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3.00 GB Useable ?

Tags:
  • usable
  • 32-bit
  • Capacity
  • x86
  • Windows
  • RAM
  • Windows7
  • Frequency
  • Memory
  • RAM disk
Last response: in Memory
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October 12, 2014 11:57:31 AM

6 GB installed, (3 GB useable)
I am using Windows 7 32-bit. I am aware that 32-bit can not take advantage of 4GB+ RAM, but hear me out...

I had 4GB installed, 3.5GB useable. And I was of the belief that 3.5GB was the limit for 32-bit.
The 4GB was made up of 4 DIMMs total, each 1GB. 2 DIMMs of 233MHz and 2 of 533MHz.
GPU is an EVGA Nvidia 750 Ti FTW, 2GB GDDR3.

I have been getting frequent Blue Screens. A possible culprit was a faulty RAM module. I realized I was using crap 233MHz and decided it would be a good time to upgrade. I got 2 sticks of Corsair XMS2 2GB 800 MHz 1.80v, totaling 4GB; leaving room for future expansion. My processor can only handle up to 800MHz (746, actually).

I expected to get 3.50GB useable. BIOS reports 4GB at 800MHz. But windows reports 4GB installed, (3.00GB useable). I have been RAM-capping, so that .5GB really matters. CPU-Z basically says 746MHz effective. so where'd that .5 go?
I tried switching around the DIMMs, then adding 2GB (2 sticks) of 533MHz. But still only 3.00GB useable. In MSConfig\Boot\Advanced, Maximum Memory box is not checked. I have not yet tried fully reverting to the old RAM modules with the 233.

Questions:
1) So how do I get back to 3.5GB useable? I didn't know that larger video cards take larger amounts of system RAM. Kind of opposite of the point of upgrading graphics cards. Did I not notice it change when I switched from a video card with 1GB VRAM to one with 2GB?
Am I better off with 4GB at 746MHz, or 6GB at 533MHz, for gaming?

2) I would upgrade to 64-bit, but my system has been unstable, and I can't risk losing my entire OS without first cloning it to another PC, which I am currently trying to get. I could try cloning my current OS setup to a spare HDD; but first need to know the risks of an in-place upgrade.

3) With the excess .5 to 2.5 GB RAM unusable by Win32, should I set up a RAM Disk?

Thank you for your assistance.

More about : useable

a c 96 } Memory
October 12, 2014 12:06:31 PM

Quote:
2) I would upgrade to 64-bit, but my system has been unstable, and I can't risk losing my entire OS without first cloning it to another PC, which I am currently trying to get. I could try cloning my current OS setup to a spare HDD; but first need to know the risks of an in-place upgrade.


32bit to 64bit, there is no 'in place upgrade'.
Full reinstall.

Which will solve all your problems.

Save your critical data elsewhere and offline, reinstall to 64bit.
Problem solved.

Quote:
3) With the excess .5 to 2.5 GB RAM unusable by Win32, should I set up a RAM Disk?

Unless/until you have 16GB or more (and a 64bitOS), don't even consider a RAMDisk.
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