Memory not reporting correctly

[lucasbuck]

My machine is less that a year old. I installed 6 GB because at the time I wasn't sure if I was going to go 64 bit or not. I ended up sticking with 32. Anyways, I read 6.00 GB (2.49 GB usable). I know I can't access all 6, but even my laptop (which is 32 bit and only 4 GB) says 3.25 GB usable.
I originally ran memtest when the system was built, so I assume everything was seated correctly. But maybe if a chip was bad, it just never checked it (but I think I remember it doing both). Just wanted to check before I started checking sticks. (And I'm not using an onboard video card)
I removed and cleaned. I even doubled checked the manual to make sure they were in the right slots. It's weird. I tested just 2 chips and system properties said 4 GB (2.49) usable. So whether it has 4 or 6, it still says only 2.49 available.

 

[Maguscreed]

I had a similar issue on my machine, in my case it turned out it had something to do with autodesk being installed, when I removed it the reported ram went back to normal.
Something else you can try is opening msconfig via the search bar in the start menu.
click the boot tab and uncheck number of processors and memory.
then okay out and reboot.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/66482-memory-set-maximum-amount-used-windows-7-a.html

I have to admit I'm rather mystified as to why you chose 32 bit in the first place when you had more than 4 gigs of ram. That's another issue entirely though.

 

[whs]

Look into Resource Monitor > Memory tab. There you see best how it is used - in the color bar. Post a snip of the color bar including the nums and we'll have a look.

 

[lucasbuck]

Thanks for the replies. I checked, and both of those are already unchecked. I did want to ask, you said you had Autodesk installed and that was the issue for you. Did you mean Autodesk applications? As in, I have 3dsMax 2011 and Maya 2011 installed. I wanted to check if that's what you meant before I uninstalled them to test!
Here's a screen shot of the resource monitor. Thanks for the help!

 

[stormy13]

What are you using for a video card(s)? If a dedicated card9s) then the memory oin it will be part of the ~1.5 GB that is unusable.

 

[lucasbuck]

It's a Radeon 5800 series. It is running dual monitors though, but just duplicating. (I have one monitor in my computer room, one in my living room, so it just shows the same thing depending on what room I'm using the machine in.)
Could it be I didn't turn off the onboard video? Nothing's hooked to those outputs.

 

[stormy13]

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/86886-32-bit-vs-64-bit-comparison.html

32 bit OS
-A 32 bit OS can only address 4Gb of memory. Some of this is then allocated to hardware devices, usually dropping the available RAM to 3.25Gb or 3.5 Gb.
-The addressable space also applies to programs, giving a 2Gb limit of RAM to any one process. This means that 32 bit Photoshop can only ever access up to 2Gbs of RAM.
-Drivers are always a concern. Drivers for hardware usually have a 32 bit version, and there is usually not a problem with 32 bit drivers (finding or using).
-A 32 bit OS has a lower memory requirement to run. For Windows 7, the minimum RAM needed is 1Gb

Your video card has 1 GB on it (your total avai;able would be even less if it was the 2 GB version of the card), so there is 1 GB gone from the 4 GB without taking into consideration any other hardware (which is pretty much everything connected to the motherboard) that requires address space. In your case with 32 bit Windows installed you have ~3 GB of ram installed and doing absolutely nothing

Basically comes down to one of two things with the 6 GB you have installed,

1. Install 64 bit Windows to take advantage of it.

2. Remove 3 GB or ram, and come out ahead by approximately 512 MB over what you have available now.

 

[Layback Bear]

A 64 bit operating system is a must for 6 gb of ram. I also noticed you have 3593 mb of ram in reserve for hardware. That seem a lot to me. I have 770 mb.

 

[lucasbuck]

Well, I can't take out 3 gb, since their 2 gb sticks. And I hate to pay for 64bit, since I already have this. Is there any way to change how much is going to hardware, or any other tweaks to make?

 

[logicearth]

Well, I can't take out 3 gb, since their 2 gb sticks. And I hate to pay for 64bit, since I already have this. Is there any way to change how much is going to hardware, or any other tweaks to make?

If you have Windows 7 your license is good for both 32 or 64 bit versions. You don't have to buy another license to get 64bit. But no there are to tweaks you can do. You are out 2 GBs and additional for how much memory your graphics card needs as well as the rest of your hardware. This cannot be avoided.

 

[DocBrown]

Do you have the win7 retail install DVDS ? Or was this a Mfg OEM win7 ?

If retail you could clean install the the 64 bit with your key code

 

[whs]

Given that you have 6GB of RAM, a 1GB Radeon that takes that much address space from your 4GB (in 32bit that is all you have in address space) plus the other nits and lice that take anothe 500MBs, there is no way around installing a 64bit system - unless you want to waste all the RAM.

 

[lucasbuck]

I've got it and can reinstall. The main reason I avoided 64 was because I do a lot of gaming and heard there were issues. Any comment on that?

 

[yowanvista]

I've got it and can reinstall. The main reason I avoided 64 was because I do a lot of gaming and heard there were issues. Any comment on that?

NO, you won't get any issue unless you install old 16-bit DOS-era games
You best solution is to use the 64-bit version of windows 7

Enable 'Memory Remap' if it is listed in your BIOS

 

[Maguscreed]

I've got it and can reinstall. The main reason I avoided 64 was because I do a lot of gaming and heard there were issues. Any comment on that?

yeah that was true with xp 64 bit like early on, whoever told you that was operating on really outdated information though.
Pretty much all the 64bit compat issues were solved back with vista.

 

[lucasbuck]

Actually, looks like mine only do 32

 

[yowanvista]

Actually, looks like mine only do 32

Nope, it fully supports 64-bit

 

[stormy13]

Think you will find he is referring to his Windows disk, which if it is OEM/system builders then you only get one disk; 32 bit or 64 bit, not both like in the retail or upgrade package.

 

[lucasbuck]

Correct, that's what I had. I just bought a a retail and will install 64 so we will see if that helps. But thanks to everyone for the input!