Memory issue

[Ratman6161]

here is the issue:

I have Compaq V6000T notebook with a T7200 processor (2 Ghz dual core with 4MB L2) and a 945 GM chipset. the manufacturer says it will only support 2 GB of RAM but Intel says this chipset supports 4 GB.

So I took the risk and ordered a matched pair of GSkill 2 GB modules (4GB total). Hey, it was only $35 so its not that big a risk.

The bios succesfully regognizes all 4 GB and when I started Vista, the system properties also reported 4 GB. However the task manager said I had 3,061 MB. I figured this was normal since I had a 32 bit version so I wiped the system and re-installed with 64 Bit vista. But I ended up the same as before. The system properties say "Memory (RAM) 4.00GB" and "System Type: 64-bit Operating System" yet the task manager still says the total physical RAM is 3061. Now this is not a huge deal because basically I've paid $35 bucks to go from 2GB to 3GB which is still not bad.

But any ideas? For any system I've dealt with before switching to 64 bit was the cure and I didn't need to change anything else.

I do have the latest bios but unfortunately it gives me little to no configuration options. Like i said though, the bios does recognize all 4.0 GB

Ideas?

 

[mpilchfamily]

The full 4GB is there and being used. Keep in mind that some of the RAM is dedicated for Video memory. So that accounts for the missing RAM.

 

[heymrdj]

Yeah like mpilch said it sounds like your video memory is what's taking it up.

 

[Ratman6161]

Originally posted by: mpilchfamily
The full 4GB is there and being used. Keep in mind that some of the RAM is dedicated for Video memory. So that accounts for the missing RAM.

Video RAM is selectable in the BIOS at either 64MB or 128 MB. I've got it set to 128 but either way that doesn't account for a missing giga byte.

 

[GaryJohnson]

Try running memtest, just to see how much it says you have. If it shows 4GB, then the problem is in Vista. If it shows the amount you're seeing in task manager, then the problem is external to vista, probably a bios setting, possibly the bios needs updating, or it's just not going to work.

It doesn't matter if the chipset supports 4GB, if the BIOS doesn't then you're outta luck.

 

[WackyDan]

"the manufacturer says it will only support 2 GB of RAM but Intel says this chipset supports 4 GB. "

There is your answer. What intel says is one thing- and how the manufacturer implements their bios with Phoenix, etc, is the other. ie; while most Santa Rosa chipset systems via chipset would support 8Gb on paper.... Most OEM's decided only to support 4GB.

Your issue is HP's implementation on this particular model of laptop.

 

[Matt84]

The task manager is showing the true useable amout of memory; Mpilich is not correct because although the BIOS is recognising the full 4GB, Windows cannot address it. The system properties show 4GB as the amount of memory install and not the amount of memory usable.

To use 4GB you must meet the following requirements:

1. You must have an AMD64 or Intel64 CPU
2. Your mainboard chipset must support 8GB of addressable memory
3. Your mainboard BIOS must be able to map the PCI address space above the 4GB barrier
4. You must be running an x64 version of Windows

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605

Your system meets the requirements for 1 and 4, but not 2 and 3. The Intel 945 chipset only supports 4GB of RAM but it doesn't have the ability to remap the PCI address space meaning at most you will be able to use 3.7GB and depending on what other components you have installed, this may be as little as 3.25GB or even 3GB.

 

[Ratman6161]

Originally posted by: SpeedKing
...The Intel 945 chipset only supports 4GB of RAM but it doesn't have the ability to remap the PCI address space meaning at most you will be able to use 3.7GB and depending on what other components you have installed, this may be as little as 3.25GB or even 3GB.

Yup, I think that's the issue. But on the good side, I did go from 2 GB to 3 for only $35 which is a steal by historical standards. I still remember the first memory upgrade I ever did where I upgraded from 4 MB (thats MB not GB) to 8 and it cost almost 10 times that much. So I guess its just a matter of keeping things in perspective.