4gb ram in vista 32 bit and directx version questions

1.My notebook has 4GB RAM DDR2 installed, wich, as i heard, is the maximum possibile for 32bit versions of vista. From what i read on google, 500-800mb are allocated for the OS and graphics card (as far as i understood...), so I should have 3.2-3.5gb ram left for use, but in dxdiag it says i only got 3.

On the system information menu as well as on my notebook's configuration on HP's official site it says i got 4gb ram installed:



The guy who sold me the laptop (bought it on second-hand but it was practiclly new) told me that it uses only 3gb ram because of the windows version, but if 3gb aren't enough sometimes, it automactlly uses the 4th gb ram left. But i think he was lieing since im not really into cumputer hardware and i don't really have much of an ideea about it.

Google quote:

And a guy answered:

2.What i'm also concerned about is the directx version, you can see my notebook configuration in the sig, so my gpu does clearly not support directx 11. I think it updated itself when i installed Dirt 2, after the installation was done it said "updating directx version" or something similar. Can directx 11 affect my gameplay on other games since i don't support it? I didn't notice anything on all my games, except for "The Saboteur", one day it suddenly ran worse, on same settings as before i ran it at ~17fps, so i had to decrease the resolution a bit and turn all settings from high to medium.

 

~1gb of your 4gb ram will never be used unless you install a 64bit OS. (unless you try some tricks to allocate resources or use special software like ebooster).

The seller did lie to you. But don't worry about it, you can use windows key with both the 32bit and 64bit versions of windows. So you can install the 64bit version and you will be able to use your 4gb.

If you're having problems with the latest version of dx then just install an older one.

 

Im not sure about that, i dont actually have a disc with windows, it was integrated in the notebook when i bought it, the disk D: is called HP recovery wich i heard it resets the notebook to the factory configuration, its like reinstalling windows. But anyway, i heard 64bit versions are a bit unstable, is that true?

 

Not really.
I can say that the support has reached good stability.

 

You should have the product key on the bottom of the notebook. So just use that when you install 64bit. And I agree that 64bit vista and 7 are very good.
You should not have any problems as long as you can find the drivers on the manufacturers website.

 

1 question only, if i go from 32bit to 64bit my whole computer will get formatted? I got a lot of stuff installed and huge packs downloaded so it would be really inconvenient. Any way to backup data except writing cd/dvds ?

 

Yes you'd have to backup your data if you wanted to install a 64bit OS; it's basically another OS so if you want only one it'd be best to wipe out the previous one and clean install the new one. If you want to backup data perhaps get an external storage device like an external hard disc(they go up to 2.5TB IIRC so I doubt space is what would be lacking on those).

 

ya don't say

joking aside the seller might not have been as clue'd up as you think, I wouldn't be so quick to brand him a liar, just maybe a case of the blind leading the blind.

On the upside its not like you got sold a laptop with less physical memory then was specified, you got sold what you paid for, a laptop with 4gb's of ram - well atleast I hope so anyway. The limiting factor is Vista 32bit which is more down to the manufacturer and Mircosoft and again you knew that was what you were getting.

In anycase if you want to have the full use of the 4gigs of ram you have you'll have to switch to the 64-bit version of your OS, before doing so make sure you download all the up to date 64bit drivers and do a full backup so you can revert if you need to.

64bit windows was only ever unstable due to the limited and infant drivers and software available on its release, that was some time ago and things have matured alot since then...

 

yep ill switch to 64bit one of these days, the problem is i never installed an OS i have a friend who made it for me but i have no ideea how to install windows, especially that i don't have a disk. If i want to download windows vista 64 bit can i take it officially from microsoft website, and i can find some guide there? I could print it and use it, cause when it comes to bios im a total stranger to it.

 

You can try eboostr4 and use your "unusable" ram as caches. No 64bit operating system required.

 

Chances are you have integrated graphics so the system is reserving more for that. On a laptop with discrete graphics, my 32-bit OS has 3.5GB available.

In terms of going to 64-bit. In Vista I think you can only go from 32-bit-> 64-bit if you have a retail copy/key. The sticker on the bottom of the laptop is for an OEM copy. Which means you can't. You can always try it by grabbing an OEM install disc, but I'm pretty sure this scenario won't work.

Ever wonder why retail versions are so much more expensive than their OEM counterparts?

The biggest drawback to a 64-bit MS OS is if any peripherals you own lack 64-bit drivers. If you have old hardware you need to connect, you might run into this.
My opinion is if the manufacturer doesn't have 64-bit drivers, their support (and thus their product) sucks anyway. Otherwise they are pulling a sleazy maneuver to try to get you to buy a newer product of their's.

 

My graphics card is not dedicated, and i will update to 64bit one of these days.

 

Yes your GPU is dedicated. I don't know of any integrated 9600M GT.

 

yes im sorry i know its dedicated, thats what i actually wanted to tell him and not integrated