Available memory less than total memory?

[couchpotato]

I'm using the PerformanceTest program to benchmark an old laptop I have and I've noticed that the available memory is only 188mb compared to the total which is 894mb. Since then, I've increased it by adding a 512mb ram and the available memory only went up to 300mb. Am I thinking too much or is there something wrong with it?

 

[rhysiam]

Yeah, don't worry about it. "Available" memory is, as the name suggests, memory that is ready to be used for other tasks. See this post for more info: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/5860-63-available-stand-free-cached-memory-differences

It will always be less that "total" because some memory will always be in use and thus not "available". I suspect the reason you're not seeing the full memory amount in the total memory will be that a portion of physical memory will be set aside for the graphics processor to use.

 

[unknownofprob]

there is nothing wrong, this is normal. To make more sense, some of the ram is reserved by the graphic & other things, making the availability left, that amount. There is no point trying to make more available, as your decreasing it in other areas where it may need it.