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8GB RAM for Alienware M15x Laptop only showing 3.11GB Usable

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  • Laptops
  • RAM
  • Hard Drives
  • Components
  • Alienware
Last response: in Components
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September 26, 2014 9:19:01 AM

Hello,
I have been given this alienware laptop as a gift from my brother after it failed with him (And he threw it at the wall...amazingly nothing was cracked or broken..sort of). I managed to start it up and turn it back on(which was the reason he didn't want it anymore) but I'm having some issues with it still.

I have opened the laptop and basically took everything apart and reseated all the same hardware back into the laptop. So far everything worked except the hard drive and the monitor. I believe the monitor is a cable or fuse issue, and the hard drive is another post in itself.


What i did to solve my issue was replace the alienware hard drive with another hard drive from another of my laptops. Though it wasn't the same performance, it had the same connector type, so I assumed it would work( I will get the spec. details for the hard drive if that helps as well, though I've read posts that say RAM is a BIOS issue). I was right, except it was missing the drivers for all the hardware in the laptop, so I basically could only turn it on and run the OS (which is Windows 7 Home Premium, which I installed myself when I put the new hard drive into the laptop). I managed to access the internet and download the wireless card driver for the laptop, which allowed me to basically download all the other drivers that were available through the dell website for the cpu. If you want to look at the website, the link is connected here. (Hopefully that worked cause preview isn't working right now) Nearly everything on that site I have downloaded and installed into my laptop.

This is the list of what I haven't installed, going by category first then the items:

Application+++
--Dell Custom Desktop Themes, A-02 Alienguise Theme Combo-Win7
--Alienware Command Center, v.2.5.54.0, A07
--Dell DataSafe Local Patch/Upgrade

Audio+++
--IDT 92HD83 Audio, v.6.10.0.6241, A01

Removable Storage+++
--TSST TS-T633C 12.7mm Slotload 8x DVDRW, v.D900, A08
--HLDS CA 10N 12.7mm SATA Slotload 4X BD-Combo Firmware Update

Serial ATA+++
--Seagate Momentus 2.5",SATA,3Gb/s,7200,512e Firmware Update
--Seagate ST95005620AS Firmware Update
--Intel Intel Rapid Storage Technology, v.9.6.0.1014, A00

System Utilities+++
--Alienware Alienware Wallpapers, A01

Video+++
I installed everything AMD Radeon since that was my graphics card. I left everything else alone.


Also, I did make the .Iso disk from the boot tab and installed that version bios into my laptop. I'm not sure if it finishes cause it'll say that the EC flash completed and then another screen will pop up asking me if I want to flash the EC, but when I put "y" or "Y" it doesn't go through and just says it's an invalid command. Idk if i need to install some of the other drivers, or if I need to change the bios, or if there's something specific about the RAM. They both work and the seats for them work( since the computer detects both of them, and the BIOS does too).


Any tips, advice, or even step by step instructions would be very appreciated. I ship for basic training on Oct, 7th so I won't be able to respond to any posts until April, 2015. Any help before and during my leave would be completely appreciated. Thank all who reply to this post and if you need any more information please ask and I'll do my best to provide it. I apologize if this is alot of text, I didn't know which detail was more important to know.

More about : 8gb ram alienware m15x laptop showing 11gb usable

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September 26, 2014 10:01:28 AM

Is your Win 7 x64 or x86? x86 does not handle 4gb properly. If you are x64 then how much RAM is being allocated to the GPU or does it have its own dedicated memory. My HTPC using integrated graphics has 1GB reserved, leaving ~3Gb for the system to use.
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a b D Laptop
September 26, 2014 10:07:56 AM

If you go into the BIOS how much ram does it say you have?
It's possible the one of the ram slots got busted when your brother threw the laptop.
But it also seems like you installed an x86 windows installation.
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September 26, 2014 10:18:31 PM

I believe the 32-bit operating system is the x86 version if i'm not mistaken, so yes I installed the x86 version......I could reinstall the x64 version, but when I tried the first time, the computer said it doesn't support 64 bit versions.....I'll try again.
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a b D Laptop
September 27, 2014 2:55:06 PM

Yes, you need a 64-bit processor to have a 64-bit windows install. i don't know how old your alienware is and you didnt say which specific processor you have (you can use CPu-Z to find out). windows 32-bit (x86) only let's you use like 3.1 gbs of ram.
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September 28, 2014 8:49:17 AM

Ok so my alienware is 3 years old. My processor is the Intel Core i7 740QM. I'm not sure where i look on my processor to see if it supports 64bit. I'm sure it does because it wouldn't make sense to have and alienware laptop come with two 4GB RAMS but only a processor that can support 32-bit systems....I still have to try to install the 64bit version, i just need a disk which i'll get later. Where would I look to see if the processor can support 64bit?
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September 28, 2014 8:50:29 AM

I think i just found out that it can. I checked a website that showed that it's instruction set was 64 bit...Idk if that means it can.
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September 28, 2014 8:51:32 AM

Also, is there a way I can make the installation while keeping all my files that I have on this OS? I have downloaded a good amount of programs and documents that would be a hassle to have to reinstall and recreate. I'll do it if it's the only way.
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a c 305 D Laptop
September 28, 2014 8:51:45 AM

Anything made in the last 10 years will support a 64bit OS. Yours does.
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a b D Laptop
September 29, 2014 3:52:31 PM

inshomothal said:
Also, is there a way I can make the installation while keeping all my files that I have on this OS? I have downloaded a good amount of programs and documents that would be a hassle to have to reinstall and recreate. I'll do it if it's the only way.


Documents and file settings, yes.
Programs, no. They have to be reinstalled.

You can use Windows Easy Transfer to get them all easily though:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/transfer-fil...
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October 1, 2014 10:27:17 AM

Thanks everyone. It was because I had the x86 installation rather than the x64. I reinstalled and i'm installing my programs right now. Thank you all for helping me out, especially James Mason who stated exactly how much RAM i would see if it was x86(32 bit) OS.
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