Wasted RAM?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jmparsons
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jmparsons

I have 4 GB installed in my 32 bit Vista machine. I know Vista will
only use 3 GB, but is there anything I can do ith the "extra?" Like
use it as a virtual disk, or for ReadyBoost?

Seems like a shame to have it go to waste.

Joe Parsons
 
I have 4 GB installed in my 32 bit Vista machine. I know Vista will
only use 3 GB, but is there anything I can do ith the "extra?" Like
use it as a virtual disk, or for ReadyBoost?

Seems like a shame to have it go to waste.

Joe Parsons
Click to expand...

Only the system and the graphics card can use system memory. Most
inbuilt video chips use system memory. If your PC's motherboard has an
inbuilt graphics chip, you should be able to set it to use the maximum
amount of memory in the BIOS.

Visit http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/BIOS.htm if you need information
on it, such as howto access it, etc.

I take it that you have two 2GB sticks, so nothing is going to waste
because half of the second stick is being used. As long as the system
is running optimally, who cares?

Eric,
PC Buyer Beware!
http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/
 
jmparsons said:
I have 4 GB installed in my 32 bit Vista machine. I know Vista will
only use 3 GB, but is there anything I can do ith the "extra?" Like
use it as a virtual disk, or for ReadyBoost?

Seems like a shame to have it go to waste.

Joe Parsons
Click to expand...

Joe,

No it is not extra, it is being used for shadowing certain hardware memory
addresses etc.
You do not have access to this memory for any purpose.
Also note it is not 3Gb it depends on your PC and hardware you have. With
4GB installed you may see 3.2G or even more - it all depends.
 
Some friendly advise, you let Vista operating system handle the memory
install in the system, Vista knows what it is doing. Vista looks at memory
like you look inside a tool box, it will use what ever memory or allocate it
based on the jobs or task that you want/need to accomplish. Based on your
question if you start tinkering around with memory in your system all your
likely to do is cause a bunch of problems you really don't ever want to
have.
You don't have to worry about wasting memory, your operating system (Vista)
will not *waste* any of it.
The rest of your comments about virtual disk and Ready Boost reinforce the
above comments of why you don't and should not tinker. Disk, virtual disk
and Ready Boost are different subjects all together. They have nothing to
do with subject wasted RAM.

H Brown
 
ray said:
Actually, with PAE, a 32 bit OS can access 64gb - as I understand it, 4gb
at any particular instant. See wikipedia on Physical Adress Extension for
an explanation.
Click to expand...


Windows Server 2008 can do this. Vista can't..
 
ray said:
That is correct. Linux can also do that. Vista can't.
Click to expand...


I think that Vista was artificially restricted but there was a reason for
it. Running 64bit is a better way to make use of more than 4gb..
 
ray said:
Actually, with PAE, a 32 bit OS can access 64gb - as I understand it, 4gb
at any particular instant. See wikipedia on Physical Adress Extension for
an explanation.
Click to expand...

Yes, but Microsoft enables the PAE kludge for additional memory only
on server systems, NOT on XP or Vista.

PAE is used on XP and Vista, but only for DEP (Data Execution
Prevention), NOT for additional memory space.
 
Since we are in the VISTA forum, your statment is a complete waste of
effort. Nobody gives a RATS ASS about what Linux can or cannot do.

Maybe you should hang around the Ubuntu group and spread all your
knowledge about that inferior product to those sorry sacks who think
they have a cool OS.
Click to expand...

Well, excuse me. I had naively assumed that since Mike Hall mentioned
something else and vista that I had the same right. I see your double
standard.
 
ray said:
Well, excuse me. I had naively assumed that since Mike Hall mentioned
something else and vista that I had the same right. I see your double
standard.
Click to expand...

Glad you recognize it. That is the first step :-)
 
Mike Brannigan said:
No it is not extra, it is being used for shadowing certain hardware
memory addresses etc.
You do not have access to this memory for any purpose.
Also note it is not 3Gb it depends on your PC and hardware you have. With
4GB installed you may see 3.2G or even more - it all depends.
Click to expand...

Shadowing??

ss.
 
jmparsons said:
I have 4 GB installed in my 32 bit Vista machine. I know Vista will
only use 3 GB, but is there anything I can do ith the "extra?" Like
use it as a virtual disk, or for ReadyBoost?

Seems like a shame to have it go to waste.

Joe Parsons
Click to expand...

Hi Joe, there is some software you can use to get some of that memory back
and use as a virtual drive but it isn't free and probably not worth it for
the small amount you are talking about but here's the link if your interested
and IIRC it has a 14 day trial of the software.

http://www.superspeed.com/desktop/ramdisk.php

Quote: from www.superspeed.com
"RamDisk Plus 9 has a most unique feature. Our patent pending technology can
access memory beyond the limitation imposed by a Windows 32-bit operating
system! In other words, RamDisk Plus 9 can use "unmanaged" Windows' memory
e.g. above 4GB. It can also use the stubbornly inaccessable memory between
3.2GB and 4GB."

As far as Vista 32-bit using 64GB of RAM, all the software is already in
place in the OS to do so but Vista's licensing limits the amount of memory
and physical address space to only 4GB, similar in the way 64-bit Vista Home
Basic is limited to 8GB and 64-bit Vista Home Premium is limited to 16GB etc.
 
Nobody said:
Hi Joe, there is some software you can use to get some of that memory back
and use as a virtual drive but it isn't free and probably not worth it for
the small amount you are talking about but here's the link if your interested
and IIRC it has a 14 day trial of the software.
Click to expand...

It won't get even 1K back. The "extra" RAM the OP refers to isn't
available for discretionary purposes, period.
 
Mike said:
It won't get even 1K back. The "extra" RAM the OP refers to isn't
available for discretionary purposes, period.
Click to expand...

None the less there are software products available that can make use of
ram above the 4G address line even if Windows itself doesn't use it.
 
dennis said:
None the less there are software products available that can make use of
ram above the 4G address line even if Windows itself doesn't use it.
Click to expand...

Reading is a skill - one which you need to spend some time developing.

The subject of discussion is RAM *below* 4GB - specifically what the
OP perceives to be "extra" RAM between 3GB and 4GB.
 
Mike said:
Reading is a skill - one which you need to spend some time developing.

The subject of discussion is RAM *below* 4GB - specifically what the
OP perceives to be "extra" RAM between 3GB and 4GB.
Click to expand...

I read just fine. I might know something you don't. Most modern hardware
supports more than 4GB and something called memory remapping (this was a
hint).
 
Get SP1, and it will change the amount it says Vista is using to 4gb if you
have it.
Only x64 versions of any OS can address more than 4gb of memory.
I wanted to upgrade my ASUS Laptop by removing the dual 2gb's and putting in
dual 8gb's
Found the chips, but nobody that can say that it would or would not work.
Even ASUS hasn't tried it...

- David
 
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