Why is there less RAM available? Not all RAM is available: how to use its full capacity? Reasons for incorrect use of RAM

The other day, a friend of mine asked for help figuring out his problem: Windows 7 on his Samsung R525 laptop reported that it saw 3 GB of installed memory, but only 764 megabytes were available. The laptop, of course, worked slower than we would like. You can check how much memory Windows sees by right-clicking on “My Computer” and selecting “Properties”. The picture will be something like this (the screenshot shows what was achieved as a result of solving the problem):

A search for the phrases “3 GB installed, 1 GB available” and “Windows shows more memory installed than available” showed that the problem is widely known, but can be caused by many reasons.

What was checked first:
2 DIMM PC-133 are installed, one is 1 GB, the second is 2 GB BIOS sees all these 3 GB, the system sees them too;
Rearranging DIMMs does not change anything;
Our Windows 7 is 64-bit, so it should definitely see more than 3 GB of memory;
Windows 7 Home Basic supports up to 8 GB of memory, so there shouldn’t be any problems depending on the system version;
the “Resource Monitor” program (click the “Start” button and in the “Search programs and files” line just write - Resource Monitor”)* says that more than 2 GB is reserved for some devices;
in the msconfig.exe program on the Boot->Advanced tab, the “Maximum memory” checkbox is NOT checked; This is how it should be - to use the maximum amount of memory, the checkbox must be unchecked.

The problem could lie in the video card driver settings. The fact is that modern video cards often either do not have their own memory at all, using the system memory for their own purposes, or have a minimum of memory on board, and to display high-resolution images or with a large number of colors, they also use the system memory. The laptop's BIOS allowed "biting off" no more than 512 MB of system memory, so reserving an additional 1.5 GB could be attributed to the driver.

In this model, Samsung uses an ATI Radeon 4250 video card integrated with the motherboard. I had to download a new driver for this video card, but installing it did not help: the driver for this video card does not have settings indicating how much system memory the driver can “eat up”. In principle, some video cards are able to share memory with the system, marking it as reserved, and the resource monitor understands this, displaying such memory as a gray bar. An example display is shown in the figure below, but for a different system, just to give you an idea of ​​what it looks like.

The system can use the memory shared between the video card and the system until the video card needs it, and as soon as the video card requests it, the system will be forced to release it. However, the amount of such shared memory, even if it exists, is usually limited to no more than half of the available memory, more often - noticeably less.

Thus, our case was out of the ordinary. Then additional research was undertaken: instead of the old memory modules, a new 4 GB module was inserted into the laptop. The amount of available memory has increased to 2.75 GB. This already looked like an automatic “biting off” of memory by the video card (exactly about 1.25 GB should have been reserved, a number of sources on the Internet spoke about the formula used “half the system memory minus 512 GB, which for us for 4 GB of system memory gave would be 1.5 GB).

Suspicion fell on one of the DIMMs. And it’s true: when I tried to boot with only one old module of 2 GB in size, the laptop refused to boot. It turned out that the SPD chip on it, which tells the system the configuration of the module, was alive, and the memory itself was faulty, and therefore Windows excluded it from operation.

After replacing the faulty 2 GB module with a new 4 GB module, the system returned to normal, and the picture of the memory properties became as shown in the figure at the beginning of this article.

Note to the owner: what Windows shows as “installed memory” does not always reflect the amount of working memory. If there is a noticeable difference (more than 40%) between the installed and available memory, check the boot settings using msconfig, and also monitor the health of the memory modules. In addition, it is better not to buy such video cards or laptops with integrated video cards that voraciously consume system memory.

Question from a user

Hello.

I have 8 GB of RAM installed on my laptop, but for some reason only 3.25 GB is used by the system (the rest in the task manager simply says “Reserved by hardware”). Tell me why the system does not see all my RAM and how to configure everything properly?

Anastasia, Minsk.

Good day!

Motherboard or CPU does not support the required amount of memory

Each motherboard and CPU has its own limitation in both the amount and type of memory it can work with. Of course, this limitation cannot be circumvented*.

You can find out these restrictions:

1. in the documentation that came with your hardware;
2. in those. characteristics that you can view on the manufacturer’s website and in online stores;
3. in special utilities, for example, in - tab "Motherboard/chipset" . In my example max. memory capacity 16 GB, supported types: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600 (SDRAM).

Additions on the topic are welcome...

One way to improve computer performance is to increase the amount of RAM. This method is available not only on a desktop computer, but also on a laptop and is considered one of the easiest to upgrade hardware. But sometimes situations arise when you add RAM to your computer, but Windows shows that it is not available to it. In this article, I will use my example to show what could be the reason that Windows does not see all the installed RAM.

