I have 4 gig of ram but windows only picks up 3?

Lister2020 · 28 Jan 2007 at 11:39

This might actually be a mobo issue.

During the startup it says 3072MB of ram, If i boot into the bios it says the same, yet it says all four slots have 1024MB ram in them (and it has defaulted them to 166mhz I think).

Is this a windows or mobo issue? I'm not really sure how to rectify it :confused:

dirtydog · 28 Jan 2007 at 11:40

Which Windows? I think you'll find it is a Windows limitation.

Lister2020 · 28 Jan 2007 at 11:44

vista ultimate 32 bit oem. On xp It recognised all four gigs of ram. 4 gig is the max limit of ram you can have with 32 bit I know, but definitely on xp i had it recognising all 4 gigs.

manoz · 28 Jan 2007 at 11:45

You need x64 version for windows to recognise and use 4 gigs or more unfortunetely. Maximum an app can use in 32 bit mode is 2 gig anyway afaik

EDIT: You should have got 64 bit vista tbh

UKDTweak · 28 Jan 2007 at 11:46

If the bios only sees 3gb, then its not windows causing the problem as it has not even started to load yet.

Lister2020 · 28 Jan 2007 at 11:47

I think someone got me to mess around with some settings in xp before, but I definitely had it recognising all four gigs? Unless it was lying to me :S

dirtydog · 28 Jan 2007 at 11:47

What is your motherboard then, does it support 4gig? (Having four slots doesn't necessarily mean it does)

Lister2020 · 28 Jan 2007 at 11:48

UKDTweak said:
If the bios only sees 3gb, then its not windows causing the problem as it has not even started to load yet.

Yea but I don't understand why it says 3072MB yet it also says all four slots have 1024MB ram in them. Stupid computer!

Lister2020 · 28 Jan 2007 at 11:49

dirtydog said:
What is your motherboard then, does it support 4gig? (Having four slots doesn't necessarily mean it does)

Im posting on my laptop right now, Im gonna go get a shower and get dressed then I will go online on my desktop and note down my full configuration.

Datamonkey · 28 Jan 2007 at 12:19

ok,

on my mobo i have a 32bit memory mode, when enabled the bios will address 3gb of ram.

When i disable it for use with 64bit memory mode it will see all 4gb.

Using xp x64 and vista 64bit if i have the wrong option set in the bios it will only see 3gb.

XP 32bit will only address a max of 3072gb of ram. no matter what reg-hacks you may use it will still only be able to address just over 3gb.

This is on an ASUS P5W DH, check your bios to make sure there isnt a similar option in the bios. Under the memory section

Lister2020 · 28 Jan 2007 at 12:22

Datamonkey said:
ok,

on my mobo i have a 32bit memory mode, when enabled the bios will address 3gb of ram.

When i disable it for use with 64bit memory mode it will see all 4gb.

Using xp x64 and vista 64bit if i have the wrong option set in the bios it will only see 3gb.

XP 32bit will only address a max of 3072gb of ram. no matter what reg-hacks you may use it will still only be able to address just over 3gb.

This is on an ASUS P5W DH, check your bios to make sure there isnt a similar option in the bios. Under the memory section

Ok thanks, At the mo getting bluetooth and transcode 360 are higher up on my priority list anyway

Lister2020 · 28 Jan 2007 at 14:38

I changed some settings in the bios and now it recognises all 4 gig on boot. Strange, but hey at least it works now.

bledd · 28 Jan 2007 at 14:53

UKDTweak said:
If the bios only sees 3gb, then its not windows causing the problem as it has not even started to load yet.

yup

Lister2020 said:
Yea but I don't understand why it says 3072MB yet it also says all four slots have 1024MB ram in them. Stupid computer!

then either one of them is loose and needs reseating, or its bust

-edit..

Lister2020 said:
I changed some settings in the bios and now it recognises all 4 gig on boot. Strange, but hey at least it works now.

what did you change?

Lister2020 · 28 Jan 2007 at 15:05

Something like Memory tolerance mode or something like that, and set them all to ddr 200mhz speed manually

MR.B · 28 Jan 2007 at 17:33

It might recognise 4GB now but no software will use all 4GB, probably not even 3GB, it's totally pointless having that much RAM unless you have 64-bit Windows. I should know, i done it myself once :rolleyes:

lol