upgraded to 4GBs, Vista 32-bit reads only 3GB!

[Wildside]

*BINGO*

lol.... 4GB total is allowed. What is recognized is simply 4gb minus the video card memory.

it doesnt make sense. Vista read both 1GB sticks before, NOT the video RAM, that is differ. 3GBs is being read from the system RAM, not video RAM included.

 

[marblez]

Yes, 3GB is being read from your actual RAM sticks. However, a 32bit OS can only recognize 4GB TOTAL. That includes RAM + Video RAM. Windows is reading every gigabyte of your VRAM (1GB) and 3GBS of your RAM sticks, which adds up to four which is the absolute max it'll recognize. There was no problem when you had 2 x 1 GB sticks because you weren't using all 4GB total, so Windows could utilize every bit of it. Now you have more than Windows can handle, so it's only using portions of it.

 

[Akubane]

my vista 32bit read 3.2 gigs, which makes perfect sence since i have a 768mb ultra

so i upgraded to 64. simple as that.

 

[atomic tofu]

it's a confusing thing that many don't understand...
it's not a Vista thing or MS...it's a 32bit architecture thing...
here's some info that might help you to understand
The system memory that is reported in the System Information dialog box in Windows Vista is less than you expect if 4 GB of RAM is installed

even if your system reads 3gb...does not mean it is not making use of the unseen part.

as in the above link, SP1 may fix the issue for you, or may not.

 

[aspire]

+1 for atomic tofu

Any 32bit operating system can only create physical addresses in memory up to a certain number.

If you take every single combination of 32 numerical characters you would total 4 gigabytes where each address is 1 byte.

A 64 bit operating system has twice the length and as such 8 times the capacity for a total of 32gb of memory.

 

[Wildside]

alright i want to end this decision n need THEE best advice on my next steps on what to do.

i already did an RMA refund n will be voided in 14 days. I can choose not to refund n keep the RAM i have. However, 64-bit is not a standard now n probably wont for a while or a long time. I would only upgrade to 64-bit, once it is a standardized OS, like 32-bit...........that is my final words about 64-bit OS's. Plus, i dont see the point of upgrading when not many programs support 64-bit n i probably wont see a huge performance gain in gaming (which i do mostly, for now).

There is no need for me to keep 4GBs if not all if it is going to be read, so should i just repackage my 2 x 1GB RAM i just got n sent it back n get 2 x 512mb Crucial instead?

 

[aspire]

Do you really need more than 2gig of memory?

 

[Grievearz]

With Vista, Yes. With XP, I'd say no.

 

[Akubane]

well if you're so adamant against upgrading to 64 bit os then theres no reason to own 4 gigs of ram.
if you have to pay the shipping and crap to send it back, you may as well leave thigns as they are, because no matter what you do its only going to read as 3 gigs of ram.

 

[Drewser]

Ok, just for my own clarification:

For example, I have an 8800GT 512Mb card, and 2gb's of RAM at the moment on 32 bit vista.

If I bought another 1 gig of RAM, windows would read 3.5 gigs of RAM? (3x1gb sticks and the 512 GPU memory).