Vista not seeing all of my RAM

By benplace
in Hardware Hangout

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Grand Master

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I am sure you are using Windows Vista x86, this is known not to work. Because of the 4GB memory limit, and DMA/PCI usually takes up about 1-1.5GB of the address space. Install x64 to be able to use all your RAM.

I hearded about it and yes is true, if you have more than 3GB you need the X64 version

Grand Master

Lasker

Posted
Posted
Crapola. Thanks for the help, looks like Im gonna spend my day re installing. lol

One more thing. I do not have to format my system volume for this right? I can keep all my data and just do a clean install. Right? Please? lol

When I say a clean installation means you need to reformat your HD, because X64 and the 32bit processors are not compatible to each other, basically they hate each other :rofl:

Grand Master

+Fahim S. MVC

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There is something else up, you don't need x64.

As I wrote in another thread:

It seems to be a common misconception that Vista 32 bit editions won't work with more than 4Gb RAM, and that's just plain lies.

Home Basic will support up to 8Gb, Home premium will support up to 16Gb, other versions above that will support as much as you can fit on your motherboard - which for most of us isn't even 8Gb, but that's another matter altogether.

See here http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_editions.asp

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jimbo12141

Posted
Posted
Why do I have to format my drive? I have a 750G drive with 250gig free. I dont have anywhere to copy all that data.

I googled and the XP 64bit install did not require a reformat.

Use partitioning software to create different partitions.

Also, if your going to use X64, makesure you have all the compatible drivers and of course a 64bit processor.. .:p

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benplace

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OK, then how do I get my x86 install to see all of my memory ?

I have the Intel QX6700 processor, it does support 64bit.

Im not against partitioning but I hate to install 64 bit in a partition and then get everything working good, and be stuck with multiple partitions, and having my main OS on a second partition, and not the primary. Does that make sense?

Grand Master

Brandon Live Veteran

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  • Veteran
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You do NOT need to reformat to install x64. You do need to do a clean install, but that does NOT require a reformat.

You DO need x64 to use 4GB of RAM. A 32-bit system is limited to 4GB of address space. However, your BIOS will reserve large amounts of address space (usually 1 to 2GB) for other things besides RAM. For instance, your entire video memory on a PCI-Express system gets mapped to the address table, so you can subtract however much video memory you have from your available address space.

With a 64-bit CPU, 64-bit OS, and a motherboard that is capable of supporting more than 4GB of memory (as yours apparently does - not all 64-bit mobos do), then you will be able to use all 4GB and still have plenty of address space left for other things.

Loaded 64 bit and it sees all my ram, but no driver for my hauppauge pvr. looks like im stuck til a driver comes out

Which PVR? Most of them have 64-bit drivers, have you looked here?

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/support/vista.html

Also - this same thing would happen under any 32-bit OS. Most OSes will just tell you how much RAM is installed according to the BIOS, not how much is actually useable to the system (mapped to memory addresses).

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