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    Activating 4GB?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Eddyz Aquila, Mar 22, 2008.

  1. Eddyz Aquila

    Eddyz Aquila Notebook Enthusiast

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    Even if I have Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit, I only have 3.3GB of RAM, even if I physically have 4GB installed. Can anyone tell me how to "activate" 4GB?

    Thanks. :)
     
    Eddyz Aquila, Mar 22, 2008
    #1
  2. kegobeer

    kegobeer 1 hr late but moving fast

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    What laptop do you have?
     
    kegobeer, Mar 22, 2008
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  3. usapatriot

    usapatriot Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Not all laptops will recognize 4gb of RAM.
     
    usapatriot, Mar 22, 2008
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  4. Hawkshark

    Hawkshark Notebook Consultant

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    Or you may have a Video card that is using some of the space.
     
    Hawkshark, Mar 22, 2008
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  5. Eddyz Aquila

    Eddyz Aquila Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have a DELL XPS M1710 with a Go 7900GS NVIDIA with 256MB.
     
    Eddyz Aquila, Mar 24, 2008
    #5
  6. Amol

    Amol APH! NBR Reviewer

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    That one will not recognize 4GB - it's a chipset limitation. Much like how my Clevo won't recognize 4GB.
     
    Amol, Mar 24, 2008
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  7. swarmer

    swarmer beep beep

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    Woah... bummer.
     
    swarmer, Mar 24, 2008
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  8. kanehi

    kanehi Notebook Deity

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    If your BIOS recognizes 4gb and Vista x64 see's 4gb then the missing memory is probably used somewhere else
     
    kanehi, Mar 24, 2008
    #8
  9. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    It isn't used anywhere else. It isn't available.
     
    Greg, Mar 25, 2008
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  10. Amol

    Amol APH! NBR Reviewer

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    The BIOS will not see 4GB. And if it is not seen by the BIOS, it's not going to be seen by the OS. No matter what OS it is.

    On his computer, which is a pre-Santa Rosa, the BIOS will not see 4GB. End of story.
     
    Amol, Mar 25, 2008
    #10
  11. ViciousXUSMC

    ViciousXUSMC Master Viking NBR Reviewer

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    Using 4gb of ram first of all is over-rated so dont feel bad.

    However to use it is a multi step process, you have to meet hardware limitations, bios limitations, and software limitations.

    Meaning first of all your chipset must be able to address 16gb of memory space or more, if its an older chipset like my c90 uses only capable of addressing 4gb of memory then its impossible and no point in trying.

    Next is the Bios limitation, the reason for the prior statement is because by default the system reserves some of the memory for its own use. about .5 to .75gb of that final 4gb of memory space is reserved for system use. The way around this and to allow windows to see and use all 4gb freely is with an option (and it can be worded differently in different bios's) memory readressing. What it will do is map the memory normally reserved by the system near the 4gb area and put it somewhere higher in that 4-16gb area so that its no longer reserved.

    This is not something to take lightly, alot of older software/hardware and even some new is coded and designed to work off the default memory addresses. If you remap them they will no longer work properly or maybe not even at all. I can tell you a very big mainstream product that had this problem. The Creative X-Fi soundcard. Everybody with x64 OS & 4gb of ram had there card not working with HORRIBLE crack & pop noises or not working at all and it took 6 months for some rogue programmer to mod the firmware for the card to work with remapped memory. The solution for everybody suffering this issue was to turn off memory remap and use only 3.xGB of ram.

    Lastly and the only one most people know about is the OS limitation, 32bit OS cant utilize all the memory (well there is a work around to get most of 4gb but its advanced and not worth it so dont try to one up me and mention there is a way because I already know) so if you meet both of the prior requirements you need a 64bit based OS.

    In the end was it worth it? definitely not unless you have some very very specific probably server related reason to need 4gb of ram.
     
    ViciousXUSMC, Mar 25, 2008
    #11
  12. ViciousXUSMC

    ViciousXUSMC Master Viking NBR Reviewer

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    That statement is to vague, there are chipsets pre santa rosa that will see and work with 4gb.
     
    ViciousXUSMC, Mar 25, 2008
    #12