Incorrect Ram Displayed ... Help

[elite-fusion]

Hey guys, I have a weird problem. I got a company laptop, Dell, it originally came with a 4GB ram chip, but when I went to System properties, it shows 3.16GB, so I installed another 4GB ram chip to have a total of 8GB in the computer, but the computers System properties are still showing that I have 3.16GB ram. Please help me out here guys, what am I missing. I work in IT, but never seen something like this. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

[Pyree]

Are you using 64 bit OS?

 

[elite-fusion]

it is a Dell E6420 and I'm on Windows XP and I know many systems are not compatible with x64 plus I have Cisco VPN installed which is only for x86, so I am pretty sure that its x86

 

[Pyree]

I am quite sure it is because your OS is not 64 bit. You cannot use the RAM because your OS is not 64 bit. All Window XP is not 64 bit apart from the Pro 64 bit version. If you have any other version of Window XP, then you cannot use more than 4GB of RAM.

 

[elite-fusion]

i used to have a Dell D630 and it was x86 and i had 2 4GB chips in it, and in system properties it showed 8gb

 

[Pyree]

If you don't have 64 bit OS, you will not be able to use more than 4GB of RAM. The hardware can detect 8GB, but OS can't address them and use them. It is therefore most probably 8GB (4GB usable) on your D630.

 

[elite-fusion]

anyway to have the system show 8gb tho on the E6420?

 

[Pyree]

I am pretty sure the QM67 chipset of the E6420 can recognise 8GB RAM. But the OS will not address more than 4GB. Use a 64 bit OS is the only way of using more than 4GB of RAM. If hardware is not registering 8GB of RAM, then check if RAM is defective. Take out the old 4GB RAM and place the new 4GB RAM in that slot and see if laptop boot.

 

[vigilante212]

What pyree said 4 times