One day I had to assemble a computer for my friends. I do this extremely rarely, but since I am a “computer geek”, I also have to repair computer furniture :) In general, I used the following components for assembly:

Motherboard ASUS M5A97 R2.0;

Processor AMD FX-8350 Black Edition, OEM;

RAM DIMM DDR3, 8GB (2x4GB), Kingston HyperX FURY blue;

Cooler Zalman CNPS10X Performa.

After I assembled everything, I didn’t see another 4 GB of RAM in the BIOS, i.e. instead of 8, there were 4GB. Having rummaged through the settings, I saw that the motherboard “sees” both memory sticks, but for some reason its final value was 4GB. Installing Windows did not bring any clarity, but made things even more confusing. Specifically, in Computer Properties there was "Installed memory (RAM): 8 GB (3.90 GB available)".

After looking at the resource monitor, I finally came to a dead end, 4 GB was occupied by “Reserved Equipment”.

I began to figure out step by step how to solve this problem and I will describe all my thoughts and actions step by step from the simplest and most obvious method to dancing with a tambourine. Please note that if in your case the BIOS does not “see” part or all of the RAM, then of all the methods, pay more attention to setting up the BIOS and the hardware. If the entire amount of RAM is available in the BIOS, but not in Windows, then among all the methods listed below, select only those that relate to Windows settings.

Check the bitness of the operating system.

First of all, in the system properties, look at the bit depth of the operating system. We must not forget that 32-bit Windows systems have a limit of 4 GB of RAM, and even if you install 16 GB, the computer will not see them (there are workarounds, but that’s not the point now and they do not always work correctly).

If you want to use more than 4 GB of RAM, you must reinstall the system to 64-bit.

Your version of windows has a RAM limit.

Each version of Windows has its own limit of RAM with which it can work, for example:

Maximum available amount of RAM on Windows 7

Therefore, first of all, check the installed version of windows.

Check your motherboard's limitations.

Each motherboard has limitations in the amount of perceived RAM. Older ones can see a maximum of 4 GB of memory, others 16 GB, and there are already those that can work with 32 GB or more. Therefore, look at its capabilities in the documentation for the motherboard or on the manufacturer’s official website. Also note that the motherboard supports the operating frequency of the higher RAM.

Make sure there are no restrictions when loading Windows.

There are cases when restrictions are set when loading Windows, so part of the RAM may be inaccessible. To check this, press the key combination “Win” + “R” and enter “msconfig” in the line.

Then open the "Download" tab, click the "Advanced options" button.

In the window that opens, make sure that the checkbox next to the “Maximum memory” line is not checked.

You can try to enter the size of RAM you use in this field. In my case, this did not help; after I restarted the computer, the check mark remained and the value became 0.

Make sure the memory is working.

There are times when the RAM has failed or you have acquired a defective one, so check its functionality. Attention!!! All manipulations with RAM strips should be performed with the computer turned off. Take out all the memory sticks and plug one into the same port one by one, after changing each stick, turn on the computer and in the BIOS or in Windows, make sure that the computer sees this memory stick. Or, on another work computer, check each strip or all together.

Shuffling RAM sticks.

For dual-channel operation of RAM sticks, it is recommended to use the same manufacturer and even the same model and the volume itself. If you use different manufacturers, then you can experiment by changing the connector, connecting the strips and determining the sequence in which the computer sees all your RAM.

BIOS update.

It is also important which BIOS version is used on the motherboard. Very often, updating the BIOS leads to solving related problems, including the ability to “see” RAM. Here is an example of how to update the firmware on an ASUS motherboard.

In my case, unfortunately, even this method did not help, although for some reason I was sure that it would help.

Reset BIOS settings.

Another important point is resetting the settings to factory settings in the BIOS. Someone may say that they have never changed anything there and why reset something there. In fact, I know of cases where resetting to factory settings actually solves problems for which the solution is not obvious. In order to reset the settings, press the "Exit" button in the BIOS and in the menu that appears, select "Load default settings" or remove the battery on the motherboard for a few seconds and put it back.

Cleaning the computer and checking connections.

