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Memory does not detect

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5 replies

by kn_abhilash

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Hi,

I have a problem with Windows XP prof, SP2
its installed in an IBM pc and when i add 4 * 1GB memory to this machine , in BIOS it detects 4GB but in XP it shows only 3GB

whats the solution

Abhi

5 replies

by breydel

Check out the switches used in your boot.ini

Pay particular attention to the /3GB switch

By default, the kernel will reserve max 1GB and max 2GB will be assigned to processes and applications (total of 3GB...)
As the XP Pro maximum RAM is 4GB, what happens to the rest...?
Well, you can add the /3GB switch in the boot.ini, which will assign up to 3GB to processes and applications rather than the default 2GB.
You should now have 1GB for kernel, plus 3GB for apps = 4GB...

by breydel

You may have to confirm the exact amount of RAM you actually have.

As you can see from my response, I interpreted it as 4GB(=4GB), whereas HAL9000 seems to have interpreted it as more than 4GB(>4GB).

Video RAM may indeed take something away from the reported amount of RAM in XP but it shouldn't be 1GB. More likely numbers are 64 or 128MB.

by hal 9000

Just another thought if you have on-board Video some system Memory will be allocated to that so it will be missing from the available RAM shown by Windows. If this needs altering you need to go into BIOS to alter this amount of RAM that is allocated to Video.

by sgt_shultz

i believe it is a problem with the support on your motherboard or that you have something in bios using the memory. i carefully examine all the current settings in the bios that seemed to be allocating ram to anything (incl. video) i would post my exact ibm model number and whatever else about the motherboard i knew. i would go to the ibm website and research this problem there. while there i would download the latest bios for my motherboard and apply it. and all xp drivers i could find for my system. i don't think you hit xp's ram limit but you may have hit your motherbd's limit...

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