Acer 7720G - added RAM but got Virtual!?

Acer 7720G XP Pro SP3 Build 2600
Intel Core 2 Duo CPU T5750 @ 2GHz
GeForce 9300G
Physical Memory 3GB
Virtual Memory 5GB
Year 2008

I will not bore you with all of the problems past and present that I have had with this piece of garbage.

Today I purchased a new 2GB RAM to replace the original 1GB RAM.

I fully expected that with the other original 2GB RAM already installed I would have a total of the maximum 4GB. Not so, what I now have is the following!

Physical Memory 3GB
Virtual Memory 6GB

How can this be? Should I have altered a setting somewhere? What have I missed?

The new RAM is exactly the same spec as the original 2GB. Except a different maker. The OEM is Samsung - the new one is Kingston.

Any help possible, thank you very much.

Glanfx

PS. I have three much older but much better Clevo high end laptops which are built and perform like battleships. Also weigh about the same!

 

You need to upgrade/change your O/S to Win7 x64 bit to fully use your newly added RAM.

 

Thank you very much for that quick response.

But that is also a pain for me. I only recently had the Vista removed and replaced with the XP Pro - same as all my others.

Has it really added the 'Spare' RAM to my Virtual?

Your answer is very clear so I suppose there is no alternative?

Best Regards,
Glanfx

 

No, you don't have any additional (physical) RAM used as your Virtual Memory.

What happened is that with the additional RAM Windows XP sees (3GB) it is matching that with the 'Virtual RAM' (which is simply the pagefile...) size.

A 32bit O/S cannot use more than about 3.5GB of physical RAM (you're lucky to see even the 3GB RAM - some systems can only see 2.75 or less, depending on the hardware installed (chips away at the total WinXP can see after booting).

The only alternative (not that I recommend it...) is to use the 'hidden' RAM of your system by utilizing a RAM drive.

Win7x64 is the preferred 'fix' for this 'issue' you're facing.

Download a (legal) copy from searching on this very forum and take it for a test drive (up to 120 days...) and I'm sure you'll be wanting to convert all your machines to Win7x64 too (at least those with 2GB of RAM and higher).

And, you're welcome!

Good luck.

 

Two different snapshots of what should be the same information.

The machines own info shows the full 4GB visible but the usable suggests that with only about 0.5GB required for the system there is only 3GB available for use.

The Tweek System Info shows different figures that amount to the same thing I think.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Machine.
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name GLANM4
System Manufacturer Acer
System Model Aspire 7720
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 13 GenuineIntel ~1995 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Acer V1.35, 29/04/2008
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale Spain
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"
User Name GLANM4\glan
Time Zone Romance Daylight Time
Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 2.43 GB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 6.84 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tweek
Computer Name: GLANM4
User Name: glan
Windows Directory: C:\WINDOWS
Windows Version: Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 (build 2600)
Processor
Identifier: x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 13
Name: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T5750 @ 2.00GHz
Speed: 2.0 GHz
Memory
Physical Memory: 3 GB
Virtual Memory: 6 GB
Video Adapter
Name: GeForce 9300M G
Memory Size: 512 MB
Screen Resolution: 1440x900
Monitor: Default Monitor
Physical Storage Device
Model Number: WDC WD2500BEVS-22UST0
Serial Number: WD-WXxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Controller: Primary Controller
Type: Master drive
Buffer Size: 8.0 MB
Drive Type: Fixed
Drive Size: 232.9 GB
Logical Storage Device
Local Disk (C : 110.7 GB (56.7 GB free)
DATA (D : 110.5 GB (14.1 GB free)
Power
AC power status: Online
Battery charge status: High?the battery capacity is at more than 66 percent
Battery life percentage: 100%
Battery life remaining: Unknown status
Battery full life time: Unknown status
Processor throttling support: Yes
Processor minimum power: 12 %
Processor maximum power: 100 %
Network Adapter
Name (1): Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection - Packet Scheduler Miniport (Ethernet)
IP Address (1): 0.0.0.0
Name (2): Broadcom NetLink (TM) Gigabit Ethernet - Packet Scheduler Miniport (Ethernet)
IP Address (2): xxxxxxxxxxx
Printer
EPSON Stylus CX3200: USB001
Mouse: PS/2 Compatible Mouse
Keyboard: Standard PS/2 Keyboard

Best Regards,
Glanfx

 

Try to get more info here:

See:
Memory Limits for Windows Releases (Windows)


Your hardware in the specific system/configuration you're using is limiting RAM to 3GB - no matter what any software tool can show/see (and report).

 

you cant have more than 3gb of ram in 32bit windows. there is nothing more to this.

 

I googled 7720G and it apparently has same chipset as my 8510w, Intel PM965. It supports maximum of 8GB ram.

I did try XP on mine and out of 4GB installed I had around 2.5GB usable. I didn't bother to figure out what was eating all that ram but FX570 couldn't do it alone. There shouldn't be hardware limit.

Older Intel P945 chipset didn't support more than 3GB. My tc4400 has one of those, as did my previous nc8430. That was a bummer, when I found out about it

32bit Windows understands exactly 4096MB of ram. Then all the installed devices recude that amount, resulting somewhere between 3.8 to 2.5GB (I tested on desktops, 64MB VGA other was SLI config). That's why 3GB is so common as it's the sweet spot (install 2+1GB, no "lost" memory) and most people see 3.5GB (512MB VGA).

 

Just install windows 7 or vista to get full use of ram. It will not happen in xp

 

just to add to this it needs to be 64bit version of win 7 or vista

 

Thanks so very much for all your suggestions and advice.

As stated earlier, this machine came with vista 32bit installed. After two years of fighting it I finally removed it and intalled the XP Pro as per my other machines. It is much better for my purpose than the vista was. At the same time I trashed most of the Acer add ons.

I use my machines with a second monitor each for Forex Trading. However I have reached the point of looking at a desktop designed specially for the task. I can run multiple monitors from this and retire these older machines to tasks like Email, Forums and Web Browsing.

So to recap, I have got the answer that I asked for. Thanks again to all for your help. I will not be fighting this machine any further.

Very Best Regards to All,
Glanfx