Windows only reading 2.7 out of 4gb?

Crazypootie · Aug 5, 2008

As the title says, on my new build using windows xp I have a total of 4gb of ram (2x 2GB DDR2) But it only reads as 2.7 in the system info in windows, I checked the bios and there is says I have the 4gb also pulled both out and tryed one at a time to make sure they were both good, seem ok. Any ideas why windows is only saying I have 2.7? Thanks for any help. :toast:

alexp999 · Aug 5, 2008

Crazypootie said:
As the title says, on my new build using windows xp I have a total of 4gb of ram (2x 2GB DDR2) But it only reads as 2.7 in the system info in windows, I checked the bios and there is says I have the 4gb also pulled both out and tryed one at a time to make sure they were both good, seem ok. Any ideas why windows is only saying I have 2.7? Thanks for any help.

You should really use the search button or just google it.

This is such a common thing. You are running windows 32bit. 32bit windows has a maximum memory allocation of 4gb. If you take off your video memory from that and memory allocation for every other device in you system (including bios rom) you will be left with between 2.7-3.2GB.

Only way round it is to use 64bit windows.

JoshBrunelle · Aug 5, 2008

A 32-bit operating system can't access 4GB of RAM, there is no getting around that. I would assume the other missing memory is dedicated for video. Do you use onboard video? (looks like it)

EDIT: Too slow :ohwell:

Seriously though, use google

xylomn · Aug 5, 2008

I'm guessing your using a 32bit OS.

Any 32bit OS can only address 4GB of memory in total, this includes any memory on your VGA card(s) etc.

You RAM will be the last of this memory to be addressed and as such only up to the 4GB limit will be visible.

The only solution to this problem is to use a 64bit OS.

Crazypootie · Aug 5, 2008

Ok, thank you for the info....sorry didnt relize asking would be such a big deal :rolleyes:

EastCoasthandle · Aug 5, 2008

Crazypootie said:
Ok, thank you for the info....sorry didnt relize asking would be such a big deal

Ignore them, although you will never use all 4Gigs of ram you usually get over 3Gigs in XP Pro. So 2.7 is a bit low IMO. I am not sure what components you are using but your OS will account for all ram used be it video card, etc. What are your system specs?

Damian^ · Aug 5, 2008

Crazypootie said:
Ok, thank you for the info....sorry didnt relize asking would be such a big deal

It's not really that it's a big deal but just that a little searchinig yourself wouldn't hurt

I havnt been on these forums for long but im sure others get irritated when the same question is asked many times before.

Anyways as for the OP im sure you could return your 32bit OS for a exhange or something, try Windows Vista 64bit Home Premium

alexp999 · Aug 5, 2008

Not such a big deal, just saving you from the wrath of the mods, lol

. they get a bit funny when they keep seeing the same question pop-up. And often end up closing the thread, telling you to go look for it.

just use the search button on the main forum page.

Deleted member 3 · Aug 5, 2008

Funny part about these common questions is that people still give false or incomplete answers. Same with all the RAID questions.

In this case the answer is incomplete, the "there is no way around it" part is false. PAE is a way around it, it's just not a viable option in most cases due to lack of support for it. So I guess I'll just support the "use the search/Google" answer.

alexp999 · Aug 5, 2008

DanTheBanjoman said:
Funny part about these common questions is that people still give false or incomplete answers. Same with all the RAID questions.

In this case the answer is incomplete, the "there is no way around it" part is false. PAE is a way around it, it's just not a viable option in most cases due to lack of support for it. So I guess I'll just support the "use the search/Google" answer.

I tried out that PAE thing when I was on 32bit. Didnt do anything for me

So I gave up, let my scanner which only has 32bit drivers gather dust and wacked on 64bit. havent gona back since.

newtekie1 · Aug 5, 2008

DanTheBanjoman said:
Funny part about these common questions is that people still give false or incomplete answers. Same with all the RAID questions.

In this case the answer is incomplete, the "there is no way around it" part is false. PAE is a way around it, it's just not a viable option in most cases due to lack of support for it. So I guess I'll just support the "use the search/Google" answer.

PAE does not allow more than 4GB of memory in Windows XP and Vista x86, and in most cases is already enabled to allow for use of the NX bit. In other versions of Windows, PAE does allow for up to 64GB of RAM to be used in a 32-bit environment. However, in Windows XP/Vista x86 the size limitation is still 4GB.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778.aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_xp

bas3onac1d · Aug 7, 2008

Disable every on board motherboard component you're not using, you might get an extra 256 out of it.

JoshBrunelle · Aug 7, 2008

Thanks newtek, literally, the maximum number of bytes that the OS can address is 4GB, there is no way around that, even using PAE, xp maxes out at 4GB. That's why a lot of people have been moving to 64 bit given the price of memory these days.

yogurt_21 · Aug 7, 2008

Crazypootie said:
As the title says, on my new build using windows xp I have a total of 4gb of ram (2x 2GB DDR2) But it only reads as 2.7 in the system info in windows, I checked the bios and there is says I have the 4gb also pulled both out and tryed one at a time to make sure they were both good, seem ok. Any ideas why windows is only saying I have 2.7? Thanks for any help.

well being that most users who have 4gb installed on a 32-bit os typically see ~ 3.5-3.7 gigs, I'd guess that you either have a 1gb or 768mb graphics card installed which counts towards your 4gb limit. which is why highend crossfire/sli is reserved for 64-bit os's.

flashstar · Aug 7, 2008

If you want to have more than 4 gigs on a 32 bit os, you need to go with a recent server version of Windows.

newtekie1 · Aug 7, 2008

flashstar said:
If you want to have more than 4 gigs on a 32 bit os, you need to go with a recent server version of Windows.

Correct, but if you are going to do that, you then run into a lot of the same issues as just switching to a 64-bit OS. Driver support for Server OSes is, IMO, worse than driver support for Vista x64.

ktr · Aug 7, 2008

Look at the bios. See if there is a 4gb memory remap option. Also turn down devices that you don't use, and reduce any buffer sizes. Also, are you running a multi-gpu setup? That usually takes about .25gb alone.

Deleted member 3 · Aug 7, 2008

newtekie1 said:
PAE does not allow more than 4GB of memory in Windows XP and Vista x86, and in most cases is already enabled to allow for use of the NX bit. In other versions of Windows, PAE does allow for up to 64GB of RAM to be used in a 32-bit environment. However, in Windows XP/Vista x86 the size limitation is still 4GB.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778.aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_xp

I never claimed it did, I just said 32-bit isn't limited to 4GB per se. And XP not supporting it fully is exactly what I mean with "lack of support".

EnergyFX · Aug 7, 2008

Crazypootie said:
Ok, thank you for the info....sorry didnt relize asking would be such a big deal

Don't take it as an attack on you or anything... just try to kind of accept that when you get slapped with "google" chants it just means you have asked a question that has been asked so many times before it is starting to make people sick.

You're not the first and you won't be the last.

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Windows only reading 2.7 out of 4gb?

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