Another effective way to make your computer see all the RAM is to clean the RAM sticks and ports from dust. Also, don’t forget to clean the processor, pull it out of the socket, and check if the legs are bent. Many will say that this method is the most ineffective, especially those who are assembling a new computer, like me :) But it helped me. It turned out that either I inserted the processor incorrectly (although I can’t imagine how you can insert it incorrectly without breaking several legs), or I overtightened the bolts holding the cooler (I think this version is more likely to be true), or the computer decided I don’t know that I would have given him a few more hours. But only after I removed the cooler, pulled out and reinstalled the processor, and installed it without tightening the cooler bolts too much, everything worked and the BIOS, and with it, windows saw the entire amount of RAM.

I really hope that this article will help you in solving problems related to RAM and you will spend less time fixing it. I would be grateful if you share your method of solving RAM-related problems in the comments.

pk-help.com

Why is all the RAM not visible?

Increasing RAM is one of the goals that many PC users strive for. But sometimes, after installing an additional memory stick, they may be disappointed, since the computer does not see all the RAM. We will look further at why all RAM is not visible in Windows 7, 8 and 10.

There may be several reasons why a computer may not see all of its RAM. For example, a 32-bit Windows operating system is installed on the computer. She will never see more than 3 GB of RAM, since she physically cannot do it. This problem is corrected by installing a 64-bit operating system.

There may be a situation when the system shows that there is actually as much memory installed as it should be, but there are several hundred megabytes less available. This is also easy to explain, since most likely the computer or laptop has a built-in video card, for which part of the memory is reserved.

Windows may have the Maximum Memory option selected, which will prevent it from using all the available memory. You can check this in the system configuration. Launch the “Run” panel with the key combination “Win ​​+ R”, enter the name of the utility “msconfig” and run it. In the “System Configuration” window, go to the “Boot” tab, click the “Advanced parameters...” button, and uncheck the box next to “Maximum memory”, if it is checked. After this, restart the computer.

Sometimes the problem is directly related to the hardware, but this mainly affects older motherboards. In such motherboards, more than 4 GB of RAM may not be visible. The first step is to look at the information about the motherboard and find out what maximum amount of memory it supports. The next step is to go into the BIOS, find one of the possible following parameters “Memory Remapping, DRAM Over 4G Remapping, H/W DRAM Over 4GB Remapping, H/W Memory Hole Remapping, Hardware Memory Hole, Memory Hole Remapping, Memory Remap Feature”, and set it to "Enabled". If none of the listed options are present, you can try updating the BIOS. Well, if the manufacturer has not implemented this option, only replacing the motherboard will help.

The last solution to the problem has no explanation, but sometimes it helps. If the motherboard is new and must support the installed amount of memory, you can try different options for installing memory sticks in different slots. It is quite possible that after the next rearrangement of memory strips, the system will see them all at once.

You might be interested in: Where is RAM located in a computer? How much RAM does windows need? How much RAM does the motherboard support? Best RAM timing

companduser.ru

Windows doesn't see all RAM

The number of questions related to the problem of system visibility of the entire amount of RAM does not decrease over time. It is worth noting that even users of 64-bit Windows also encounter this problem.

Let's try to figure out why, for example, the 32-bit version of the OS sees only 3 GB instead of 4 GB, and the 64-bit version sees 7 GB out of the installed 8 GB.

32 bits

In principle, 32-bit systems should have no problem accessing physical memory up to 4 GB. But in practice everything looks a little different. Such versions of Windows are not able to fully use the amount of RAM, since a certain part of the addresses is allocated to the needs of computer devices.

Typically, standard padding starts at position zero, and devices are allocated addresses located in the fourth gigabyte. As long as the amount of RAM used is within 3 GB, no conflicts are observed. When this volume is exceeded, a situation arises when RAM cells are combined with cells that are allocated for devices, for example, a graphics adapter. To avoid conflicts in this case, the OS refuses to use that part of RAM where device addresses overlap.

64 bit

Since 64-bit Windows systems are designed to work with up to 192 GB of RAM, it seems that there should certainly not be any problems here. Usually there are none, but certain situations are possible when you still have to deal with the fact that the system does not see the entire amount of RAM.

Firstly, special equipment is not provided for systems of this type, that is, any PC device is designed for both 32 and 64 bits. And this allows us to say that memory cells for devices are allocated within the same limits of four gigabytes. If your motherboard is not capable of forwarding or this feature is disabled in the settings, then the memory limits on a 64-bit system will be the same as on a 32-bit system.

Of course, this situation can occur mainly on older machines. Although it should be noted that new PCs may also have a feature in the form of failure to route additional address lines, which prevents access to redirected memory. For example, in this situation, setting the volume to 8 GB will only allow access to 7 GB of memory. This may be due to the fact that only 33 address lines are routed on the motherboard.

