How to make Windows 7 x64 use ALL your Memory!

[aero2008]

Okay, so recently I had a problem with Windows 7 x64 only using 5Gb out of my 6Gb or RAM. I figured it out, and I'll show you what to do if you're having problems.

The first screenshot is what it looked like initially.

How to fix:

1) Go to start menu and search for "msconfig" and hit enter.

2) Go to the "Boot" tab and click on "Advanced Options".

3) Another menu should pop up. From there, you want to uncheck the box that says "Maximum memory"

4) It will ask you to restart your system. Restart it, and when it boots back up, it will use all your memory.

Look at the attachments for more help!

 

[DJG]

It would be interesting to understand the significance of both options. I'm very fuzzy on what the ramifications of either option are. Maybe somebody else has some insight?

 

[Antman]

It would be interesting to understand the significance of both options. I'm very fuzzy on what the ramifications of either option are. Maybe somebody else has some insight?

See this MSDN article.

 

[DJG]

See this MSDN article.

Thanks, Antman. It's a good explanation of the boot memory parameters. I was wondering more from a performance / capacity perspective what the impact was, if there is any advantage on having all memory available at boot time which apparently allows it to reserve 1GB to the hardware.

That's how I'm currently configured. Maybe I'll have to bite the bullet one of these days and play around ...

 

[aero2008]

Thanks, Antman. It's a good explanation of the boot memory parameters. I was wondering more from a performance / capacity perspective what the impact was, if there is any advantage on having all memory available at boot time which apparently allows it to reserve 1GB to the hardware.

That's how I'm currently configured. Maybe I'll have to bite the bullet one of these days and play around ...

I say go for it. It's an extremely easy tweak and only takes a second.

 

[Antman]

...It's a good explanation of the boot memory parameters. I was wondering more from a performance / capacity perspective what the impact was, if there is any advantage on having all memory available at boot time...

You misunderstand the function. This setting is applied at boot time, but is in effect for the current session (all subsequent sessions if unchanged).

Any impact on boot timing relative to this setting, measured by stopwatch or any other process, can only be related to allocation or virtual memory tabulation. Windows will not boot any faster or slower in the mean once the system has its unique minimum memory configuration satisfied. In other words, if a machine is perfectly configured with 4 GB RAM (unique minimum memory configuration satisfied), increasing the physical RAM to 8 GB will not reduce boot time.*

*Given that no other hardware changes are deployed.

 

[matt_0978]

It would be interesting to understand the significance of both options. I'm very fuzzy on what the ramifications of either option are. Maybe somebody else has some insight?

RAMifications, i like it!

 

[DJG]

RAMifications, i like it!

Good one! Dang, I didn't even notice - I'm a poet, and I don't know it!

 

[Muad Dib]

Okay, so recently I had a problem with Windows 7 x64 only using 5Gb out of my 6Gb or RAM. I figured it out, and I'll show you what to do if you're having problems.

I am more curious as to how your memory usage became restricted to begin with.

 

[WiFi Ed]

Interesting... My installation of Win 7 x64 RC 7100 already had the Maximum memory box unchecked. Which makes sense actually, since the MSDN article seems to indicate that this box would only be checked to force the OS to use less RAM for testing purposes.

 

[Zidane24]

I also wanted to add that it wouldn't let me specify my max ram and read as so in Windows...it always read the RAM as less than my max which supports the post about stating that this setting limits RAM and shouldn't be used unless you need to test a low memory scenario. My question is (and please provide a link to the MSDN article for it, I am sure there is one) exactly how is the number of processor setting used? for limiting or does it make the OS use both processors during boot and more during the OS?

 

[Antman]

...My question is (and please provide a link to the MSDN article for it, I am sure there is one) exactly how is the number of processor setting used?

See this, but he is not completely correct. One reason is: On a computer that has a multicore processor, if the ratio of logical processors to physical sockets is not a power of 2, you cannot install SQL Server 2005.

