Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: JOBE on September 02, 2007, 12:47:21 PM
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Hi,
Just bought a system with 4G of RAM. I'm running XP Home Edition SP2. When I run 'dxdiag', it says that I've got 3008 MB RAM, and when I check System Properties in the control panel, it says that I've got 2.93 gig of RAM.
When I called the company to ask about this, I was told that it was something to do with XP being a 32 bit OS, and not recognising the RAM.
I'm starting to wonder if this is the case - could someone please enlighten me?
Any help much appreciated.
<> JOBE. :confused:
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This is perfectly normal and you shouldn't worry about it. Nobody has yet found a gaming application that would require more than 3 gigs to run. And won't do so for at least 2 years.
So leave it at that and don't worry.
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The maximum amount of RAM Windows XP can use is only 3gb. You need windows Vista 32-bit or another 64-bit Operating system to 1) recognize you have 4gb 2) use all 4gb.
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regardless if he needs it or not, he says he purchased a system with 4 Gigs of RAM...
I would think, go into the CMOS/BIOS at start up an enable the memory test/memory check at boot up....then it should show you exactly how much memory you have before the OS loads up....... providing your MB has this type of setting. although I have seen it on every Motherboard I have ever messed with, I can not say for sure your Motherboard's CMOS/BIOS has this setting or not....
also you may need to disable the splash screen to be able to view it......
hope this helps....
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Originally posted by Fulmar
The maximum amount of RAM Windows XP can use is only 3gb. You need windows Vista 32-bit or another 64-bit Operating system to 1) recognize you have 4gb 2) use all 4gb.
The 32 bit OS of Vista recognizes up to 3 and a fraction; I think it can vary.
I have 4 gigs of cheap ram and my machine reads 3327 MB.
I read this somewhere and am going off of memory:
The 64 bit OS of Vista Ultimate (or whatever is at the top) recognizes up to 128 GB. The minimal version was 8 GB, and the other versions were somewhere between.
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Learned something new every day.
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The 64-bit Vista is known to fail randomly utilizing just 4 gigs of ram let alone 128. Symptoms range from inability to install Vista at all to sound crackling / BSOD.
It's a ticket to trouble.
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there may be a tweek or offshore service pack for xp that will fix the ram allotment .
do a search.
I have one that works in win98se .
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Very many thanks for the replies, guys - I think I'll calm done a bit!
<> JOBE.
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Microsoft arbitrarily limits the amount of memory thier operating systems can address. There is no technical reason why a 32 bit OS should not be able to address 64GB of RAM.
Microsoft has never had very good memory management code in thier operating systems.
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
Microsoft arbitrarily limits the amount of memory thier operating systems can address. There is no technical reason why a 32 bit OS should not be able to address 64GB of RAM.
Microsoft has never had very good memory management code in thier operating systems.
Yeah I remember that it was Bill Gates himself that once made the statement that 640K of memory would be about all a person would ever need.
Logical Memory Layout
"640K ought to be enough for anybody." -- Bill Gates, 1981.
It's not suprising that memory management hasn't been MicroSloths priority.
All the Best...
Jay
awDoc1