New store bought computer 4GB RAM but only 1.92GB RAM usable. How to fix?

[Duke00x]

The title pretty much sums it up. I just got a new cheap potato from Wal-mart (very limited founds). It is listed as having 4GB of RAM and when I check the stats it says 4GB but only 1.92gb usable.

Why is this and how do i fix it?

Just opening chrome puts me at 60% to 70% RAM usage because of this (about 600MB just to run the OS and background processes plus another 700MB for chrome).

Being it is store bought is should not be a stick compatibility issues. So I am guessing it is a system reserve issues. If so. One how do I find out for sure? And two how do I fix it? I am running windows 10 by the way so how to do so in windows 10 is the relevant answers.

 

[Kenton82]

Using +/- 2GB of RAM just for windows is perfectly normal. leaving you with the remainder to use with other programs. These days, 8GB is the ideal standard now for general PC use, i.e web surfing, emails, picture and video viewing ect.

There is no compatibility issue here. I personally would check the RAM stick (s) and the MOBO for type and speed, and purchase another 4GB.

Hope this helps.
K

 

[molletts]

Are you running 32-bit Windows? Does the system have a GPU with 2GB VRAM or anything like that? I've seen this kind of issue when people have 32-bit Windows and a GPU - what happens is that Windows has to fit the GPU's memory in under the artificial 4GB limit that Microsoft have decided to impose on 32-bit desktop users (Windows Server and Linux can use up to 64GB in 32-bit mode) so it disables some system RAM and maps the VRAM in its place. A 2GB GPU means you lose access to 2GB of system RAM. Add in a few other devices that need address space (SATA controller, sound, etc.) and you're down below 2GB.

4GB is pretty inadequate these days anyway, though, so an upgrade would be a good idea as long as you're on 64-bit Windows.

 

[daniel_542]

I would also bring up MSCONFIG (Start menr - Run - enter MSCONFIG and press ENTER)
BOOT tab then ADVANCED OPTIONS
Untick the MAXIMUM MEMORY setting and click "OK" on both windows then restart and check it again.

 

[TwilightRavens]

Could be the second stick came loose.

 

[Duke00x]

Are you running 32-bit Windows? Does the system have a GPU with 2GB VRAM or anything like that? I've seen this kind of issue when people have 32-bit Windows and a GPU - what happens is that Windows has to fit the GPU's memory in under the artificial 4GB limit that Microsoft have decided to impose on 32-bit desktop users (Windows Server and Linux can use up to 64GB in 32-bit mode) so it disables some system RAM and maps the VRAM in its place. A 2GB GPU means you lose access to 2GB of system RAM. Add in a few other devices that need address space (SATA controller, sound, etc.) and you're down below 2GB.

4GB is pretty inadequate these days anyway, though, so an upgrade would be a good idea as long as you're on 64-bit Windows.

As far as I know I am running 64-bit. and the only GPU I have is the Integrated one that came with it. I got the same or better performance out of my old 2GB (of DDR2) RAM computer that I got at Wal-mart 6 or so years ago. After (SATA controller, sound, etc.) it had 1.7GB of RAM usable (vs 1.9GB from the new one even though the new one has double the RAM and it is DDR3 RAM vs DDR2 RAM). And it ran faster and had less trouble. Everything seems to be a set up on the new one, but I am getting similar or worse performance from the new one vs my old one.

Thanks for the advice. It looks like I am just going to have to save up to upgrade RAM in one or both (now that I can fix my old one since I moved the data to the new one and can reset it to fix the problem that killed it) of my computer(s).