total memory available is only 3.3GB with 4GB physical memory under windows 7 64 bit

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I had 4GB physical memoryon the PC. With Windows vista 32 bit,
available memory is shown as 3.3GB. I asked on usenet and was told
that only under 64 bit windows, will the available memory be 4GB.

When I upgraded to windows 7, I chosed 64 bit (I did clean install of
course), but the available memory shown in the system is still 3.3 GB.
This is show in both task manager under performance->Physical
memory->total, and 'property of My Computer'->Installed memory
(4GB/3.3 GB usable)

Why is this and is there a way to make the full 4GB available?

It's possible that my video card is using RAM instead of its own video
RAM. This video card may not have its own memory.

Now I just replaced a new video card with 512 MB of its own memory,
the memory available becomes 2.8GB. Again, this is shown in both
task manager under performance->Physical memory->total, and 'property
of My Computer'->Installed memory (4GB/2.8 GB usable).

The PC is Dell Inpirson 530. The only BIOS setting applicable to this
is:
DVMT Mode: FIXED, DVMT (DVMT by default)
DVMT/FIXED Memory Size: 128 MB, 256 MB, MAX (128 MB by default)

Looked up DVMT on the web, doesn't seem change the setting will help.


Thanks.
 
I had 4GB physical memoryon the PC. With Windows vista 32 bit, available
memory is shown as 3.3GB. I asked on usenet and was told that only
under 64 bit windows, will the available memory be 4GB.

That's not quite true. Certain server editions of 32 bit MS systems and
Linux 32 bit systems can address up to 64gb via PAE - assuming the
hardware cooperates.
 
This is a BIOS setting . It can be called any of several different things,
but look for a setting to re-map or offset memory in the BIOS and change it
to enable the offset. The issue is that peripheral cards and functionality
need memory addresses and normally these are mapped into the range between
3-4 GB since 32-bit OS's needed the addresses for these cards to be below
the 4GB point. With a 64-bit OS, this 4GB limitation is no longer an issue,
and the memory addresses can be above 4GB, but the BIOS needs to know that
and make the change.
 
As Charlie posted. This has to do with the setting in your Bios. If your Bios is old
and it does not have that setting for you to change then either find the Update for
your Bios or if not available change to an Updated one

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.
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First off are you absolutely sure you are running 64bit??
Hello

I would double check that your running 64bit as the symptons you
describe say that it isnt.

on the Globe on the task bar right click on My Computer and select
properties. And post what it says under System Type.

Mike
 
Hi,
Here's the fix:
http://support.dell.com/support/dow...-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=1&fileid=246767

As of BIOS 1.0.12 the 4GB RAM issue was solved.
Here's the changelog:
Systems: Dell Insprion 530/530s
Version: 1.0.12
Build Date: 03/01/2008

Fixes/Enhancements:
1. Add support for new Intel CPU.
2. Update to latest microcodes.
3. Improve POST time with internal USB Card Reader & Buffalo USB HDD
combination.
4. Correct Memory Map for => 4GB configurations

The latest applicable BIOS is version 1.0.18 (March 2009) and can be found
here:
http://support.dell.com/support/dow...dateid=-1&formatid=-1&source=-1&fileid=299050

Please make sure that these BIOSes match exactly your PC model.
Carlos
 
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