12 GB of my RAM is missing!

The Mad Rapper · 3 Aug 2008 at 17:57

I have a new HP XW8400 Workstation with 16GB of Physical RAM fitted. When it was booted with Windows XP 64 Bit, Windows could all see 16GB.

I have wiped the disk and re-installed with Windows XP 32 Bit and it can now only see 2GB!

I understood that the addressable limit was 4GB for Windows XP 32 Bit so what's going on and what can I do?

TIA

Theguy · 3 Aug 2008 at 18:00

this comes up every week..
xp32 can only see max 4gb, minus what the motherboard uses for bits and bobs, therefore its normaly 3gb but in your case 2gb.

you need to install x64 versions of an OS to use all your ram.

celliott · 3 Aug 2008 at 18:04

Why on earth would you even think about running a 32-Bit OS on a system with 16GB of Ram? Even if you got 4GB, thats a whole 12GB Wasted.

Emlyn_Dewar · 3 Aug 2008 at 18:20

Why would you ever wipe X64 and replace it with XP 32bit? :confused:

Talrinys · 3 Aug 2008 at 18:25

And another:
Why the heck would you make that move?

The Mad Rapper · 3 Aug 2008 at 18:33

It doesn't matter why I did it, I had my reasons and am not going into it here.

It's a work PC, not a personal one, so it's no problem to reinstall the 64 bit version if I absolutely must.

I am having a problem accepting that my 'motherboard and bits and bobs' consumes 2GB of physical RAM! What the hell does it need that much memory for?

FreeStream · 3 Aug 2008 at 18:49

The Mad Rapper said:
It doesn't matter why I did it, I had my reasons and am not going into it here.

It's a work PC, not a personal one, so it's no problem to reinstall the 64 bit version if I absolutely must.

I am having a problem accepting that my 'motherboard and bits and bobs' consumes 2GB of physical RAM! What the hell does it need that much memory for?

Still whats the point of going to 32Bit?

Even if it gave you 3Gb, thats still 1/4 of your memory useless :confused:

DAnDan · 3 Aug 2008 at 18:51

It's the title of this thread I find funny. It's not 12Gb missing, it's 1 or 2.

wannabedamned · 3 Aug 2008 at 18:54

Its total memory too, So Graphics card memory is included in the 4gb you're allocated.

Emlyn_Dewar · 3 Aug 2008 at 18:54

What graphics does the HP have? Large amount of memory on the card?
I just don't understand why you'd choose to lose 12gig of memory.

V|per · 3 Aug 2008 at 19:18

What gfx card are you using? if it's the quadro fx 5500, then that's 1gb of memory gone straight away...

Theguy · 3 Aug 2008 at 19:47

The Mad Rapper said:
It doesn't matter why I did it, I had my reasons and am not going into it here.

It's a work PC, not a personal one, so it's no problem to reinstall the 64 bit version if I absolutely must.

I am having a problem accepting that my 'motherboard and bits and bobs' consumes 2GB of physical RAM! What the hell does it need that much memory for?

no need to take that kind of attitude you know. we are trying to help you.

helmutcheese · 4 Aug 2008 at 01:09

I would be more concerned if 12GB of Pr0n was missing.

FreeStream · 4 Aug 2008 at 01:17

DAnDan said:
It's the title of this thread I find funny. It's not 12Gb missing, it's 1 or 2.

Eh? Its more than 12 gb?

16Gb total - 2gb he can see = 14gb missing....

Oh and btw, I booted into 32bit windows with a 256mb Graphics card and it only allowed me 3 and abit... so yea I'd go back to 64! lol

almichev · 4 Aug 2008 at 01:24

Theguy said:
no need to take that kind of attitude you know. we are trying to help you.

Lol - he hasn't got an attitude. He'd just like an answer.

But until he give us his specs we can't give a decent answer.

pingwing · 4 Aug 2008 at 01:41

Good God sticky this one?!

I think we can all see that a 64bit operating system is a must as anything 32bit just wont cut the m-m-mustard (sorry echo and the bunnymen quote)

Darkwave · 4 Aug 2008 at 06:41

The Mad Rapper said:
It doesn't matter why I did it, I had my reasons and am not going into it here.

LOL, archive material!! You are truly awesome, I bow to you.

Now please go and install a 64-bit OS on that workstation.

redeye_uk · 4 Aug 2008 at 08:52

Either install 64-bit OS on the system OR enable PAE switching (change the boot.ini to include /PAE

The Mad Rapper · 4 Aug 2008 at 11:41

Yes, the video card is the Quadro FX 5500.

Do all 32 bit applications run as well in 64 bit XP? The reason I switched was because I've just got FTK2 and it runs Oracle as the back end which doesn't like to work in 64 bit XP and won't even install.

Draeconis · 4 Aug 2008 at 11:48

Run XP x86 in a Virtual Machine and install Oracle on that. Not only will it install properly, but you certainly have the machine to run it and Oracle is pretty nasty to it's host OS so at least the damage it does is contained within the Virtual Machine.