Question PC is not using all of the installed RAM

[ZLaT_96]

Hello,
My PC specs are as follows:
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E8600
GPU - Gygabyte GTX 550 Ti
Motherboard - ASRock G31M-VS
RAM - 1 stick of 2Gb of RAM Kingston at 667Mh and 1 stick of 2Gb of RAM Transend at 800Mh
PSU - Some random 500 W one that looked like a high end PSU.
OS - 64-bit WIndows 10 Home Premium
Now, let's go with the essentials of my problem - My PC do not recognise all 4Gb of the installed RAM, it does only 3.5Gb. This is the info that I got in the System information in the paragraphs "Installed Physical Memory" and "Total Physical Memory". I looked in the BIOS and the info there shows that the motherboard recognises the two sticks of 2048Mb, working at 667Mh as expected. I'm wondering what might be the issue here. I really hope that there is a way to resolve this without updating the BIOS version or tweaking anything there because I want to avoid the potential risks. Any help will be highly appreciated. I know that 512Mb loss of memory is not much, but for a low end PC like mine it is a considerable amount whatsoever. Thank you in advance!
Greetings,
ZLaT_96

 

[hotaru.hino]

As much as I want to believe you installed a 64-bit version of Windows, the 3.5GB out of 4GB seen is a classic symptom of installing the 32-bit version.

Otherwise you can try doing what's listed in https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...omputers-3d194dc3-39b9-fae7-74d8-59931b53d2c2

 

[ZLaT_96]

As much as I want to believe you installed a 64-bit version of Windows, the 3.5GB out of 4GB seen is a classic symptom of installing the 32-bit version.

Otherwise you can try doing what's listed in https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...omputers-3d194dc3-39b9-fae7-74d8-59931b53d2c2

We are not even speaking about installed and usable memory differentiation. The problem here is about not even detecting the additional 512 Mb. I have two photos - one of the BIOS configuration of the CPU and RAM and one of the System properties section of the same assets, which I'm going to show right here.
P.S. - I'm not a newbie when it comes to PC hardware and software and I would not have bothered you and the others from the forum if it wasn't more complex of an issue. https://dox.abv.bg/download?id=71c19b2791 / https://dox.abv.bg/download?id=e0942bd3e6

 

[punkncat]

How much memory is it dedicating to the onboard video?

 

[ZLaT_96]

How much memory is it dedicating to the onboard video?

I suppose none. I repeat that there is not differentiation between installed and usable RAM in the information that win10 provides to me. I have a separate GPU (GTX 550 ti), too. I do not need the integrated one in my CPU. And as far as my knowledge goes there is no data transition between the CPU, iGPU and the seperate GPU(GTX 550Ti), while processing info from different kinds on desktop systems, unlike in laptops. Also, aside of that I think that considering the release date of my motherboard it will not be able to support such info channels.

 

[punkncat]

Just for giggles:

Take one stick out and see that it reports 1.9/2 GB inside Windows, rinse repeat with the other. Could be that you have a faulty RAM stick or such?

I tend to agree with hotaru after looking at the mobo spec page. It is very specific on page saying that on 32 bit you will see less after system reserved.
Look below the 'memory' section.

ASRock > G31M-VS

 

[Bob.B]

Hello,
My PC specs are as follows:
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E8600
GPU - Gygabyte GTX 550 Ti
Motherboard - ASRock G31M-VS
RAM - 1 stick of 2Gb of RAM Kingston at 667Mh and 1 stick of 2Gb of RAM Transend at 800Mh
PSU - Some random 500 W one that looked like a high end PSU.
OS - 64-bit WIndows 10 Home Premium
Now, let's go with the essentials of my problem - My PC do not recognise all 4Gb of the installed RAM, it does only 3.5Gb. This is the info that I got in the System information in the paragraphs "Installed Physical Memory" and "Total Physical Memory". I looked in the BIOS and the info there shows that the motherboard recognises the two sticks of 2048Mb, working at 667Mh as expected. I'm wondering what might be the issue here. I really hope that there is a way to resolve this without updating the BIOS version or tweaking anything there because I want to avoid the potential risks. Any help will be highly appreciated. I know that 512Mb loss of memory is not much, but for a low end PC like mine it is a considerable amount whatsoever. Thank you in advance!
Greetings,
ZLaT_96

What does sys info show if you try this one ram stick at a time in each slot?

 

[ZLaT_96]

Just for giggles:

Take one stick out and see that it reports 1.9/2 GB inside Windows, rinse repeat with the other. Could be that you have a faulty RAM stick or such?

I tend to agree with hotaru after looking at the mobo spec page. It is very specific on page saying that on 32 bit you will see less after system reserved.
Look below the 'memory' section.

ASRock > G31M-VS

Well, I used only the Kingston stick of 2Gb at 667 Mh with Windows 7 Professional and there was no issue with it(so I think that everything is fine with that one). After that I preinstalled my PC with WIndows 10 Home Premium and I put the Transend stick of 2Gb at 800Mh with another, third stick of 1GB and everything was fine. After that I decided to coop the Kingston and Transend sticks in order to get 1Gb more RAM and that strange issue occured. I tried switching the sticks in the slots, too. Nothing changed. Also, I repeat I HAVE OPERATING SYSTEM WHICH IS 64-BIT - WINDOWS 10 HOME PREMIUM. So the problem must has nothing to do with "the bit-version" of my OS. I really do not know what might be the cause. The case is really frustrating.

 

[ZLaT_96]

What does sys info show if you try this one ram stick at a time in each slot?

Hello,
Your desire to help is much appreciated. Look at the last answer that I have given to punkncat.
Greetings,
ZlaT_96

 

[Bob.B]

Hello,
Your desire to help is much appreciated. Look at the last answer that I have given to punkncat.
Greetings,
ZlaT_96

Go to msconfig/boot/advanced options.
Untick maximum memory and put a 0/zero in the amount field.

 

[SkyNetRising]

How much memory is it dedicating to the onboard video?

I suppose none. I have a separate GPU (GTX 550 ti), too. I do not need the integrated one in my CPU.

If integrated GPU is not disabled, then it still reserves certain amount of system ram for vram.
You have to make sure, it is disabled.

 

[ZLaT_96]

Go to msconfig/boot/advanced options.
Untick maximum memory and put a 0/zero in the amount field.

I already know this method and it hasn't been ticked by default. Also, the quantity is at zero as it should, also without my interference. This is not the case.

 

[ZLaT_96]

If integrated GPU is not disabled, then it still reserves certain amount of system ram for vram.
You have to make sure, it is disabled.

Well, the igpu is not listed in the display adapters section in the device manager, which means by my humble opinion that it is not configured in windows 10. So, it should be disabled by default. If you have any suggestions, I'll be glad to receive them.

 

[Bob.B]

Well, the igpu is not listed in the display adapters section in the device manager, which means by my humble opinion that it is not configured in windows 10. So, it should be disabled by default. If you have any suggestions, I'll be glad to receive them.

The igp seems to be part of the mobo.
Do you have something in the bios that allows you to disable it?