In addition, the settings in the msconfig program, which regulate the upper limit of memory addresses, are related to redirection. If this setting has a parameter of 4096 MB, then forwarding to the fifth gigabyte will be impossible and the actual memory size will be reduced to 3 GB. To avoid this, disable this setting if you have it enabled:

• Enter the name of the program – msconfig – into the search bar of your Windows, which will allow you to access it;
• Open the “Download” tab and select “Advanced options”, and in it uncheck the “Maximum memory” item.

Why else doesn't Windows see the full amount of RAM?

1. There are restrictions depending on windows editions. For example, the initial Windows 7 only supports 2 GB in both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
2. The problem may be an old BIOS version. An outdated version will not allow access to the entire physical amount of memory.
3. There may be problems with installing the memory stick into the slot. To solve this problem, turn off the computer and if you have two memory sticks, then swap them, which will allow you to identify the problem.

How to find out the amount of available and installed memory in Windows 7?

1. Activate the “Start” button and right-click on the “Computer” item, where you should select the “Properties” line.
2. In the window that opens, you will see a line with the total amount of RAM, and in brackets - available.

pauk-info.ru

Windows doesn't see all the RAM.

Installing RAM memory involves inserting RAM modules into the slot.

Start the computer and everything should work.

In fact, there are various problems in which RAM is not fully detected.

This problem can be either software or hardware.

In this article, we will look at more common causes of these situations when Windows does not see all the memory.

The first and most basic reason is that Windows is bit-based, that is, 32-bit OS can use a maximum of 4GB of memory.

And then 3.75 GB will be displayed, most often 3.25 GB.

If more than 4 GB of memory is installed, then you need to install a 64-bit Operating system.

To determine what operating system you have installed, right-click on my computer and select property.

Amount of memory in propertiesAmount of memory in properties

1) We see the installed memory (RAM), this amount of installed memory can also be indicated in parentheses indicating how much can be used.

2) Also just below the system type we see how many bits the operating system is.

It is also worth mentioning the versions of Windows that have restrictions on the maximum amount of memory.

Since Windows 7 Starter exists only in 32-bit version and has a limit of 2 GB and not 4 GB.

Windows 7 Home Basic has a limit of 8 GB in the 64-bit version, and also 4 GB in 32

I present to you a table of the maximum amount of memory used by the operating system.

Maximum amount of available RAM memory in Windows 8

Version	X86	X64
windows 10 home	4 GB	128 GB
windows 10 pro	4 GB	512 GB
Windows 8 Enterprise	4 GB	512 GB
windows 8 professional	4 GB	512 GB
windows 8	4 GB	128 GB
windows 7 ultimate	4 GB	192 GB
windows 7 enterprise	4 GB	192 GB
windows 7 professional	4 GB	192 GB
windows 7 home premium	4 GB	16 GB
windows 7 home basic	4 GB	8 GB
windows 7 starter	2 GB	Does not exist

From the table above you can see that all 32-bit operating systems see a maximum of 4 GB. Also applies to windows xp,

Windows Vista has the same volumes as Windows 7

Memory can also be allocated for the operation of the built-in video card.

Amount of memory occupied by the integrated video card Amount of memory occupied by the integrated video card

This can also be seen in the system properties, this difference between installed and available (which is in parentheses).

Motherboards also have limitations on the amount of RAM they can install.

This means that if all installed modules fit into the motherboard.

However, it turned on, which does not mean that it can work with all this memory.

Before buying additional RAM, you first need to know the maximum capabilities of the motherboard.

This information can be found on the official website of the motherboard manufacturer.

You can also check by going into bios and seeing how much RAM is determined.

We enter bios using the del key when starting the OS.

If everything is determined in bios, then we are looking for a problem in windows.

If not, then we are looking for a problem in the motherboard or the memory modules themselves.

But again, I’ll make a reservation that you need to first look at the specification of the motherboard.

In the event that not all memory is detected by bios, and the amount of memory that you inserted is stated by the manufacturer.

Then you should carefully check whether you installed it correctly.

I also advise you to clean the contacts with an eraser and check if all the memory is visible.

Below in the picture you can see a problem caused by dust on which one die does not work, the system sees it, and the memory is not used.

Cleaning with an eraser solved the problem that Windows does not see all the memory.

Not all memory is seen by Windows. All memory is seen by Windows.

To simplify the test, insert 1 die at a time and check which of them is not detected.

When you find one die that works, try inserting it into different slots. The connector itself may be damaged.

or also check through tests which of the modules is not working.

tests use Metest 86 or through the standard one from Windows.

