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    HP8510w, Vista64, comp decides to start seeing only 3.14GB after seeing all 4GB

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Templar2k, Apr 30, 2008.

  1. Templar2k

    Templar2k Notebook Guru

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    hi

    HP8510w, Vista64, comp decides to start seeing only 3.14GB after seeing all 4GB.

    I don't know when exactly this happened but I did a clean install of Vista 64 business. All 4GB were being shown and used in the OS.
    I then do a BIOS upgrade, latest BIOS from 2nd of April. Week later I notice that Vista is only seeing 3.14GB ram like XP 32bit used to. I can assume it happened with the BIOS upgrade so I downgraded to F0F from FEB again to no avail.

    Any ideas?

    Thanks
    Simon
     
    Templar2k, Apr 30, 2008
    #1
  2. Bog

    Bog Losing it...

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    At first I thought your issue was due to the possibility that you have a GPU that borrows RAM... a common misconception made by users. But since your card is a discrete one, that possibility is ruled out. The BIOS upgrade definitely did it, but it may be that Vista can still address and use 4GB of RAM, just as any 64-bit OS should.

    How are you checking the amount of RAM you have?
     
    Bog, Apr 30, 2008
    #2
  3. Templar2k

    Templar2k Notebook Guru

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    Hi Bog

    The Quadro Chip does have 256MB's of HyperMem but it was not so for weeks that Vista 64 didn't see the whole 4GB and had it available.
    I'm checking my RAM in System Information and Process Explorer System Information, they both show:

    Installed Physical Memory: 4GB
    Total Physical memory: 3GB (3.14 in Process Explorer).

    Yeah probably the BIOS upgrade triggered the change but I can't say for 100% as I didn't notice this until at least a week after the upgrade.
     
    Templar2k, Apr 30, 2008
    #3
  4. jin07

    jin07 Notebook Deity NBR Reviewer

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    There was a big thread on this in the HP forum, but I can't find it right now :(
     
    jin07, Apr 30, 2008
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  5. Bog

    Bog Losing it...

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    I can't tell you for sure, but I think that this issue is superficial; 64-bit hardware + 64-bit software = 64-bit system. Vista x64 should be addressing all 4GB of RAM. What does Task Manager say? (Ctrl+Alt+Delete)
     
    Bog, May 1, 2008
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  6. Templar2k

    Templar2k Notebook Guru

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    Task manager says 3.1GB.. it used to say 4GB.. Vista64 has stopped accessing the whole 4GB after having done so for at least month :)
     
    Templar2k, May 1, 2008
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  7. Templar2k

    Templar2k Notebook Guru

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    Templar2k, May 1, 2008
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  8. Bog

    Bog Losing it...

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    Bog, May 1, 2008
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  9. frazell

    frazell Notebook Deity

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    Also, what Chipset? As anything older than the Intel 965 series can't address all 4GB...

    I'm not sure why it would have then and not now if that's the case, but it is worth looking into at least.
     
    frazell, May 2, 2008
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  10. schoko

    schoko Custom User Title

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    you most likely will not never need that amount of ram for your graphics card. 256MB will be sufficient.

    you might wanna try switching off hypermemory with ati tray tools or disable it via registry :

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=236312

    no guarantee if the registry switch works.
     
    schoko, May 2, 2008
    #10
  11. Templar2k

    Templar2k Notebook Guru

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    Hei.. I have the HP 8510w which has the 964m chipsett, it supports up to 8GB ram.

    Going to see if I can use any tools to set this such as RivaTuner as I don't have an ATI card.

    Thanks,
    Simon
     
    Templar2k, May 2, 2008
    #11