RAM troubles, please advise

Hello everyone, this is my first post here, and I hope I can find some answers among all of these people well-versed in Windows 7 experience.

I've run into an odd problem, which many people seem to have and yet none of the normal methods of fixing seem to work. Basically, my computer recognizes that I have 4 GB of RAM installed, but only allows for 2 GB to be used. This is on Windows 7 Ultimate, 32-Bit, the release candidate edition (which I intend to use until the time limit runs out). I know this computer has recognized up to roughly 3.2 GB of RAM in the past, and I am not sure when this change specifically occured.

Let me go through the steps I have taken to fix it:
1- I've gone into msconfig, the Boot tab, Advanced, and made sure Maximum Memory wasn't affecting everything. It was off, but I tried turning it on to see if anything would change, and nothing happened, so I set it back.

2- I have turned off the computer, pulled out all the RAM, and put it back in to make sure nothing was slightly ajar or unseated on the motherboard.

3- I ran Windows Memory Diagnostic on its deepest mode and found no errors

4- I checked my Motherboard driver and Bios for available updates

5- I checked in the Bios to make sure all 4 gigs were being recognized and available

6- Checked the Virtual Memory settings (which fixed a separate problem that was going on).


I might have tried something else as well, but I can't recall at the moment. Does anyone else have any suggestions? I know 32-bit windows can handle more than 2GB of ram, even with my little 500 meg graphics card, because it has done it before.

Thanks in advance for any help or advise people can give me.

Yes your correct it should recognise the 3.2 gb of memory - Run this it will check the integrity of your system files - first go to command prompt - right click, and selct run as an administrator - in the open window type -
SFC /scannow - have your install dvd handy in case it finds any corrupted files.

Have you checked in device manager for any devices with a yellow asterisk? Whats it say in task manager - is there a possibility its using the memory but not monitoring it correctly - task manager - click resource monitor - click memory up the top.

Thanks for the help! Here are the results of the scan:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7100]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\>SFC /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

C:\>

This is what the resource manager says:

Physical Memory - 1241 MB In Use, 759 Available
Available: 759
Cached: 806
Total: 2047
Installed: 4096

IggyAZ said:

I hope these modules are all the same timing and voltage.
Lets say they are and my guy experience says that something in the BIOS is stopping your system from using/seeing all 4GB. I'd look real close inside the bios and look at all items.

My 2 Cents

I've never altered any of the settings for any of my hardware (meaning I've never tried to make it run faster or get more performance out of it or anything), mainly because if I ever tried it I am pretty sure I would break something. Before windows runs if I check the BIOS menu it does recognize all 4 gigs of ram though.

There is a setting in the bios - that should be set to disabled with a 32 bit OS - if you have a 64/32 bit cpu it could be enabled - under chipset advanced - northbridge configuration - memory remap feature - disable this if its enabled - worth checking, I just looked in my manual, and its says dont enable this unless you have a 64bit OS, and couldnt tell if it was enabled or disabled by default, then i looked up top and it had it enabled in the picture in the manual, so im assuming it could be enabled.

Thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU!
That Memory Remap setting was set to enabled, and as soon as it switched off I had another gig of memory available. Now I don't have to take it in to the shop for a week of tests. Thanks again!

Great :)