Installed memory (RAM): 6.00 GB (2.96 GB usable) . Is this correct?

You are not seeing any bad dimm slot but over 4gb being found as "hardware reserved"! Read the information there a little closer and you will see all memory is being accounted for.

4.3+gb hardware reserved,, almost 1.3gb used, 98mb, then almost 1.5gb standby, and finally 1gb free. Your 8gb of memory is being accounted for with a little over half of it being mapped out to hardwares.

Some but not all of that would be for integrated graphics. But like GeneD was mentioning you have a bios option that could be adjusted or disabled to free up quite a bit more ram.

Also see this thread for a similar question: Windows 7 64bit shows 3.73GB usable memory with 8GB installed

The OP on that thread reports having reseated his memory a few times to see results. But just like the Asrock board which is a make that often sees limited options available in the bios laptops with smaller boards are often limited for things like memory remapping options.

The used memory amount of 1.3gb isn't anything odd but simply shows you have numerous start up items going in the background. The 64bit Windows also places more data and keeps in there in the active ram when compared to the 32it swapping data out to the drive.

At least you know the memory is good. You just need to find what will free up more memory for general use.

I don't know what can be done about it but their is a lot of ram for hardware. Mine is only 9 MB. I'm I low or the OP high. Maybe I'm don't understand it properly.

The performance tab in the taskmanager here shows 3gb being cached. But I am running off a video card installed separately on a desktop with 8gb of ram.

On a laptop system memory has to be shared for the integrated graphics which would account for the difference to some extent between what is being there 4gb+ hardware reserved and the 3gb cached here. That would point to having 1.3gb reserved for graphics and the rest of the 4.3gb indicated being cached as well.

Hello jbruins87 Welcome to the Seven Forums!


If you are running a 32bit version only so much ram out of the total of 6gb will be available due to the limitations of the 32bit kernel itself. For XP that would be about 3.12gb maximum with more for Windows Vista, 7, and 8, 8.1 now becoming available. The newer versions will typically see about 3.571gb approximate with the remaining ram being mapped out to hardwares and unavailable for OS use.

For systems with more then 4gb of memory installed the 64bit operating systems are the recommendation since the increase in ram is supported upwards of 128gb for example for Windows 7. It won't anything running a 32bit OS however while you will lose out on the full amount and potential of a running the 64bit OS.