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Geek Culture / 3.25 GB RAM Limit...

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Jeff032
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Posted: 25th Jan 2008 04:29
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So I read that Windows Vista 32 bit can only use 3.25 GB out of my 4 GB of RAM, and that the 64 bit version could use all of that RAM and more.

So I formatted my harddrive and installed Vista Business 64 bit. However, it still says that I only have 3.25 GB of RAM. All the websites that I find say that 64 bit should be seeing all 4 GB. Is it possible that something just needs to be updated, or is there some other problem?

Thanks,
-Jeff

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Agent Dink
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Posted: 25th Jan 2008 04:36
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Hmmm, I really can't help you there, but honestly, 99% of people on this planet don't use that much ram anyhow ^_^ I have 3.25 as well in 32bit XP and I've never used more than like 2 gigs at a time.

Not saying you should cop out and be satisfied though with almost a gig less than you paid for Hope someone can help.

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Keo C
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Posted: 25th Jan 2008 04:37
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Hmmm processor model?


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Jeff032
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Posted: 25th Jan 2008 04:42 Edited at: 25th Jan 2008 04:43
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I'll just post it all:



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ionstream
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Posted: 25th Jan 2008 04:46
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I remember there was something you have to put in boot.ini to get it to work, I believe. It might be /PAE, but it might also be /NOLOWMEM. Probably wouldn't hurt to try both.

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Keo C
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Posted: 25th Jan 2008 04:56
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Those are only for 32-bit versions of Windows, well I don't know about
/NOLOWMEM ,but /PAE should only be used with 32-bit versions of Windows.


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AaronG
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Posted: 25th Jan 2008 04:58
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It's not your OS's fault I think. I have 4gb and Vista HP 32bt, and it only uses 3.25 for me too, but that's due to something around 512-624mb reserved for vista and vista only, so you get a streamlined runtime.


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Keo C
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Posted: 25th Jan 2008 05:04
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Hmmmm. How much RAM does the BIOS see?


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gamebird
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Posted: 25th Jan 2008 06:31 Edited at: 25th Jan 2008 06:31
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Vista 64-bit should work. I have no idea why it wouldn't.
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Silvester
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Posted: 25th Jan 2008 08:44
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Because his Proccesor is no 64 Bit one?

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Aaron Miller
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Posted: 25th Jan 2008 09:29
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There was a thread similar to this not too long ago.

The conclusion was that your RAM isn't used by just your computer's processes, rather the devices on your computer (Video Card, Sound Card, etc) take a chunk out of RAM too.

Therefor your video/sound cards could be to blame if your using only 3.25 GB of your 4 GB of RAM. And besides, its not like you need THAT much RAM. I mean, hell I have 1 GB RAM and Windows Vista Home Premium.... I've never had a problem once with that.

Right now I'm on a Windows XP laptop with 512 MB RAM, I got the "blue screen of death" earlier complaining about a POOL_OVERFLOW, which causes me to assume that the RAM ran out, or crappy memory management.

Cheers,

-naota

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GatorHex
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Posted: 25th Jan 2008 13:07 Edited at: 25th Jan 2008 13:15
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It's a 4gb limit in 32bit OS and some motherboards.

As well as system RAM this also includes the Graphics RAM.

Dell make an XPS game system like this...

2x1 Gb sticks
2x512 Mb sticks
2x512 Mb graphics cards

= 4Gb and all matched pairs so Dual channel will work.

If you have 64bit Windows and suffering a 4Gb RAM limit then it must be your motherboards limitation.

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IanM
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Posted: 26th Jan 2008 01:50
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IIRC, with 64bit windows, the stuff up to the 4GB mark follows the standard 32bit rules, but you can also have memory over the 4GB mark.

By 'standard rules', I mean that you get whatever memory is left below the 4GB mark after all devices and the BIOS is mapped into memory.

Basically, if you only upgraded to get access to the missing memory, you wasted your time.

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andrey d
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Posted: 26th Jan 2008 02:10
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Quote: "Gaming graphics 1919 MB Total available graphics memory"

What's that all about? You got buffer enabled or something?
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Jeff032
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Posted: 27th Jan 2008 02:03 Edited at: 27th Jan 2008 02:04
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Quote: "Basically, if you only upgraded to get access to the missing memory, you wasted your time."

Nah, I didn't upgrade just for the memory. Didn't cost anything either, so it doesn't matter that much.

Quote: "By 'standard rules', I mean that you get whatever memory is left below the 4GB mark after all devices and the BIOS is mapped into memory."

Ok, thanks.

Quote: "Quote: "Gaming graphics 1919 MB Total available graphics memory"
What's that all about? You got buffer enabled or something? "

I don't know...why?

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bitJericho
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Posted: 27th Jan 2008 02:06
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1919mb total avail graphic memory because system memory is being dedicated to it.

Anyways, I'm leaning towards the bios not being able to support more than 4 gb of ram. That's the only thing that makes sense. See if the manufacturer has a bios update for your board.


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GatorHex
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Posted: 27th Jan 2008 03:28 Edited at: 27th Jan 2008 03:30
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Like i already said it's probably your motherboard

Requirements 64bit CPU + 64bit OS + BIOS and chipset supporting at least 8 GB of address space.

