I have installed 3.5 gb of memory (3 1gb sticks and a 512 mb stick). I recently installed (this evening) a 512 mb and 1 gb ddr2 stick. When I go to crucial.com the scan recognizes all 3.5 gb, but when I go to my computer it reflects only 2.5. Should I have installed the 512 mb, rebooted and then installed the final 1 gb ? I did notice it prompted me if I wanted to go to the utilities screen when I initially booted or to continue..
Note I have Windows XP3 32 bit..
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It's not uncommon for Windows XP (or other 32 bit versions) not to show all physical memory as available, there are several factors that can influence that. You do need to make sure that the BIOS sees all 3.5, but if the crucial site does I suspect it's installed okay. Do some googling and you'll find lots of info on this, like:
http://www.microsoft.
htt
~bp
Hello, I think your RAM is OK. The 2.5GB is an XP 32 bit limitation. Try using /3GB in boot.ini (see link below)
http://www.microsoft.com/w
Do you have a video card that is using shared RAM? That might be the cause too byut pretty sure it's the 32 bit thing.
First, a couple comments on the above comments ...
"... 2.5GB is an XP 32 bit limitation ..." ==> NO !! There's no specific limitation except a 4GB address space. It IS true that some of that 4GB has to be assigned to resources other than memory ... more on that in a minute.
"... Try using /3GB in boot.ini ..." ==> No again. This has NOTHING to do with how much memory your system sees. It only changes the virtual space allowed for individual processes, which is normally 2GB, to 3GB --> independent of the amount of actual physical RAM in the system.
As for why you're only seeing 2.5GB ==> first, let's isolate whether or not this is an issue with memory recognition, or simply reflects the available address space after the system has assigned addresses to other resources. The key factor to answer that is: What video card (or cards) are installed in this system? One simple way to see if that's influencing the memory you see is to install just your 3 1GB modules and see if you still just see 2.5GB. If so, then that probably reflects the available address space after address allocation for other system resources. If not, then the issue is something else. But answer the "What video card(s) you have question first ... then we'll consider other possibilities.
A few comments on XP memory allocation may help you understand the details ...
Note that XP systems with 4GB of memory "see" anywhere from the low 2+ GB up to about 3.5GB. The upper end of the address space is used for a variety of reserved items -- BIOS shadowing, AGP aperture, I/O addresses, video shadowing, etc. -- and for these reasons systems with 4GB of installed memory never report a full 4GB of available memory. The largest consumer of these addresses on most systems is video addressing ... that's why I asked what video card(s) are installed -- they MAY be using a lot of the address space in your system.
The /3GB switch mentioned above has to do with the virtual space allowed for indiividual processes. XP restricts the memory allocated to individual processes to 2GB, but uses any memory above for system processes that would have occupied lower memory if the system had 2GB or less of memory; the /3GB switch will alter that balance -- but has NOTHING to do with "seeing" more memory in systems with 4GB of memory (it simply increases the virtual address space allocated for individual processes);
Okay, with that card I'd expect you to see something in the 3.2-3.3GB range with 3.5GB installed. When you boot and get the message about entering setup or continuing, have you selected Setup option? You should do that -- then simply save and exit (you don't need to make any changes). This will often alter the memory parameters that are reported to the OS.
If that doesn't change anything, remove the 512MB module and see what the system reports.
garycase, I simply tried to keep it simple. Yes, you are right, theoretically XP 32 should see 4GB but in reality it never happens because of drivers, video, etc like you said. At the end of the day seeing 2.5 GB is a 32 bit limitation compounded by the allocation of RAM for other things.
pbo1, check to see what settings you have in BIOS that might cause shadowing in RAM.
If I go back to Crucial.com it says I have a 2 1 GB DDR PC2-6400 sticks installed, 1 1MB DDR PC2-3200 stick installed and 1 512 MB DDR PC2-6400 stick installed, but according to Crucial my system can only take DDR2 PC2- 5300 or PC2-6400. However, if I look at the Kingston package for the 1 GB I installed tonite it says DDR2 PC2-6400..Why does Crucial think a 3200 is installed ?
