space to run in -- try looking somewhere to see where the video is getting mapped to.

    You might find something like "Shadow Video" or something -- this will fix say 1GB of Video memory reducing the amount the OS has for the rest of stuff.

    Not sure why on that type of rig you'd need a 1GB card but not being a gamer I'm probably not qualified to say.

    On a 4GB laptop with a 256 GB video card (built in to the motherboard) I have 3.25 GB available RAM (from running Windows msinfo32) after bootup with no apps running.

    (W7 build 7048 x-64)

    cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 4
    Windows 7 64 bit (7057)
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Thanks for all the replies, I really appreciate it!

    Chappy, when I say usable RAM, I'm talking about how much RAM the system can use, heres a pic:




    EDIT: I just noticed the hardware reserved section hahaha, so I take it my video card is using up the missing RAM.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 8,870
    Windows 7 Ult, Windows 8.1 Pro,
       #7

    The GPU has it's own memory. None of your memory is missing at all. As I said before the Op system uses 25-35 percent of your available Ram for cacheing system programs so they will open faster. You have no missing Ram and no problems. :)
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 341
    XP
       #8

    It's normal. Your using a 32bit OS which can only address UP TO 4GB of RAM.

    Go x64 if you want all available RAM to be addressed. :)


    **Edit

    Forget it, I'm not with it today lol, I see he is using 64bit
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 4
    Windows 7 64 bit (7057)
    Thread Starter
       #9

    chev65 said:
    The GPU has it's own memory. None of your memory is missing at all. As I said before the Op system uses 25-35 percent of your available Ram for cacheing system programs so they will open faster. You have no missing Ram and no problems. :)
    Thats what i thought, just wanted to make sure, thanks for all your help!
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 5,941
    Linux CENTOS 7 / various Windows OS'es and servers
       #10

    Topper59 said:
    Thats what i thought, just wanted to make sure, thanks for all your help!

    Don't forget however --even after the GPU had done its video processing the data still has to be transferred (by usually dedicated) memory paths / channels into the I/O device (screen) . Whilst the video processing is removed from the main computer processor the data still has to be transmitted under the computers main processor control (usually by means of hardware interrupts). Some of this memory also won't be "seen"b as "available" by running msinfo32 or displaying performance via control panel.

    In plain english the fast video board allows the main computer to process other instructions whilst the video stuff is being handled by the board. Without this the computer would have to process the video sequentially -- and it would take a lot lot longer. The DATA after processing of course has still to be transmitted to the screen.

    You haven't actually lost any memory BTW.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


 
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