Memory recongition problem with GA-M57SLI-S4

[Benprofane]

Ok, so I have searched and Googled and seen that my problem is not unique.

My specs:
GA-M57SLI-S4 Rev. 2.0
2 x 2gb Mushkin pc800
2 x GF 8800gts 640mb
BIOS: FC or (not sure which is relevant) v. 6.00 (Award Modular)
Dual boot xp pro and vista home premium (both 32 bit)

Despite having 4gb of ram, both system properties and task manager show only about 2.75gb of RAM. Screenshots:

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb237/Benprofane/taskmgr.gif

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb237/Benprofane/sys_properties.gif

Gigabyte's website had the following to say in their FAQ:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
When I install max. system memory motherboard chipset can support, but why can't motherboard BIOS report proper memory size?

Based on PC system architecture, the BIOS, H/W resource (such as ACPI, onboard I/O and so on), PCI or AGP VGA cards need motherboard to address. Thus, when you install max. system memory the motherboard supports, system memory address will overlap system H/W resource and MB BIOS may report lower amount of available memory.
____________________________________________________________________________________________

So I guess this is a question as much as it is a search for a fix. Why if the two gfx cards have their own vRAM, does it seem like there is sharing going on? I would much prefer to have all of the memory I bought available, but it seems (in task manager) that it is not. I can be a bit slow, so tell me, what am I missing?

 

[kaeota]

32 bit systems can only use from 2.7 to 3.2 GB of ram (i've heard a fair bit in between as well but nothing outside that range.)

 

[Benprofane]

32 bit systems can only use from 2.7 to 3.2 GB of ram (i've heard a fair bit in between as well but nothing outside that range.)

So that includes vRAM as well? According to Microsoft, 32 bit xp should address 4gb. When I had one video card, I had 3.25gb available. Now with 2, I get 2.75. I may be dense, but I don't understand why xp essentially seems to consider the vRAM as system ram. Is this just the way it goes?

 

[kaeota]

okay, microsoft are idiots, we all know that 😛 . vRAM is RAM that is used to compliment your video card RAM. another card, means another lot of vRAM. if you want to increase it again, either pull a video card out, or get a 64-bit system and buy 8 GB. i dont see many other options i'm afraid.

 

[Benprofane]

That's what I feared. Oh well, case closed. Thanks for the replies.