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    4GB Showing as 3GB

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by ashko, Oct 30, 2007.

  1. ashko

    ashko Notebook Enthusiast

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    I got a D630 (T7300 4MB L2) came with preinstalled 2 GB RAM, now I added another 2GB Patriot which i bought from newegg.com. After upgrading the ram, its showing 3 GB instead of 4GB. Any idea why is this happening? Has anyone experienced this before?

    Thanks in advance.
    Ashko
     
    ashko, Oct 30, 2007
    #1
  2. frazell

    frazell Notebook Deity

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    This seriously needs to be a sticky and I think MS needs to even put an error message into Windows or something as this is just crazy... Especially since no one seems to either use SEARCH or even read the last 1 or 2 pages of this forum... This question is asked a few times every day...

    32BIT Operating Systems CANNOT fully address 4GB due to a HARDWARE limitation!

    Go 64bit or search for forum for the 32bit workarounds that aren't worth the hassle...
     
    frazell, Oct 30, 2007
    #2
  3. Mr._Kubelwagen

    Mr._Kubelwagen More machine now than man

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    I agree, we definitely need a sticky.
     
    Mr._Kubelwagen, Oct 30, 2007
    #3
  4. ahl395

    ahl395 Ahlball

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    Well, as said before about your OS...

    -If you have a 32-bit OS it will only show as 3GB posibly, get a 64-bit OS (Vista Ultamite or a 64-bit Version of Home Premium)

    -If you know you have a 64-bit, check to see if the RAM is the right size/speed/model/etc. If all is good, your computer is just weird...

    >>>Hope I could Help :)
     
    ahl395, Oct 30, 2007
    #4
  5. Samuel613

    Samuel613 Notebook Evangelist

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    First of all, if it came with 2 GB RAM pre-installed, that means it came with 2 x 1 GB sticks, which means you need to take one of those original sticks out to install your new 2 GB stick, which means you will only have 3 GB total - 1 GB original remaining stick, and your new 2 GB stick.

    Guys, Santa Rosa-based laptops running 32-bit Vista should see 3.5 GB, not 3 GB.

    If I am incorrect and you actually had a single 2 GB stick in there before, I would take out the Dell stick and see how much is reported. If only 1 is reported, then you have a bad Patriot stick. I imagine that's not the case, though.
     
    Samuel613, Oct 31, 2007
    #5
  6. dbdbdb

    dbdbdb Notebook Enthusiast

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    dbdbdb, Oct 31, 2007
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  7. Lithus

    Lithus NBR Janitor

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    Lithus, Oct 31, 2007
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  8. dbdbdb

    dbdbdb Notebook Enthusiast

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    Here's something interesting.

    I was going to wait till the weekend to upgrade my nvidia GS128 to the nvidia GT256 ......... long - short, I just completed the operation. :D

    Now before the upgrade, out of the 4GB of memory I had I only was getting 3838MB usable with the nvidia GS128.

    After the upgrade, I now have 3581MB usable with the nvidia GT256 GPU.

    How did I lose 300MB when I went to a more powerful graphics card.
     
    dbdbdb, Oct 31, 2007
    #8
  9. Lithus

    Lithus NBR Janitor

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    Read the link in my previous post. It pretty much covers it.
     
    Lithus, Oct 31, 2007
    #9