upgraded from vista to 7 to 10.  (32 bit).  ...   2.9 available upon loading

Totally normal for a 32-bit machine. 3GB plus or minus is normal and correct

Is there such a thing as Windows 10 32-bit?  If there is such a thing, that might explain why you are only seeing 2.9Gb
( 32-bit desktop operating systems aren't really going to be able to use more than 4 Gb of RAM )

Also, does your motherboard support more than 4 Gb of RAM?  
(I've seen some laptop mb's that don't)

If you have the enterprise versions of the Micrososft OS you are not limited to 4GB on a 32 bit setup.

Windows 7 ultimate saw all 8 GB ram
Vista enterprise saw all 8GB

On MS Server 2003 32-bit recognized 24 GB

If you search for this issue in google you will find people who have this problem, whether 32 or 64 bit.

Yes, Windows 10 has a 32-bit version. You could not have upgraded the way you did because upgrading from 32-bit to 64-bit requires a fresh format and install.

So your limit is 3 GB.

64-bit machines do not have this limit.

I apologize if I mad it sound like i went from 32 to 64, which  I know you cant do.

so I will clarify

windows vista enterprise 32 bit (8 GB usable)
windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit (8 GB usable)
windows 10 Enterprise 32 bit (8 GB, 2.9 GB available, 5 GB Hardware reserved)
The hardware reserved is the issue I am having, because it should not take that much RAM, at most 1 GB.
Please read the issue on this link so you will understand what I am talking about.
https://www.google.com/#q=windows+10+hardware+reserved+memory

I have windows 10 enterprise on another machine as 32 bit and it is using all the 8 GB on it.

Your link did not take me anywhere useable.

It may be the memory manager is not coping with so much memory. Take out the excess and see what I mean.

put this in your search bar when you open up google.

windows 10 hardware reserved memory

I have windows 10 enterprise on another machine as 32 bit and it is using all the 8 GB on it.

There is a server setting to allow more than 3 GB on a 32-bit server. I did not think that extended to workstation but it might for Enterprise.

Run Admin Tools Resource Monitor and show is the memory screen.   You would use the PAE setting for this.

Are you saying that a 32 OS of any version cannot work with more than 4 GB?

Like I said, please show us the screen shot of resource monitor.

If and only if the machine supports PAE can it use more than 3 GB. Without PAE, no

Are you saying that a 32 OS of any version cannot work with more than 4 GB?   <-- Yes, excepting PAE above which most machines do not have.

did you do this already:

put this in your search bar when you open up google.

windows 10 hardware reserved memory
resources.rtf

or you can use this to search in google

windows 10 32 bit hardware reserved memory

I cannot open RTF files and I did not find any readable resource that says Windows 10 32-bit can use 4 GB of reserved memory. I have not seen that and no hardware uses that much.

One screen I read showed me Resource Monitor.

Please open Resource Monitor on your 32-bit OS, look at the memory section and post the screen.

here it is
hardware_reserved.docx

Please show us these two screens of your machine.

I do not know what your machine is reserving for, but certainly it is not useable for applications.

My guess is that if you remove 4 Gb, applications will not change and reserved will go to 1 GB

here it is
hardware_reserved.docx

I already tried that memory adding, taking away, replacing, etc.  Hardware reserved is still stealing my memory


did you look at the google search, that asked.  It will give you more information about my issue, so that your time can be well spent with information from that link i gave you last to read.

I do not know what your particular hardware is doing. We use Lenovo Commercial machines and what you describe does not happen at all.

Maybe you need to upgrade BIOS and Chipset.

Maybe you have several video cards all using memory.

But it is most abnormal what you are describing.

I have opened and read both your doc files Nothing enlightening there

did you look at the google search, that asked.  It will give you more information about my issue, so that your time can be well spent with information from that link i gave you last to read.

Yes. Nothing enlightening. All point to reserved memory of about 1 GB. I did not see any 32-bit machine with 5 GB reserved. No link like that.

its a known issue for those who have this problem.  And is searchable on the internet to find all the things that people have done to resolve this and I have not had luck with most suggestions.

Show me, please a specific link (no You Tubes at all) that displays your issue and let me pore through.

I have not used or seen a 32-bit machine since 2007.

i will get a link
it was not the route I planned to go (32-bit)

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/324175-30-hardware-reserved

I had already seen and read this article which largely supports what I am saying to you.

I think "reserved" merely means it sees it but cannot use it. Think of it that way.

this article explains my symptoms, and I only pose this 64 bit link to you because of all the articles I have read on this hardware reserved issue, they are all the same common problem.  So, it is not related (in this problem) to 32 or 64, it affects both.

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/9946daa7-6cc7-4c67-b4db-d9bc03c63ea6/windows-7-hardware-reserved-memory-way-too-much?forum=w7itproperf

Please read, I have not found an answer to my problem, just that this is a problem and not many people know about it, probably because they just decided to format and reinstall the OS, 32 or 64 and keep going.  I can do that, but I lose a lot of my stuff that is set or installed.

thank you
I will not be able to respond to any questions you have at this time for me.  If you have suggestions, or something you read or think of or know of someone you know, has dealt with this issue, that would be great.

Otherwise, I will just have to close the case if you do not have an solution for me other than formatting and starting over.
Your quick responses were very much appreciated.  I do not know how to give you credit for your help without a solution.
Thanks

In that link above:

Post 1. Upgraded to 64-bit and only uses 4 of 16 GB  . Keyword USES.  My 16 GB machine only uses 4 GB until I load in some Virtual machines

Post 1.  I found that the memory reserved for hardware is an astonishing 8gb   No indication anywhere I say what this was for. It is a 64-bit machine and he is not using all the memory as most of us do not. So I cannot explain this except maybe his hardware does it differently

Later post.   My machine has 6GB, and only 2MB is reserved for h/w.  See following graphic:  2 GB could easily be used for specialized video. Normal I think and I said this earlier

It looks farther down that the strangeness is hardware related.

I have two machines here, one Haswell, one Skylake and they use memory properly. Maybe older machines / older BIOS does not.

So there is probably nothing you can do / need to do as your 32-bit machine appears to have 3 GB available to it which is correct

The effort that was made to help me through this scenario and the follow through with a final comment that seemed reasonable, I felt was a very good job done on the experienced members part.
Thanks for the closing feedback.  I will most likely have to format and/or get another machine.

Thank you and I really do hope I have helped. I enjoyed the conversation and fact-finding mission. I learned a few things along the way.

If you can do the format, install Windows 10 64-bit. You can install either on the same license.

thanks

windows vista enterprise 32 bit (8 GB usable)
windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit (8 GB usable)

Never ever, sorry, but you must have gotten that wrong, See https://msdn.microsoft.com/de-de/library/windows/desktop/aa366778(v=vs.85).aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_vista and https://msdn.microsoft.com/de-de/library/windows/desktop/aa366778(v=vs.85).aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_7
For both, the limit was the same as for win10 32 Bit: 4 GB.

I appreciate your feedback