• Windows doesn't use all my RAM.
    24 replies, posted
Probably quite a common problem, but all the solutions on the first few pages of google don't work for me. I am running Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit with 2x2gb sticks of RAM installed. Windows only uses 2.5gb of the RAM and doesn't show anywhere that it is using the rest for anything else. CPUZ however does pick-up the full 4gb, leading me to believe its a problem inside of windows. I also plugged in my brother's 4gb of RAM, the same thing happened when using them. I will look in BIOS when I next restart if that will help, although I am pretty sure it will find 4gb. Any ideas on how to get windows to use the full 4gb? To Clarify : I don't need windows itself to use 4gb of RAM, I only need the RAM available for applications to use.
Windows won't use all 4GB, there is not need for it to use all 4GB for itself. Mine is only using 1.8GB with Windows, Firefox, Windows Live Messenger, Steam and Comodo running.
[QUOTE=T1dal;27895037]Probably quite a common problem, but all the solutions on the first few pages of google don't work for me. I am running Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit with 2x2gb sticks of RAM installed. Windows only uses 2.5gb of the RAM and doesn't show anywhere that it is using the rest for anything else. CPUZ however does pick-up the full 4gb, leading me to believe its a problem inside of windows. I also plugged in my brother's 4gb of RAM, the same thing happened when using them. I will look in BIOS when I next restart if that will help, although I am pretty sure it will find 4gb. Any ideas on how to get windows to use the full 4gb?[/QUOTE] If windows is using all your ram, there's something wrong with windows. Seriously. You think that using all the ram will make things go faster, I assume. In fact, this will make everything go slower.
Why do you think there is an issue? You're not likely to use up all 4 gigs unless you're doing something memory intensive, like video editing. Most programs try not to use up much ram.
[QUOTE=Pepin;27895921]Why do you think there is an issue? You're not likely to use up all 4 gigs unless you're doing something memory intensive, like video editing. Most programs try not to use up much ram.[/QUOTE] But doesn't windows need to 'see' it to be able to use it in other software? Perhaps I read the OP wrong
Well often when I am rendering a movie or playing a game my performance tab shows that all my physical memory is used. I don't need windows itself to use it, just for it to be available for applications to use.
Right click on "Computer" and go to properties. Does it say that you have 4GB of RAM installed? If so, all of the memory is accessible to Windows. Windows will rarely use all of the available RAM.
[QUOTE=Sharpk1ll3r;27896215]Right click on "Computer" and go to properties. Does it say that you have 4GB of RAM installed? If so, all of the memory is accessible to Windows. Windows will rarely use all of the available RAM.[/QUOTE] Windows only uses 2.5gb of the RAM and doesn't show anywhere that it is using the rest for anything else. As I said it doesn't say I have 4gb installed only 2.50gb.
[QUOTE=T1dal;27896286]Windows only uses 2.5gb of the RAM and doesn't show anywhere that it is using the rest for anything else. As I said it doesn't say I have 4gb installed only 2.50gb.[/QUOTE] Go to Windows' Resource Monitor utlility. Go to the memory tab. Does it say any of the RAM is being reserved by the hardware? I had a similar issue when I first installed some more RAM on my motherboard. I had seated the RAM incorrectly so Windows was not able to access all of my available RAM, and the BIOS reserved the RAM for hardware. Instead of 8GB, I had something like 4.5GB accessible by Windows.
[QUOTE=T1dal;27896286]As I said it doesn't say I have 4gb installed only 2.50gb.[/QUOTE] Say this. "Windows isn't using all 4 gigs" sounds like "I want windows to use all the memory in my RAM," not "Windows doesn't recognize all 4GB of ram.
[QUOTE=Sharpk1ll3r;27896372]Go to Windows' Resource Monitor utlility. Go to the memory tab. Does it say any of the RAM is being reserved by the hardware? I had a similar issue when I first installed some more RAM on my motherboard. I had seated the RAM incorrectly so Windows was not able to access all of my available RAM, and the BIOS reserved the RAM for hardware. Instead of 8GB, I had something like 4.5GB accessible by Windows.[/QUOTE] There is 0MB for Hardware Reserved, 2183MB in use,0MB modified, 302MB standby and 73MB free.
Are you sure you aren't using a 32-bit operating system? If so, there will be a limit of 4GB total memory address space, therefore causing any other devices with large amounts of memory to be part of that. If you had a video card with 1GB of built-in RAM, you'd have only 3GB of system RAM available, for example. Even if this was the issue, I'm not sure why 1.5GB of your address space are being taken up.
Shut down and unplug your computer, open the case and press down on the RAM - firmly, but not enough to break it. If you feel one of the sticks give way, you didn't put it in all the way and there's your problem.
[img]http://gyazo.com/a9c7db369b4918303dfcf234b1b5d400.png[/img] [img]http://gyazo.com/105e94db2655018a026fdfb7b6dcf0b8.png[/img] Take a look at that, OP.
[QUOTE=lavacano;27898633]Shut down and unplug your computer, open the case and press down on the RAM - firmly, but not enough to break it. If you feel one of the sticks give way, you didn't put it in all the way and there's your problem.[/QUOTE] Will try that, seems your one of the only people that actually reads the thread. As for RixxzIV here you go... [img]http://imgur.com/YdIyo.png[/img]
You didn't exactly explain it well. "Windows only uses 2.5GB of my RAM" sounds like Windows is using 2.5GB of RAM, and leaving the rest free. You should have said "Windows only sees 2.5GB of my RAM" instead. That is really strange, you normally only see that kind of thing when using integrated GPUs, but I don't know any that would use 1.5GB of RAM.
Specs maybe? With Speccy, MIGHT help. Also, Why do you have it in single channel? Don't use two next to eachother slots, keep one between.
It is really strange. I'm not sure what to suggest at this point. I figured the elusive RAM would have been reserved for hardware if cpu-z detects 4GB. May sound silly, but make certain you've inserted your RAM sticks into the correct slots. They need to be inserted into particular slots to take advantage of single, dual or triple channel. When I had my similar issue, I for some odd reason placed 4x2GB sticks in an incorrect triple configuration as opposed to the correct dual channel configuration which resulted in Windows not detecting all of the RAM. EDIT: Oh, tratzzz beat me to it. :P
I will check speccy and the connections tommorow.
Update your bios and your mother board drivers. It could fix it as some motherboards have odd issues that get fixed later.
Pull the RAM out and put it back in. Sometimes the simplest solution is the one that works.
[QUOTE=Badal;27910422]Pull the RAM out and put it back in. Sometimes the simplest solution is the one that works.[/QUOTE] CPUZ detects them so they are in. Try the dual/tripple channel thing.
Well I only have two slots, so that is impossible to change.
One possibility is that the motherboard itself doesn't support more ram. Check the manual/manufacturer's website/internet.
I haven't seen this suggested yet, so try this: Open Run, type msconfig and hit enter. Go to the Boot tab, then click the Advanced Options button and make sure that everything in the box is unchecked as show below: [img]http://gyazo.com/c1a12d8009a2028434348c156389e899.png[/img]
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