4gb installed, 3.31 usable.

[sadena]

I have 2 pairs of PC3200 1024mb memory chips in my system. I know all the chips are fully functional, as I recently had to replace 1 (thus 2) and was able to swap out the other chips to make sure they are all fully functional.

When I boot, the BIOS only counts up to about 3390mb of ram. In Windows 7, under System, it says Installed Memory (RAM): 4.00GB (3.31GB usable)

What up with that?

I do not have onboard video or anything onboard that would use part of the RAM. Back when I had one dead chip, it read correctly 3.00 GB. It's like the motherboard has a 3.31GB limit, yet how does Windows detect that I have the full 4.00GB, so it must be detected and passed to the OS.

 

[1foxracing]

Sounds like you are running the 32bit version of W7
You will need to install the 64bit version yo use all of your RAM.

 

[sadena]

No, Windows 7 32 bit supports up to 4 GB. 64 bit supports 8, 16, and 192.

 

[1foxracing]

Try again, you can install 192 GB if you like but a 32-bit system will only utilize 3.5 GB
Since you don't believe me read it from Microsoft yourself. 3rd paragraph
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/taking-the-mystery-out-of-64-bit-windows

Another thing, 64bit will run with as little as 2 GB of RAM.

 

[Gamer-girl]

Usable memory
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978610

Having a graphics card also decreases it
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-performance/windows-7-professional-32bit-installed-memory-4gb/b31c236f-7c71-4cee-834e-51b0b7d0b82c

 

[sadena]

honestly bro, if your running a system with pc2 3200 then you need a new system..

All I use it for is SETI@Home and watching movies nowadays.

 

[EruditeMan]

A 32Bit Operating System can only see ≈3.20 GB to ≈3.40 GB of RAM even if you have more than 4.00 GB RAM installed.
A 64Bit Operating System can see and use ≥3.20 GB to ≥3.40 GB of RAM.
If you have a 32Bit PC and it indicates ≈3.20 GB of RAM then the RAM is not the problem. If you use the same ≈3.20 GB of RAM (actually it is 4.00 GB) and install a 64Bit Operating System then the PC will show the total RAM you actually have installed unless the PC relegates some of the PC Card RAM to another function such as Graphics. I have a 64 Bit Desktop PC with 8.00 GB RAM installed and it tells me I have Installed 8.00 GB (7.87 GB usable)

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

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