Ram question for windows xp

[Raven_55]

This question is connected RAM and graphics card, is here mainly because its a memory question. I know that windows xp allocates memory sections when you have different hardware installed, that is why had 1.99Ggb of ram when i 2.0gb of ram because the system allocated it to some hardware, it didn't change when i replaced the CPU but i installed an additional 2gb of ram to make it 4gb, which is the max for my 32-bit system, and i all i got was an extra 1gb (2.99gb) out of it. I now know that even though the max is 4gb for my 32-bit system i would lose 0.5gb to 1.5gb because of system hardware, like for each PCI-E slot the system takes 512mb per slot. I've currently have one pci-e slot occupied with a EVGA 210 1GB DDR3 graphics card that i want to replace with ASUS GT 630 2gb GDDR3 Graphics card. I want to know if the 512mb per PCI-e slot requirement is update to 1gb or something if the graphics card ram is higher than what it was before i.e. me upgrading from a EVGA Geforce 210 1GB DDR3 to a Asus GT 630 2GB GDDR3. Lastly i know its not a new card but it is the best for me for now. Lastly Lastly i asked this question before but i don't think i ask the question good enough so i started a new one.

 

[VincentP]

The reduced total RAM you see is not because some is allocated to hardware.
Windows reserves some of the 32-bit address space for its own use.
With 4GB of RAM you should see a total physical memory of 3484MB and this will not change with different hardware.

 

[Raven_55]

The reduced total RAM you see is not because some is allocated to hardware.
Windows reserves some of the 32-bit address space for its own use.
With 4GB of RAM you should see a total physical memory of 3484MB and this will not change with different hardware.

That's good, but is there away to see what is going where. I ask because as you said i should see 3.4GB available but all i get is 2.99GB in system properties.

EDIT: Would hardware resources - memory in system information have the answer i'm looking for if i can get the information to somebody who knows how to read it.

 

[VincentP]

Windows isn't taking this extra memory.
Look in your BIOS settings, some older integrated graphics solutions would reserve memory.
You are using a discrete graphics card, so you can disable the integrated graphics in the BIOS.

 

[Raven_55]

I can't disable it in bios just decrease it which doesn't do anything... oh well i guess i will just have to deal with that amount of ram till i get a 64-bit operating system and at least i won't lose more ram if i change my graphics card. thanks for you help and if you or somebody else can help me with finding out what is using what ram they can keep posting in this thread or question whatever it is for i shall be checking it every so often.