From the horses mouth... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605/en-us

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Jeff032
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 22:03
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Not like anybody probably cares, but after SP1 it sees all 4GB.

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Digital Awakening
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 22:16
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I think that's what it should do. The sound card etc should (AFAIK) not take chunks out of the RAM. 32 bit XP and Vista can't use more then 3.25 GB. Actually Vista is recommended to use only 2GB of RAM unless you're a serious gamer.

Been wondering myself if I can't just throw in 3GB and be happy?

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Argorre
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 22:23
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i have vista 32 bit and it uses all 4GB of RAM AFTER i installed SP1
same with my 64 bit computer uses all 8GB now instead of 7.25
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Benjamin
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 23:36
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Quote: "i have vista 32 bit and it uses all 4GB of RAM AFTER i installed SP1"

What exactly do you mean by this? You can't address all 4GB of RAM on a 32-bit machine due to other devices that use part of the address space.

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SunnyKatt
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 23:38
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8 gigs? *mouth waters*

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Jeff032
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 23:53
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What on Earth would you need 8gigs of RAM for?

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Samoz83
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 00:01
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Quote: "What exactly do you mean by this?"

I think he just means now if you check on system under the control panel it now show "RAM: 4.00GB" but still can only use 3.25GB

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Digital Awakening
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 00:02
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Anybody else got Vista 32bit and 4 GB RAM and can confirm those results?

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Xenocythe
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 00:07
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To run crysis, half life 2, and far cry at the same time at all high settings and have MAXIMUM UBERPWNAGE.

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Digital Awakening
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 00:15
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I found some info on the net, don't know how reliable this is.

On 64bit:
Quote: "Basically 64 bit should be a bit faster, more stable, have improved security and, more importantly, they can address a full 4GB of RAM (and way more than that)."


And this:
Quote: "with the release of the first Service Pack for Vista, going to the properties of "My Computer" will show you how much RAM is actually installed on your computer, regardless of whether Vista can actually even use it."



On RAM useage: (multiple sources)
Quote: "with the same applications open, it’s hovering around 35%, and I’m pretty sure before it was staying around 45%, but definitely over 40."

Quote: "heared aboout at 10-12% drop from a lot of people that have installed vista sp1"


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CattleRustler
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 00:17
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my new mobo supports 8 gigs of ddr3-1333 (1600,1800 OC) but i only installed 2 gigs at the moment... a)price, b)Im using xp pro 32 bit.

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Argorre
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 00:20
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"What on Earth would you need 8gigs of RAM for?"
i use several modeling programs at the same time

mine never was using 3.25? it was using 3.5 until i installed the SP1
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MSon
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 00:23 Edited at: 28th Mar 2008 00:25
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I need a 64Bit OS because i've got XP Media Center Edition, (32 bit) with 4gb memory, but it only registers 3gb, although 3gb still works quick anouth.

My motherboards also expandable to 8gb, i only got a motherboard capable of this because its more futureproof because i very rarly update the board/chip, too expensive

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Samoz83
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 00:32 Edited at: 28th Mar 2008 00:32
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Quote: "Anybody else got Vista 32bit and 4 GB RAM and can confirm those results"

See attached image

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Osiris
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 08:02
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I use 312 gigs of RAM to play two separate games of Crysis at once. I only get 26 FPS though, and I cant play on very high until my CPU's/Graphics cards from the future arrive.


But seriously, Vista has errors with RAM and stuff unless you upgrade to SP1, they fixed all their errors they should have easily caught haha.

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Digital Awakening
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 09:55
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I wonder if Vista SP1 can get to all 4GB of RAM or just shows what's installed.

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MSon
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 12:28
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Osiris
Quote: "I use 312 gigs of RAM"


"Mouth Waters"

do you mean 3.12 gigs?



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Mr Z
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 14:17 Edited at: 28th Mar 2008 14:19
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Quote: "What exactly do you mean by this? You can't address all 4GB of RAM on a 32-bit machine due to other devices that use part of the address space."


Partly true. You can "trick" the OS to use even more then 4 GB, even up to so much as 64 GB, of memory on an 32-bit system if you use PAE, Physical Address Extension. But none of Windows desktop editions (at last XP and Vista, and most versions of Win2k) uses it. However, Vista SP1 does use it, which is why you can see all 4 GB.

The reason it is not included by default in many OSs may be that you do just not need it normally, but also that some processors do not support it.

More about the subject:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_Address_Extension

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Benjamin
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 16:10
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Quote: "However, Vista SP1 does use it"

Ah, I didn't know this. Nonetheless, by default it is off and thus I assume that Vista now just shows the total amount of RAM, rather than the total usable amount, hence the full 4GB being displayed.

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SunnyKatt
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 21:24
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He had to have meant 3.12, unless his computer is the size of a truck.

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Argorre
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Posted: 28th Mar 2008 23:03
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i use 4Gb of RAM HOWEVER now i get the annoying "Display driver nvlddmkm has stopped responding and has successfully recovered"
wow i get that so many times i can type it from memory
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