Windows 7 says only 2.5gb available with a total of 4

Not sure if this is the right place to post this...

Recently upgraded my computer and installed Windows 7 RC 32-bit on recomendation from a friend. Just upgraded my memory today from 2 x 1GB sticks of Corsair PC6400 to 2 x 2GB OCZ Gold Class PC8500. Previously Windows had said I had 2GB which was correct, now it says I have 4GB but only 2.5GB available. I was under the impression that 32-bit operating systems could use a total of 3.25 or 3.5 (not sure which!) of RAM, so why am I only able to use 2.5?

 

Check out this thread, it has an answer for you right there in the first post.

Yes, that is what's happening. 32-bit operating systems normally see between 3BG and 3.5GB, but it can drop as low as yours. Let me guess... very beefy video card(s)?

 

Actually not really, I have a 7900gt 512mb card. Saw some where some one had a similar problem, turned out he had a bad bios version or something and flashing it put him up to 3GB+ i think.

 

Those 512MB count towards the 4GB. 2.5GB + 512MB = 3GB... the amount a 32-bit system would normally see.

 

Sorry if there's something I am missing here, but my friend has a 9600GT on Windows 7 32-bit and his reads at 3.25. Not trying to sound rude or anything but I just don't see how mine is different... His computer is also better than mine in pretty much every aspect, don't know if that would make a difference or not though...

 

No two computers are the same. It's not just the video cards, it is so much more, from the obvious things like your CPU all the way to the BIOS version, the number of PCI slots, and everything in between. The bottom line is, unfortunately, that the 2.5GB might well be all you'll be able to use in your OS. Sorry.

Trust me, if I knew a fix I'd post it, but unfortunately this is just the way 32-bit systems work.

 

Okay thanks for the help, I'll keep looking.

 

If you find a fix, by all means please come back and post it.

 

Maybe your motherboard doesn't support more than 2.5GB? Do a scan on everest or cpuz so we can find out more about your mobo.
Also how many PCI slots are you using?

 

Can definately support more than 2.5, it's a 680i LT SLI mobo. I found out that windows has reserved just over 1000MB of system RAM for my graphics card, but I think that's a bit over the top since it has 512MB of it's own memory.