4GB of RAM installed, only 2.89GB usable

tomasperez94 · Dec 22, 2013

I did some searching, and found that Windows 32-bit can only use 4GB of RAM, so I purchased a 2GB DDR3 RAM for my laptop, which already had 2GB of RAM in it previously. I use an HP Probook 4440s laptop with Windows 7 Professional 32-bit. I installed it and it said 4.00 GB (2.00 GB usable). I went to MSCONFIG and unchecked Maximum Memory. So now it says 4.00 GB (2.89 GB usable). I went to Resource Monitor and it read 1139 MB Hardware Reserved. Right now I'm not sure what to do, so I just went on the internet, did some searching, found nothing and now I'm writing this post. So thanks in advanced for the help.

mbarnes86 · Dec 22, 2013

Hi

With Windows 32bit. The amount of usable memory depends on the motherboard chipset graphics card chipset size of bios roms amount of ram used by integrated graphics etc and is typically about 3.25 GB
So you are not too far below expected

Regards

mike Barnes

laviniuc · Dec 22, 2013

i suspect the other couple hundred mb is used by the integrated graphics card. it will still work better compared to 2gb so you should not worry too much.

USAFRet · Dec 22, 2013

32bit OS can only access ~3.3GB of RAM. Subtract whatever the hardware is already using, and having 2.89GB usable is easily in the ballpark.

noidea_77 · Dec 22, 2013

Sound like on 'side' of the two-sided ram is not fully functional. Bios sees it, but windows can not address it. That's what 'hardware reserved' means. You can try re-seating the ram stick and/or updating the bios, because it may also be an incompatibility.

tomasperez94 · Dec 22, 2013

First, thanks for the quick response. 2nd I checked to see if I have a graphics card, by going to msinfo32\Components\Display and it says Intel(R) HD Graphics. Does that mean that I have a graphics card, or that I have something built in. And would having no Graphics card have anything to do with the RAM getting reserved? Because I'm not really sure.

tomasperez94 · Dec 22, 2013

I have a sticker on the new RAM on one of the sides, would that be a problem?

mbarnes86 · Dec 22, 2013

Hi

Intel HD graphics means intel integrated graphics which has a setting in bios for how much ram it will use

Do not remove the label it does no harm & will affect any warrantee if removed

If bios sees ram it is working

Regards
Mike Barnes

tomasperez94 · Dec 22, 2013

Thank you for the answers and the quick responses.
Anyway , so that means the rest of the RAM is being used by my graphics card?

mbarnes86 · Dec 22, 2013

Hi

No some of ram is being used for video /graphics card
Look in the bios to see how much ram is being used for this purpose

When ram was cheap most people would choose 4bg ram eg extra 2gb
When ram is expensive upgrade to 3gb. (2+1. Or 1+ 2)

Regards

Mike Barnes

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