Solved Windows only using half my RAM.

[gar0421]

For some reason Windows is only using half of my installed amount of ram, why?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

It's likely using all it wants to use.

To paraphrase the old joke, if it's using only half and you want it to use all of your RAM, take out half of what you have.

But I can't say as I've seen 16 GB for hardware reserved.

 

[gar0421]

That's what I am really worried about

 

[LMiller7]

The reason is that you are using Windows 7 home premium which is limited to 16 GB RAM.
Memory Limits for Windows and Windows Server Releases (Windows)

You would need Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate to use all 32 GB. But only a very heavy workload would make real use of even 16 GB RAM.

 

[gar0421]

Ok thanks for that but now the real question is why is half of it locked in hardware reserved?

 

[HoneycombAG]

So basically, if you install more than enough RAM in your computer, that means you'd have to install a new edition of Windows to take advantage of it.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/95744-windows-anytime-upgrade-how.html

I have the whole 16 GB installed, but the system still holds around 52 MB of it in Hardware Reserved.

 

[LMiller7]

Ok thanks for that but now the real question is why is half of it locked in hardware reserved?

Very simple really. Windows 7 home premium is limited to 16 GB RAM but you have 32 GB. To enforce the limit Windows does the only thing it can do and puts the 16 GB surplus into hardware reserved. This is precisely what you must expect. There is no legal way around this with your current OS.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Maybe a daft query but what are you going to use 32GB of RAM for??