32GB Ram with only 15.9 Ram Usable

katie279 · 27 Jan 2022 at 22:51

Hi all,

Just rebuilt my PC into a new case and all now fine thanks to the various geniuses in the forum, however just noticed one final quirk.

In Windows I was doing few checks of system and noticed windows system properties said:
32GB Ram with only 15.9 Ram Usable

Anyone know what this means and how to fix?

I've check msconfig boot as that seemed to be the first suggestion on googling it, but that looks fine.

Checked in bios and that's recognising 32gb normally.

Only other thing I saw was about RAM pairs being in the wrong slot, but I ordered four 8gb sticks of identical ram when I bought this PC, so shouldn't really matter.

Any other ideas???

Couple of grabs of BIOS RAM settings and cpu-z in case anything jumps out:

https://imgur.com/a/Aoz01ZE

Also ran Windows Memory diagnostic tool and all seems fine

Journey · 28 Jan 2022 at 15:05

Is there something reserving memory for Windows, a hibernation state or something Did you alter or reset any BIOS settings?

danoliver1 · 28 Jan 2022 at 15:34

https://windowsreport.com/windows-10-isnt-using-all-ram/
Use msconfig to increase max memory used. Link provided number 7 on the list.

katie279 · 28 Jan 2022 at 15:34

Hello kind sir.... !

I'd say 'no' but this is the sort of thing I may well have missed as it's not an error as such and I wouldn't generally spot a huge difference in speed between 16gb and 32gb in normal use.... So it's possible it's been there longer.

I guess in the last couple of months, Ive upgraded the bios from 2017 to 2021 version. Most recently I just moved the pc to a new case (ie no upgrade of the components).

That's about it really!

katie279 · 28 Jan 2022 at 15:36

danoliver1 said:
https://windowsreport.com/windows-10-isnt-using-all-ram/
Use msconfig to increase max memory used. Link provided number 7 on the list.

Hi Dan - yes as per my original post, I'd spotted that too - tried it and doesn't seem to make any difference (tested both setting to 32gb and unchecking)

CapitalOne · 28 Jan 2022 at 15:38

You may have 16GB reserved for something in the BIOS - which motherboard & CPU is it?

Are you using integrated graphics?

katie279 · 28 Jan 2022 at 15:52

Yes I thought this, but couldn't see anything obvious in the bios settings, but then I am a doofus..... :rolleyes:

I 'think' the motherboard has integrated graphics, but I couldn't see anything in the bios - I vaguely recall previous PCs had an option to use RAM to supply the integrated graphics, but couldn't see this.

Ab350 gaming 3
Ryzen 1700X

CapitalOne · 28 Jan 2022 at 16:01

Can you post what you see in task manager?

Semple · 28 Jan 2022 at 16:09

As above what does task manager or performance monitor show.

If that shows 32Gb then it's got 32Gb available.

katie279 · 28 Jan 2022 at 17:35

https://imgur.com/a/uV2CDQo

Well it says both - ie 32GB, but 16GB available as 16GB reserved??

PS how do I upload/embed images in OCUK??

Journey · 28 Jan 2022 at 17:43

If you take out 16GB, does it show 8GB is use and 8GB reserved?

katie279 · 28 Jan 2022 at 18:03

Good thinking - tested (very easy thanks to my new cable management and case...

)

Dropped to 8Gb, but then I 'think' I've fixed, but with no idea how/why.

Had a thought to swap the ram modules around randomly, so swapped the third for the second and bang I'm back to 32gb???

Checked and all dimms were inserted before I removed - although if they weren't, it would have detected 32gb anyway I'd guess.

The only thing I can think is whether ram module pairs are somehow linked?? Ie when I bought two sets of identical 8gb pairs, are they somehow linked, so only A and B go together...? Completely making this up though...!

As I see, seems to be working, but not quite sure why! Still, thanks for everyone's help and I'd guess Journey gets the points?????

Journey · 28 Jan 2022 at 18:37

katie279 said:
As I see, seems to be working, but not quite sure why! Still, thanks for everyone's help and I'd guess Journey gets the points?????

Weird, but yes RAM is paired so channel A1 and B1 and A2 and B2 should be the way you configure the pairs, especially if they were bought at different times, or happen to be different brands or speeds etc.

Mr Evil · 28 Jan 2022 at 19:08

I think it's possible for this to happen if a DIMM has a poor connection. It can be connected well enough for the BIOS to read what it is, so it knows how much RAM is installed, but it ends up disabled because the connection isn't reliable.

katie279 · 28 Jan 2022 at 19:33

Journey said:
Weird, but yes RAM is paired so channel A1 and B1 and A2 and B2 should be the way you configure the pairs, especially if they were bought at different times, or happen to be different brands or speeds etc.

Yes agree, they are identical model/brand etc . Guess it's feasible I got two different batches or something weird.

Mr Evil's point is sensible, although I ran window memory diagnostic, so wonder whether this would have highlighted this (whereas it seemed to think it was fine)

Journey · 28 Jan 2022 at 19:38

katie279 said:
Yes agree, they are identical model/brand etc . Guess it's feasible I got two different batches or something weird.

Mr Evil's point is sensible, although I ran window memory diagnostic, so wonder whether this would have highlighted this (whereas it seemed to think it was fine)

Yeah dust, and muck can cause those sorts of issues, but since you just changed case I kind of assumed you have taken the opportunity to clean absolutely everything, but that is just how I would do it, so I really shouldn't assume.

katie279 · 28 Jan 2022 at 19:41

Hehehe, what are you saying about my personal hygiene???

Yes, I did give it a clean - guess it could potentially be the opposite, ie blowing the dust could have theoretically blown dust into the dimm slots or something (the weird thing is I didn't take them out and they were working fine before, so quite hard to picture how this could happen)

Bit of a mystery, other than to jiggle my bits around next time I have a problem...... :cry: