Windows 7 64 bit RAM issue?

[Topper59]

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I found out my BIOS was out of date, becuase when I booted, it said 3200MB of RAM, when my motherboard can have a max of 4GB.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

 

[Chappy]

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

 

[chev65]

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.

 

[petrossa]

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.

 

[jimbo45]

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

 

[Topper59]

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.

 

[chev65]

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.

 

[scaramonga]

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

 

[Topper59]

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!

 

[jimbo45]

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

 

[ickymay]

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

after a bit more research what your seeing there is Graphics Memory Reporting through WDDM
read the "GraphicsMemory.doc" on that page for clarification

If I understand it right the memory is allocated for use by your GPU if needed to compliment your available gfx card RAM.

this is a function of Windows Vista™ Display Driver Model (WDDM) now utilised in our gfx card drivers and DX10.

It is dynamic so it isn't lost but simply made available to whatever needs it giving our GUI and games apps priority

 

[max3000]

Hey, just bumping this thread.

So I have the same "problem" as the OP. While I've read this entire thread, there's something that's still quite strange to me.

I know someone with almost the exact same setup as the OP and me, with the win7 RC 64 bit and 4gigs of RAM. His system properties show that all 4gigs are usable.

Does anyone have any idea as to why?

 

[sylar365]

Hmm

The "reserved for hardware" answer is the same one I got when running 32 bit Vista with 4GB a year ago. What is the advantage of using a 64 bit OS with 4Gb ram then? And why are there so many references to win32 when you generate a system health report in Windows 7 64 bit? It looks like this:

OS Checks
Operating System Info

Query
root\cimv2:SELECT*FROM Win32_OperatingSystem
root\cimv2:SELECT*FROM Win32_ComputerSystem

--- or this further down the list ---

System Services

Query
root\cimv2:SELECT __Relpath, Name, Caption, Description, DisplayName, PathName, Started, ExitCode, State, ServiceSpecificExitCode FROM Win32_Service

with every available/running windows service listed as a "Win32" service after it.

I upgraded to Windows 7 64 bit (which it reports as OS in other places) from Vista Home Premium 64 bit. Here are machine specs.

Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L (latest bios)
Core 2 Duo E6600
4GB G-Skill RAM (2x2GB)
HTO CLARO Sound
Intel Gigabit CT NIC
EVGA Nvidia 260 GTX 216 core Video

 

[dream6602]

Hello, what most of the guys here are saying is correct - aslong as you're BIOS & OS are reporting you have 4GB installed then you're fine.

You have 4GB, all of which is being used, just your OS is being selfish so to speak and taking X amount for itself, which is not a bad thing.

But if you want to get it back, here's how.

If you open your msconfig by going to Start and typing 'msconfig' and go to the boot tab and then click the Advanced Options button, from there you can set the amount of RAM your OS will take for itself, if 'Maximum Memory' is unchecked then it will display all of your RAM as usable and the OS will just use what it needs from the total amount of RAM you have.

Hope this helps and fixes your issue.

 

[stormy13]

Two little words that I am surprised no one has mentioned yet, Memory Remapping,

The system memory that is reported in the System Information dialog box in Windows Vista is less than you expect if 4 GB of RAM is installed

scroll down to "Workaround". Check in your bios and see what if anything there is relating to that (would tell you where to look but the manual for your board is pretty much useless, sort of like Abit has been for a while) and make sure that it is enabled. To give you an idea of what to look for this is from my old A8N-SLI manual,

 

[dream6602]

It's not memory remapping, if you use that then your system displays the new amount as total memory, not usable.

For example, i have 4GB of RAM in my system, if i disable Memory Remapping in my BIOS then i get 3.3GB total memory (also my BIOS & OS show this as total system memory).

 

[Dark Nova Gamer]

I had a very similar problem. I have 4GB RAM on my laptop and it said 2.91gb usable..

One of my friends directed me to msconfig (open start search: msconfig)

When you open that, go to the boot tab and click 'advanced options' and uncheck 'max memory'

Reboot and see if that makes the (xx.xxGB usable) thing go away.

View attachment 15581

 

[dream6602]

That's what i just said, read my first post

But yeah, that should fix the issue for most atleast.

 

[hbh12]

Thanks!