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    Help: Windows 7 can't recognise enough 4 GB RAM

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by tano, Nov 8, 2010.

  1. tano

    tano Notebook Guru

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    Hi all,
    I install Windows 7 on my Dell 6400/1505 (Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2.00GHz/ 4GB DDR2 667MHz/ 128MB ATI MOBILITY RADEON X1400).
    Windows 7 just recognises 3.25 GB RAM instead of 4 GB RAM.
    I updated the latest driver (Windows Vista 32 bit) for BIOS (there is no driver for Windows 7)
    Is there any way to solve the problem?
    Thanks a lot
     
  2. Alex

    Alex Super Moderator

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    Have you updated to the latest bios version
    If you have the latest bios ,you have the same issues that I have in a few laptops where 4GB is installed and only 3.25usable due to hardware chipset limitations
     
  3. olyteddy

    olyteddy Notebook Deity

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    32 bit doesn't see more than 3.25 G.
     
  4. Bog

    Bog Losing it...

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    Yeah, you'll need to reinstall the OS with a 64-bit version. Your license should transfer over.
     
  5. KLF

    KLF NBR Super Modernator Super Moderator

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    Oh yes it does. It can use exactly 4096MB ram, then reduce from that all the other memory installed on that laptop (GPU ram, special sound cards) and some drivers etc from that amount.

    Actual number is usually something between 3.8GB to 2.5GB depending on hardware configuration. For example my 8510w had only 2.8GB available ram in XP 32bit. I've gotten up to ~3.9GB available ram by using minimal configuration and 32MB GPU on a desktop.

    My former nc8430 and current tc4400 both have Intel 945 chipset that itself is bugged and cannot handle full 4GB ram. Quick Google search tells me that Dell has same chipset.
     
  6. tano

    tano Notebook Guru

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    It seems that Intel 945 chipset of Dell 6400 limits full utilisation of 4GB RAM ( iFrankie Dell M90 - 64-bit & 4GB RAM) although I installed Win7 64bit.

    Just waste of money to upgrade to 4GB RAM for Dell 6400