Also, regarding maximum memory shown...
From MS Support: Note When the physical RAM that is installed on a computer equals the address space that is supported by the chipset, the total system memory that is available to the operating system is always less than the physical RAM that is installed. For example, consider a computer that has an Intel 975X chipset that supports 8 GB of address space. If you install 8 GB of RAM, the system memory that is available to the operating system will be reduced by the PCI configuration requirements. In this scenario, PCI configuration requirements reduce the memory that is available to the operating system by an amount that is between approximately 200 MB and approximately 1 GB. The reduction depends on the configuration.

 

[Muad Dib]

I am more curious as to how your memory usage became restricted to begin with.

See this, but he is not completely correct. One reason is: On a computer that has a multicore processor, if the ratio of logical processors to physical sockets is not a power of 2, you cannot install SQL Server 2005.

Also, regarding maximum memory shown...
From MS Support: Note When the physical RAM that is installed on a computer equals the address space that is supported by the chipset, the total system memory that is available to the operating system is always less than the physical RAM that is installed. For example, consider a computer that has an Intel 975X chipset that supports 8 GB of address space. If you install 8 GB of RAM, the system memory that is available to the operating system will be reduced by the PCI configuration requirements. In this scenario, PCI configuration requirements reduce the memory that is available to the operating system by an amount that is between approximately 200 MB and approximately 1 GB. The reduction depends on the configuration.

But the MSCONFIG Advanced options appear to be for limiting resources for testing purposes and, also, appear to be settings that are made manually. So my question remains, how was it set initially?

 

[DJG]

But the MSCONFIG Advanced options appear to be for limiting resources for testing purposes and, also, appear to be settings that are made manually. So my question remains, how was it set initially?

Because he clicked on the check box???

If you mean the original setting, then it would be unchecked, out of the box.

 

[Antman]

This link is placed here for a temporary purpose. It is somewhat related. Earlier today, I stumbled across a possible answer to Muad Dib's question and I am looking for it. I am not at my primary machine and have no link to it right now.

 

[Muad Dib]

Because he clicked on the check box???

If you mean the original setting, then it would be unchecked, out of the box.

Yeah, that is the point I am driving at. I don't think Windows would limit memory usage but if it does I want to know under what circumstances.

 

[Zidane24]

See this, but he is not completely correct. One reason is: On a computer that has a multicore processor, if the ratio of logical processors to physical sockets is not a power of 2, you cannot install SQL Server 2005.

Also, regarding maximum memory shown...
From MS Support: Note When the physical RAM that is installed on a computer equals the address space that is supported by the chipset, the total system memory that is available to the operating system is always less than the physical RAM that is installed. For example, consider a computer that has an Intel 975X chipset that supports 8 GB of address space. If you install 8 GB of RAM, the system memory that is available to the operating system will be reduced by the PCI configuration requirements. In this scenario, PCI configuration requirements reduce the memory that is available to the operating system by an amount that is between approximately 200 MB and approximately 1 GB. The reduction depends on the configuration.

Thanks for the info Antman...Windows has always read my memory at the 4GB...thank goodness for that

 

[superjose]

Thanks for the info, it really helped.

P.S.:

You now, you could have used other Orbit Versions to remove watermark from Desktop..

Lol, sry, it was just that I saw it while you were using it...

(Yes, Orbit plus patch 1.0.4 is released!!!)

 

[FyrmnJ]

Okay,I figured it out, and I'll show you what to do if you're having problems.
3) Another menu should pop up. From there, you want to uncheck the box that says "Maximum memory"

After reading and reading everything on this subject, this FINALLY fix my being able to utilize the full 4 gigs of memory that I have instead of it using only 3 gigs. I had that box "Checked" and I only had 3 gigs available. After unchecking that box I now have My full 4 gigs showing. I must say there is an awful lot of good info in this forum as long as you have the time to read many of these posts.
Thanks much folks.

FyrmnJ in philly

 

[zigzag3143]

FyrmnJ

See that search and you did find. Im always impressed by ppl who research their problem and figure it out. Nice going. Its an old trick. Max mem, max cpu, and legacy floppy support kill lots of installs.

Ken