Some more info on the 1GB I bought tonite..note the 512MB came with the computer...I bought an additional 2 1 GB mem sticks a few weeks ago and there was no issues with the system recognizing the 2 1 GB sticks...Tonite I bought a 1 GB stick and thats when my system did not recognize it...
Kingston 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory
Features
Brand Kingston
Model KVR800D2/1GR
Type 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM
Tech Spec
Capacity 1GB
Speed DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
Cas Latency 5
Voltage 1.8V
Heat Spreader No
"... Also why does it assign memory to the video card if the video card has memory on the card.. " ==> It doesn't assign memory to the card; it assigns addresses that the system uses to address the memory on the card. But those addresses can only be assigned to one thing -- so they're not available for addressing physical RAM.
However, you do not have enough system-level addressing requirements to reduce the addressing available for RAM all the way down to 2.5GB, so something else is happening here.
How much memory is shown if you remove the last 1GB module? (i.e. just have two 1GB and one 512MB modules installed)? Then what does it show if you replace the 512MB module with the newest 1GB module? (i.e. just have 3 1GB modules installed) You may have a memory rank issue ... I can tell whether this is likely based on the results of these checks.
"... theoretically XP 32 should see 4GB ..." ==> NO !! XP x32 will never see 4GB ... it can ADDRESS 4GB, but will never see 4GB of RAM after assigning system level addresses. This is just as wrong as saying that "2.5GB is an XP 32 bit limitation". Seeing less than 4GB is an XP x32 limitation due to processor addressing limitations ... but exactly how much is entirely system dependent -- and from the hardware described in this post the limit is NOT 2.5GB. Something else is causing this restriction.
Memory addressing issues are frequently misunderstood ... and the large number of incorrect statements in various forums (including EE) don't help.
pbo1 ==> What is the exact model # of your system?
This is a Dell Refurbised Joy System OptiPlex GX280 I removed each memory stick and the new video card and then reinstalled the memory sticks...It seems to recognize (per My Computer/System Info) up to 2.99 of the 3.5. When I i put back the new video card the memory went back to 2.49 per the My Computer/System Information..
Have you disabled the Intel graphics controller in BIOS Setup after you installed the add-in video card? This may still be active and using resources.
In addition, post the actual address space allocation for your system ==> go to Device Manager; select View - Resources by Type - Memory; expand it; and post the details here.
How do I disable it in BIOS ? See attachment for memory info...
Memory profile
There's a lot of address space being allocated for "motherboard resources" on that system -- I'd guess it's related to the management features on the system, but it's not broken down in the display.
Note that every address from 9F700000 upwards is used -- leaving only those below that for memory addressing (except for a few low addresses used for interrupt vectoring). Unless there's a provision in the BIOS to disable the management features (which would likely free up a healthy amount of space), there's probablly nothing you can do to see more memory.
A simple test to confirm this: Remove all but one 1GB module. Then check the same memory allocation info in Device Manager. If the upper address allocations (9F700000 and above) are all the same, then you're seeing all you can see. If not, post the new picture here.
Your system is using a LOT of addresses for the PCI resources. Look on the page you posted above -- the address range starting at 9F700000 (~ 2551MB) through the top of memory is reserved for system-level functions except for 512MB for the NVidia video memory addressing. That's why you're seeing ~ 2.5GB. When you remove the video card, that extra 512MB is available for RAM, so you see more. If you remove the NVidia card and look at the Device Manager display of memory allocation, you'll see that the PCI bus addressing that now starts at 9F700000 will start a good bit higher ... probably around BF700000 (it may be slightly off of that, as there are some other control addresses involved & it's hard to predict exactly where it will start).
You're most welcome.
I looked through your BIOS Setup routine to see if there is anything you could turn off to free up some address space [http://support.dell.com/s
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by: explodingtoasterPosted on 2009-09-08 at 17:33:23ID: 25287372
In general, if you can avoid mixing memory, do so. When possible, try to purchase identical sticks from the same manufacturer.
Does the correct amount of memory show up in BIOS or when you boot up the computer? The order in which you install the memory doesn't matter.