W7: 4.00GB of RAM, Only 2.5GB Usable...

[RavenSEAL]

Any idea as to why this is happening? I recently upgraded from 64 bit Vista to 32 Bit W7. All of the sudden i can't use 1GB of RAM. I thought 32 Bit Versions could use up to 3.5GB, which was what my 64 Bit Vista showed.

Help please 🙁

 

[RavenSEAL]

Also, i don't know if this is relevant...but Windows displays my onboard GPU to have 1.7GB of memory, even though the bios is set only to 256mb...

 

[Cogman]

32 bit

While 4 GB is the technical maximum of a 32 bit operating system, a certain percentage of the memory is dedicated to things like video memory, interface memory, ect.

In other words, the solution is to get a 64 bit version of the OS.

 

[Steltek]

Your system specs in your signature show you are running a video card. Any memory on your video card will be counted as part of the addressable 4GB before installed RAM will be. If you also running with integrated graphics that are activated in the BIOS, that memory comes off the 4GB as well. Windows itself usually needs 1/4 to 1/2 GB itself in overhead. So, in your case, 2.5GB might be right based upon the total video memory you are quoting.

In a 64bit Windows environment, all the memory in your system could be addressed (including the video memory) since you don't have a 4GB addressable limit.

If you have a retail Win7 key, your key can be used to install either 32bit or 64bit Win7 in the edition you have - all you need to do is get a 64 bit Win7 install disc.

 

[Emulex]

agreed. reload with 64bit and get all your memory.

They make 4GB quadro cards. you'd have no memory in 32 bit land lol.

win7 dynamically manages the shared memory unlike XP. It does a great job actually.

 

[ViRGE]

It certainly sounds like a 64bit OS is the solution, but I must say that something isn't quite right. There's no reason he should be losing 1.5GB in address space with what he has.

 

[tcsenter]

Disable onboard graphics.

 

[Steltek]

It certainly sounds like a 64bit OS is the solution, but I must say that something isn't quite right. There's no reason he should be losing 1.5GB in address space with what he has.

If does make sense if he is simultaneously running both integrated graphics and a 1GB Asus HD5670 video card.

Hit edit instead of quote; sorry Steltek!😱
-ViRGE

 

[tcsenter]

If you previously ran 64-bit, you may still have memory remapping enabled in the BIOS (if available). Disable for 32-bit.

 

[ViRGE]

If does make sense if he is simultaneously running both integrated graphics and a 1GB Asus HD5670 video card.

That would only account for 512MB. NVIDIA and AMD only have 256MB memory mapping windows, and I'm sure Intel is no bigger. I could see 3GB for that setup, but 2.5GB is missing at least 512MB.

 

[RavenSEAL]

Well, since i bought it from a cool guy, he was kind enough to trade me for a 64 bit W7. So now i'm up on 64-bit getting 3.5gb...once i put in another stick of 2 gigs, those 512 won't matter anymore.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[jjmIII]

Disable onboard graphics.

This may be how you get that 512 back. Give it a try.

 

[StinkyPinky]

32 bit windows needs to die die die

 

[Steltek]

32 bit windows needs to die die die

I agree. Unfortunately, it isn't going to happen any time soon. There is simply too much perfectly serviceable legacy hardware out there that doesn't have 64 bit driver support. Lack of legacy driver support is what killed 64 bit Windows XP as a viable OS.

 

[Modelworks]

32 bit windows needs to die die die

Agree 100%. Even better would be for MS to make a true 64 bit windows. The current windows 64 bit is so convoluted I want to pull out my hair sometimes.

Make it either 32 or 64 bit but stop mixing up the system, registry, program files between the two . Go to use the command line, oops, you need the 64 bit cmd.exe running not the 32 bit one . Copy some codec files, oops, you don't put 32 bit codecs in system32 they go in syswow64. Use regsvr.exe , oops, you need to use the regsvr.exe in syswow64 not system32 that it normally runs. Editing the registry, oh your 32 bit values are in wow6432node not the least bit confusing D:

 

[RavenSEAL]

This may be how you get that 512 back. Give it a try.

I just tried and got those 512 back, how did i not notice that before lol. thanks.

32 bit windows needs to die die die

^This a million times. I don't even know that x86 processors are still being built. Even the cheap ass recent Celeron's are 64-bit. I'm guessing MS is trying to keep their upgrade audience around for a few more years.

 

[Nothinman]

Agree 100%. Even better would be for MS to make a true 64 bit windows. The current windows 64 bit is so convoluted I want to pull out my hair sometimes.

Make it either 32 or 64 bit but stop mixing up the system, registry, program files between the two . Go to use the command line, oops, you need the 64 bit cmd.exe running not the 32 bit one . Copy some codec files, oops, you don't put 32 bit codecs in system32 they go in syswow64. Use regsvr.exe , oops, you need to use the regsvr.exe in syswow64 not system32 that it normally runs. Editing the registry, oh your 32 bit values are in wow6432node not the least bit confusing D:

It's all in the name of compatibility, but yea, MS really fucked up from a power user perspective. Sadly most people will never care or notice which means MS will never really fix it.

I don't even know that x86 processors are still being built. Even the cheap ass recent Celeron's are 64-bit. I'm guessing MS is trying to keep their upgrade audience around for a few more years.

I believe some Atoms are being made that lack AMD64 instructions and there are still those of us with older, 32-bit CPUs. For example, my work laptop is an older Pentium M that's 32-bit only and while I'd rather not use Windows at all, I'm glad that I can use Win7 instead of XP.