[SOLVED] installed ram 4gb (1.89 gb usable)

[IKCStudio]

Hi,

As the title suggested ive got a problem where my 32 bit version windows only detects 1.89 gb of ram: installed ram 4gb (1.89 gb usable).
Ive seen in forums this is changeable via msconfig, however this doenst work. It stays on 1.89gb....

I am able to get it to 4 gb when using 64bit however i need 32 bit. I know 32 bit works with 3gb ram at least.
Please help me find the right solution.

 

[thx1138v2]

Which OS are you running? Generally speaking, the only way to get more usable RAM is to disable some of the services that are running. Things to look for are automatic application updaters such as for Adobe and/or anti-virus programs like MBAM. You probably have others as well. But you will have a hard time reaching 3GB and still have a functional system. Mine is running Windows 7 with 2.46GB available now but that can go up to 3GB when I shutdown Firefox.

 

[IKCStudio]

Which OS are you running? Generally speaking, the only way to get more usable RAM is to disable some of the services that are running. Things to look for are automatic application updaters such as for Adobe and/or anti-virus programs like MBAM. You probably have others as well. But you will have a hard time reaching 3GB and still have a functional system. Mine is running Windows 7 with 2.46GB available now but that can go up to 3GB when I shutdown Firefox.

Problem <- please see the image, this reveals my problem.
It can never use more then 1.89gb of ram, and i am unable to change it with msconfig because after a restart it still shows the same results.

 

[Eximo]

32bit systems have the entirety of their addressing within that 4GB. So that includes more than the system memory. The addressing for the Kernel, system cache, certain drivers and chipset hardware are all included. You also likely have shared memory for the onboard GPU which will consume additional memory. The usual culprit is the PCI bus that requires address space.

Pull up Resource Monitor to see what is being consumed.

The MSConfig modification makes more than 2GB available to applications to run, doesn't change the amount of system memory available.

You may be better off with installing 3GB of memory in the system. I remember on some older business laptops we ran into a similar problem. Putting 4GB in would reduce total system memory to 2.83 GB if I recall. But putting in 3GB would allow 3GB to be available. I believe this has to do with the additional addressing needed to account for the total system memory being 4GB, but that mechanism has never been clear to me.

 

[geofelt]

A 32 bit OS Can only address 4gb.
But, itneeds to carve out ram for dedicated use as I/O areas.
Your experience is typical.
If you have adapters or devices that you are not using, disable them.

What is the make/model of your motherboard?
Is your ram a 4gb stick, or 2 x 2gb?

I think if you actually had 8gb, there may be a setting in the bios to relocate the Buffers above the 4gb line.
I maintain a 32 bit windows 7 exclusively to run Civilization 2.42.
My actual ram is 2 x 4gb.
Task manager shows 3gb available and some 5gb as hardware reserved.

 

[IKCStudio]

32bit systems have the entirety of their addressing within that 4GB. So that includes more than the system memory. The addressing for the Kernel, system cache, certain drivers and chipset hardware are all included. You also likely have shared memory for the onboard GPU which will consume additional memory. The usual culprit is the PCI bus that requires address space.

Pull up Resource Monitor to see what is being consumed.

The MSConfig modification makes more than 2GB available to applications to run, doesn't change the amount of system memory available.

You may be better off with installing 3GB of memory in the system. I remember on some older business laptops we ran into a similar problem. Putting 4GB in would reduce total system memory to 2.83 GB if I recall. But putting in 3GB would allow 3GB to be available. I believe this has to do with the additional addressing needed to account for the total system memory being 4GB, but that mechanism has never been clear to me.

Problem <- i think you are right, since there is 2.1 reserved for hardware. Can i see for what this has been reserved for?

 

[IKCStudio]

A 32 bit OS Can only address 4gb.
But, itneeds to carve out ram for dedicated use as I/O areas.
Your experience is typical.
If you have adapters or devices that you are not using, disable them.

What is the make/model of your motherboard?
Is your ram a 4gb stick, or 2 x 2gb?

I think if you actually had 8gb, there may be a setting in the bios to relocate the Buffers above the 4gb line.
I maintain a 32 bit windows 7 exclusively to run Civilization 2.42.
My actual ram is 2 x 4gb.
Task manager shows 3gb available and some 5gb as hardware reserved.

Hi, this is a american megatrans with 1x 4gb ddr3

 

[rgd1101]

where did you get the windows 10 enterprise?

 

[Eximo]

I maintain a 32 bit windows 7 exclusively to run Civilization 2.42.

Tell me more, haven't been nuked by Ghandi in a while.

 

[geofelt]

Hi, this is a american megatrans with 1x 4gb ddr3

CPU-Z will give you the exact specs of your 4gb stick.
Buy a second stick that has the same part number if you can. At least the same voltage, and speed.
DDR3 is usually compatible. Note that there is a difference between laptop and other ram. Buy the type you have.

Task manager memory tab will tell you how things are allocated, but not what the content details are.

 

[geofelt]

Tell me more, haven't been nuked by Ghandi in a while.

Amazing that such an old game still holds my interest.
For a while, I ran this under windows 10 32 bit using compatibility settings.
I got frustrated because windows kept sending updates which were duly installed, then found some issue and backed out the update.

This kept repeating since windows update kept thinking I needed it.
I gave up and installed windows 7 32 bit which is working fine.
I disabled internet access because I have not yet found a antivirus.
Defender or security essentials do not seem to work.

 

[Eximo]

I'll have to spin up a VM and see if it works. I don't recall exactly when it stopped working, but I had it running in Windows 7 64 bit for a while, maybe even later.

 

[IKCStudio]

where did you get the windows 10 enterprise?

It is a PC from work, these are preinstalled images.

 

[rgd1101]

it probably setup for a different system. contact your work IT support

 

[IKCStudio]

it probably setup for a different system. contact your work IT support

That was my guess as well, however i want to find a solution where i dont have to reinstall the device. I already tried reinstalling it and that will work but i also need to apply this to computers that aren't in this location. So i would like to find a software solution

 

[rgd1101]

your IT need to redo the image.

 

[IKCStudio]

your IT need to redo the image.

you didn't read my response did you?

 

[rgd1101]

you didn't read my response did you?

about what?