Windows Task Manager shows only 2GB RAM - 4GB Installed
BIOS and Vista System screen both show 4GB RAM but Windows Task Manager shows only 2GB Phyisical RAM. I have enabled PAE (i think).
Jk387
It's how windows Vista reads ram. You more than likely have other components with memory in them. Say graphics cards that are about 512 or 1gb. Pretty much subtract that number by how much ram you have and you get the number it shows. Fortunatly there is nothing wrong with your system. If you get all the latest updates of Vista it will show the correct amount. I believe they fixed it in SP1.
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ASKER
thank you. that's just what i needed to hear.
Are you running a SLI graphics configuration alongside a 32bit Vista OS by any chance? Most 32 bit Vista OS only report around 3.25GB of ram due to an issue with addressing in 32 bit. A 64 bit OS will show the full 4GB.
Further to this a SLI configuration also removes an amount of ram equivalent to that of both cards. So if you have 2 x 256MB cards you will also lose a further 512MB.
Therefore in Vista theres the potential of you only theoretically having 2-3GB showing with 4GB and above installed.
Further to this a SLI configuration also removes an amount of ram equivalent to that of both cards. So if you have 2 x 256MB cards you will also lose a further 512MB.
Therefore in Vista theres the potential of you only theoretically having 2-3GB showing with 4GB and above installed.
ASKER
I don't know what SLI graphics is? thanks for the info.
Your probably not then. SLI graphics is when you run 2 graphics card in tandem in the same PC to give a more powerful video solution and is more commonly used by gamers.