M11x R3 - less than total RAM usable? Help!

Hi,

I recently got my m11x r3 and just now i realized that windows 7 says;


Installed Memory (RAM): 8.00 GB (6.45 GB usable)

I've checked it on the task manager and it says the same thing...


This is shortly after a fresh install of windows 7 64bit

Does anyone know what to do?

 

Windows itself uses some. I dunno, perhaps integrated Intel graphics uses the rest?

 

Hmmmm, Windows is stealing about 8 times as much ram from you than it is me. I have 4 Gb installed with 3.8 Gb being usable. It looks fishy. Wait for some more people with 8 Gb of ram to chime in.

 

possibly some has been taken by the intel GPU.

 

ummmm... never mind.

thegh0sts said what i was thinking

 

thats ... why would the integrated graphics use up my RAM? Does it use the RAM as its video memory?

 

yup. most integrated gfx do this. it makes the most sense for it to be designed this way. since integrated gfx arent meat to be powerful anyway the RAM speed doesn't need to be super fast GDR5, the system RAM is normally fast enough to serve the general uses of intergrated Gfx. plus it cuts down on cost since you dont need the extra video RAM soldered to the mobo.

 

it would but are you serious? how does the intel GPU take up 1.5gb of RAM? unless you can run CPU-Z or GPU-Z to confirm that the intel GPU is using that much.

 

My R2 has 8 gig ram with 7.8 gig usable. Not sure how it compares to the R3 though.

 

but, the weird thing is; this only just happened and i've had it about a month... ??

 

lol... this is caused by optimus.. since it uses the intel gpu, and the nvidia gt540 at the same time (screen output is from the intel gpu) and it doesnt have its own dedicated memory, so it uses a little RAM to do so. also, the reason why its taking so much is because you have 8gb ram. the more ram you have, the more the intel gpu will utilize.

 

did you flatten the original HDD? if not then load it up again and see what you get.

 

unfortunately i did... its now a usb 3.0 external HD

 

oh ok. then someone that has an R3 that hasn't done the changes can tell us then.

EDIT: I read somewhere that the intel GPU takes up 512mb of RAM as it's video ram but then where did that extra 1gb go? I doubt it is by the nvidia GPU because it wouldn't need to take the ram away because you're on a 64-bit OS, not to mention you would see less if using a 32-bit OS.

 

did you update any video/chipset drivers? or let windows update any drivers?

also if you don't restart your PC often the RAM might be cashed for all the stuff you have been doing since your last reboot. ( just a guess)

 

I've updated the 540m to the latest from the nvidia website, however the intel GPU driver is from dell. I turn my computer off every day, so no problem there.

 

Where else is the OP checking? Of course the Task Manager is going to show the memory in use by the OS and hardware. The "available" count there is directly what's available for system use minus what Windows, drivers, and applications are currently using. The OP's usage sounds about right unless he's saying that the total of used and available there is that much less than 8GB. For example, I have less than 3GB available out of 4GB on my r3, which means that the OS, drivers, and applications I am currently using amount to over 1GB of memory.

 

EVERYBODY!
Sorry about that, but I had to get your attention.
HOW TO FIX!
1.Go to Run.
2.Type in msconfig.
3.Go onto the boot tab.
4.Click on advanced settings.
5.Untick maximum memory.
6.Reboot.
7.Problem fixed.
8.Give me cookies.
9.??????????
10.PROFIT!
This also happened to me when I got my M11XR1. It said 2.0GB usable even though I had 4.0GB.
EDIT:And all you people saying such and such. Lol, stop making facts up on the spot it happens so Windows has its "own" dedicated memory meaning that no other program can access it and it is reserved for system crap only.

 

i don't think you get the point: it's not about the amount of RAM being used but the amount of usable ram. so if you right-click on my computer and select properties it'll show your basic specs and your R3's WEI. now on the R2 it says the installed RAM is 8gb total (7.8gb usable).

from my understanding that is what the OP is referring to but instead it's saying 8gb total (6.55 usable). to me that doesn't sound right at all it should be well over 7gb even up to 7.5gb and not 6.55gb.

if there's another R3 owner that's on the same specs please share what it says in your my computer properties.

 

Use my method I said before. For me it just says Installed RAM because I configured msconfig to allow Windows to not restrict any RAM.

 

i checked mine and max memory is unchecked.

 

Then try method my other method:
Set max memory to 10000.
IF IT STILL doesn't work, tick it, reboot, uncheck it and reboot again.

 

i would but if having 7.8gb of usable RAM is normal then i won't bother.

 

7.8GB ram is normal for the R2... it was the same on mine from the first boot

On the other hand;
Thank you so much AlienOnions... I should have known when i was playing with my boot settings... +rep for helping

 

I don't think you get the point of my question. In order to determine if that is the case or not, I need to know what he is reading from where. Without knowing that, it would be an assumption to assume he is talking about the situation you describe. I acknowledged that EITHER situation can be described as "usable RAM" depending on the context.

Also, I am an R3 owner and if I want to compare mine to his I need to know what he is looking at and where. My Computer>Properties is actually just a shortcut to the System Control Panel on previous Windows systems and he didn't say that that was where he was reading this. Be specific. It isn't even called "My Coputer" anymore. Also, if you are going to describe it based on how you choose to open it, Win+Break is the better shortcut for us techies.

 

jeez guys, take a chill pill. I clearly described where i got my info... right click my computer and properties. There it tells you what ram you have. It said 8.0gb installed and 6.55gb usable. Its not like i meant i was already using 1.45gb in running services or something :S I also said that i checked it in the task manager - under the performance tab and in the physical memory box, the "total" read 6.55gb.

Anyway, your argument aside, the problem was fixed easily thanks to AlienOnions.