XP only shows 2GB RAM

  • Thread starter Thread starter Magnus Göransson Sweden
  • Start date Start date
M

Magnus Göransson Sweden

Have installed 3GB RAM on windows XP but only 2GB is shown (1,7 GB after
startup). Had 1GB before and had then 700MB free memory after startup so
something isn´t right... Have a DELL XPS600 with 2x256MB videocards and where
in contact with DELL support (bought my memory there), but because 3GB is
shown in BIOS they say that the problem is with windows XP. DELL says that my
XPS600 should support up to 4GB (RAM+videocard).
Please help.
 
See if you have set the limit to 2 GB.

Start, Run, MSCONFIG.EXE, BOOT.INI tab, Advanced Options button, UNcheck
/MAXMEM box.
 
Hi!

After shecking MAXMEN in BOOT.INI I saw that it was allready unchecked... so
the problem remains...

Magnus
 
Hi!

Yes I´ve read this myself, therefore I called DELL asking about it, but they
said that XPS600 should support 4GB with Win XP. Thanks anyway!

Magnus
 
I wonder if the cause is related to Multiple video cards. Can you remove
one and look for memory available increase?
 
Hi!

Yes I´ve read this myself, therefore I called DELL asking about it, butthey
said that XPS600 should support 4GB with Win XP. Thanks anyway!

Magnus
Click to expand...

I am not sure about this but could you be running XP Home? I know
that XP Pro can be set to almost use the full 4GB but I am not aware
if this is also valid for XP Home.
 
smlunatick said:
I am not sure about this but could you be running XP Home? I know
that XP Pro can be set to almost use the full 4GB but I am not aware
if this is also valid for XP Home.
Click to expand...

The two operating systems have the same memory constraints. 4 GB address
space max, with RAM availabily reduced by the addresses used by the
installed hardware. (or the motherboard recognizing said memory)
 
Magnus

Given that you are only seeing 2 gb I would ask Dell again and insist
that the "front" person checks with their technical support . Point out
that what they are saying is inconsistent with the Service Manual. It is
not uncommon to find individuals fronting as Technical Support giving
out misleading information. To what extent or whether this applies to
Dell I have no means of knowing having never bought a Dell.

Were you advised by Dell before buying the extra memory that your
computer would take 4 gb memory because if you were then they should
refund what you paid for the extra memory you cannot use.

Did you note the comments about matching pairs?

You will never see 4 gb in any event because of the address space
limitation.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Magnus

If it were a 64 bit computer the limit is 8 gb not 4 gb.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
LVTravel said:
See this from Crucial, It says that if you have 64 bit system it is 8 GB
but if XP 32 bit system it is 2 GB addressable.

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=XPS 600
Click to expand...

Crucial repeats the manufacturer's info. They generally don't amend
the info, if it was incorrect. There is no logical reason for
an exact 2GB limit - I expect that suggestion is being made, so
there won't be a lot of tech support phone calls about "I'm
not getting all the memory I installed". By telling the
customers there is a 2GB limit, the customer will never get
to see an addressing limitation with a 32 bit OS. The dual
video cards that ship with the product, is why there is
a potential for an addressing issue with more memory.

Paul
 
Paul said:
Crucial repeats the manufacturer's info. They generally don't amend
the info, if it was incorrect. There is no logical reason for
an exact 2GB limit - I expect that suggestion is being made, so
there won't be a lot of tech support phone calls about "I'm
not getting all the memory I installed". By telling the
customers there is a 2GB limit, the customer will never get
to see an addressing limitation with a 32 bit OS. The dual
video cards that ship with the product, is why there is
a potential for an addressing issue with more memory.

Paul
Click to expand...
Maybe Dell has implemented the memory remap feature
in the motherboard BIOS to enable 64 bit Windows to
use the full 4GB, or more. I have found that enabling
the Asus memory remap automatically limits 32 bit XP
and Vista to 2GB. If you have a 64 bit OS with up to 4GB,
the memory remap moves the hardware addressing out
to to GB 5, or beyond for more RAM, but if you have a
32 bit OS, it locks out GBs 3&4 from the OS. I guess
that's why Asus says the memory remap should only
be used with a 64 bit OS.
 
