Windows7 64bit 6GB RAM installed, computer only detects 4GB

Poorridge

Honorable
Jan 12, 2014
4
0
10,510
Ever since building the computer it has only been able to detect 4GB of RAM instead of the 6 GB (3 x 2GB sticks, all Corsair TR3X6G1600C8D 1600MHz DDR3 triple kit).

I have followed some advice posted on this forum so far, such as going into msconfig > boot > advanced options and unchecking maximum memory (it wasnt checked to begin with), running memtest (no errors found) and downloading CPU-Z, which provides the information below:
http://www.filz.us/273z (Im not sure how to embed a picture here?)
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System Information
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Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.130828-1532)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: BIOS Date: 11/16/10 18:07:45 Ver: 08.00.15
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 960 @ 3.20GHz (8 CPUs), ~3.2GHz
Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 4088MB RAM
Page File: 2615MB used, 5556MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 64bit Unicode

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DxDiag Notes
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Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
Sound Tab 3: No problems found.
Sound Tab 4: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.

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DirectX Debug Levels
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Direct3D: 0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

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Display Devices
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Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce GTX 460
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC

Display Memory: 2764 MB
Dedicated Memory: 977 MB
Shared Memory: 1787 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: BenQ E2420HD DVI
Monitor Model: BenQ E2420HD
Monitor Id: BNQ7917
Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (60.000Hz)
Output Type: HDMI
Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver File Version: 9.18.0013.3221 (English)
Driver Version: 9.18.13.3221
DDI Version: 11
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 12/20/2013 06:33:31, 18222008 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp:

D3D9 Overlay: Supported
DXVA-HD: Supported
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled

Im not sure what exactly was necessary to post and what wasnt in order to find a solution, so i apologise if the wall of text above is in fact spam. Also, im not sure why the system manufacturer and model names are the way they are, if it helps I have a P6X58D-E Asus motherboard.
 
Solution
yes you can install more ram up to what your motherboard supports. Just some of it will not show up do to being used as shared memory. So if you install 16gb and 2gb is used for share you would only see 14 listed by windows though as you can see other programs will show all of it. you just have to check what your share plus windows reported memory is and that should equal your total. Again I don't know what your motherboard limit on ram is but that's the physical limit allowed(that includes the shared so don't add that into it).

Side note: I don't know if its in the video card setting or bios setting or you might not have a setting for your system but sometimes you can change the amount of shared memory. so that might help if you...

Poorridge

Honorable
Jan 12, 2014
4
0
10,510
Thank you very much for the quick response! Does this mean the 2GB missing is being used solely for the display? If so, would I be safe to buy and install more RAM (I thought the problem may have been to do with my computer not being able to detect/use any more memory than 4GB) assuming it is compatible?
 
yes you can install more ram up to what your motherboard supports. Just some of it will not show up do to being used as shared memory. So if you install 16gb and 2gb is used for share you would only see 14 listed by windows though as you can see other programs will show all of it. you just have to check what your share plus windows reported memory is and that should equal your total. Again I don't know what your motherboard limit on ram is but that's the physical limit allowed(that includes the shared so don't add that into it).

Side note: I don't know if its in the video card setting or bios setting or you might not have a setting for your system but sometimes you can change the amount of shared memory. so that might help if you want to config how much is being used for it.

 
Solution


cheap plugin cards can still share system memory for storage. I have seen it and if you search it there are others

if you have a setting for it most likely it will be in GeForce software somewhere( could be labeled as texture memory or something like that and the number of mb to use for it)