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4GB installed RAM, 2.75GB usable =[
Okay, I had this problem with Vista and now again with 7.
And before you ask, yes I have searched the forums but there have always been caveats which make me think that there might be something else.
Now, onto the problem. I have a custom built machine with 4GB of RAM installed. The system is recognising that I have 4GB installed, but it's telling me that I only have 2.75GB usable.
Screenshots attached.
So, shared graphics has far too much memory on tap, and windows can't use more than 2.75GB. Okay I do play games at the highest possible detail, but not that frequently. My graphics card having nearly half my ram all the time is just pointless.
I get that it's shared so it'll only be used if nothing else is using it, but then why does Windows report only 2.75GB usable? The numbers roughly add up to support my thought that it's because of the graphics card.
I've spent several hours today trying to reduce the shared memory but I can't seem to do it. My BIOS allows me to manually set resources (IRQ11-16 I think), but the only two options in are PCI and Reserved. Whatever combination I try, it makes no difference - except for setting them all to reserved which nearly bricked my computer (it froze after POST).
I read that it's because Vista (and presumably 7 too) manage the shared RAM through the WDDM drivers, but I guessed my way through RivaTuner's PowerUser tab and altered stuff to do with system memory, all to no effect.
So firstly, am I right in assuming that only 2.75GB is usable because of the shared ram? If so, how the hell do I reduce that? I don't mind a bit of driver hacking as long as someone can show me how to do it without bricking my computer.
And if it's not because of the shared RAM, what it is? I'm on x64 and it's driving me up the wall!
Any help would be much appreciated, by me and my dear keyboard which at the moment is bearing the grunt of my frustation.