Ian D said:
Maybe Dell has implemented the memory remap feature
in the motherboard BIOS to enable 64 bit Windows to
use the full 4GB, or more. I have found that enabling
the Asus memory remap automatically limits 32 bit XP
and Vista to 2GB. If you have a 64 bit OS with up to 4GB,
the memory remap moves the hardware addressing out
to to GB 5, or beyond for more RAM, but if you have a
32 bit OS, it locks out GBs 3&4 from the OS. I guess
that's why Asus says the memory remap should only
be used with a 64 bit OS.


Okey thanks
Click to expand...

Magnus
 
Paul said:
Picture of the Dell motherboard for XPS600. I figured it might be
an OEM with some motherboard brand on it, but no brand is
visible.

http://www.redplanettrading.com/ebay/motherboards/gc375/top-800.jpg

I tried comparing memory test results for an Asus Nforce4 SLI
chipset motherboard, but for that motherboard, they were having
a lot of trouble generally with memory compatibility.

*******
Here is an actual experience with the XPC600. User installs 4GB
total memory, and only 2GB is being reported. Sounds like the
BIOS is disabling it for some reason. (In the back of my mind,
is the possibility that memory remapping is permanently turned
on, has a granularity of 1GB, and remaps stuff above 2GB?)

http://www.octopusoverlords.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=64865&p=1326005

And even though the CPUZ screens here show 4GB total physical memory
(as reported by probing the SMBUS and SPD chip on each DIMM),
the Everest report only shows 2GB reported.

http://forums.techguy.org/hardware/410182-performance-probs-ram-mobo-cpu.html

There is an Everest report for that system.
http://forums.techguy.org/attachments/66320d1130025666/report.txt

I thought stuff like that happened on server motherboards. Since
the chipset is Nvidia, there is no opportunity to download a
datasheet for the chipset.

Here is an analogous Asus motherboard and a user result with 4GB
installed. Freeze...

http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx...model=P5ND2-SLI+Deluxe&page=1&SLanguage=en-us

Finally. Found an Asus P5ND2-SLI running with 4GB RAM. 2.75GB reported.
So there is some difference between the way the Dell BIOS
handles the hardware, and the way an Asus BIOS does it.

http://forums.tweakguides.com/showthread.php?t=1899

Paul
Okej you gave me some things to think about. Going to try to upgrade my BIOS, not that anyone else seems to be helped by this, but it couldn't hurt right?
Click to expand...

Also Loki wrote "You need to change the ram timings from 1T to 2T in your BIOS

This has nothing to do with your Ram or Mobo, it has to do with the memory
controller on your CPU".

Anyone who knows what he it talking about??

I'm going to try Everest and CPUZ and see what they can tell my about my
system.

Anyone who know how to Enable the Physical Address Extension? If it happens
to be of, you never know...

Thanks for the many responses!

Magnus

Ps. Wouldn't it be great to prove Crucial wrong? :-)
 
Ian D said:
Maybe Dell has implemented the memory remap feature
in the motherboard BIOS to enable 64 bit Windows to
use the full 4GB, or more. I have found that enabling
the Asus memory remap automatically limits 32 bit XP
and Vista to 2GB. If you have a 64 bit OS with up to 4GB,
the memory remap moves the hardware addressing out
to to GB 5, or beyond for more RAM, but if you have a
32 bit OS, it locks out GBs 3&4 from the OS. I guess
that's why Asus says the memory remap should only
be used with a 64 bit OS.
Click to expand...
Hi Paul!
I'm going to call DELL and ask them about the memory remap.
Click to expand...

Magnus
 
Nevermind, that /3gb switch is just for per-process memory... Your system really should see the full 3gb in the system properties, but only 2gb is available for a single process to use.
 
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