Checking RAM MemTest+86

Also, the main reason may be the frequency of the RAM, which is not supported by your motherboard.

see here markings and frequencies Characteristics of RAM.

atlant-pc.ru

And the whole world is not enough

What to do if Windows does not see all the RAM?

This means that Windows does not see all the RAM installed on the computer. Despite the fact that the motherboard has 4 GB of memory, the system sees only 3.25 GB.

We carry out the following manipulation:

Let me remind you once again that this article is only about x64 OS.

There is no need to say that the more RAM there is in a computer or laptop, the better. We constantly need it for the correct and fast operation of programs, games, and videos. Therefore, our task is to make the computer use its hardware to its fullest extent.

Sometimes Comodo antivirus does not update the antivirus database. Read how to deal with this here.

Familiar to many users. When you call the system properties window, the full volume is displayed, but for some reason after it it is indicated that there is slightly less memory available. It’s even worse when the user knows exactly how much RAM he has installed, but only 50 percent or less is available. Why this happens and how to use the maximum amount of RAM will be discussed further. But first, let's briefly look at the main reasons for this phenomenon.

Why is not all RAM available?

So, the fact that Windows operating systems sometimes produce indicators whose values ​​are obviously less than the total amount of installed RAM may be associated with a number of reasons, among which the most significant are the following:

• A 32-bit system is installed that does not support memory more than 4 GB;
• maximum is not supported by the motherboard;
• in the system parameters there is a limit on the maximum amount of RAM used;
• Memory redistribution settings are set incorrectly in the BIOS;
• memory is partially reserved for built-in video adapters;
• there are too many active processes running;
• the installed strips are damaged, their performance is impaired, or they are connected incorrectly;
• memory usage is blocked by viruses.

It’s worth saying right away that issues related to viral exposure will not be considered in detail. Here we can advise you to just perform a scan, just in case, using portable antiviruses or similar programs that have bootloaders at their disposal.

How to use all installed memory in the simplest ways?

Much more important issues when not all RAM is available are problems with connecting memory sticks or their incorrect operation. First, make sure that the motherboard is designed for the installed volume, and also check the tightness of the insertion of the strips into the corresponding slots. It would also be a good idea to perform a memory test, for which you can use Windows' own tool (mdsched) or third-party programs like Memtest86/86+.

If problems are not identified at this stage, pay attention to the bitness of the installed Windows modification. If you have a 32-bit version, which cannot work with RAM of more than 4 GB (unless you use special tools), no matter how much memory you install above this limit, the system will still not recognize it.

The optimal solution would be to install a 64-bit version of Windows. But in this case, previously installed programs may not work, and important files will have to be copied to another logical partition or to removable media.

Sometimes it happens that not all RAM is available due to incorrectly set memory usage options in (msconfig).

In the configurator, on the boot tab, click the additional options button and check if the maximum memory checkbox is checked. If there is one, remove it, save the installed options and reboot the system.

As is already clear, part of the memory can be “eaten up” by a huge number of active background processes and services that are not visible to the user. First, disable all unnecessary components in startup (in Windows 7 and below, the corresponding tab in the configuration settings is used for this; in higher versions, “Task Manager”).

Just in case, look at the active components of the system in the programs and components section and disable the unused ones (Hyper-V module, Internet Explorer if you use another browser, print service if you don’t have a printer, etc.). Similarly, you can set the startup type to disabled for some other services (services.msc), but in this case you need to know exactly what can be deactivated and what cannot.

There is little RAM available: what settings can be changed in the BIOS?

If the problem remains after applying the solutions described above, go to the settings of the primary BIOS/UEFI systems and check the memory settings, which should contain an item containing the words Remapping or Remap (redistribution).

If you have 64-bit Windows and have more than 4 GB of memory, set it to Disabled. Otherwise it needs to be activated.

If not all RAM is available due to reserving additional space for the video card built into the motherboard, set this item to a value that corresponds to the adapter’s memory capacity (you can find it on the monitor tab when calling the DirectX - dxdiag dialog). This is done by changing the automatic detection (Auto) to one of the available options (32, 64 or 128 MB).

Patching 32-bit systems

Finally, you can use all memory above 4 GB on 32-bit systems using the ReadyFor4GB utility. First, the executable EXE file of the same name is launched from the application folder, and then the Check and Apply buttons are pressed. After this, similar actions are performed for the ntkrnlpa.exe object. The AddBootMenu.cmd file is then launched and confirmation that the command has been executed is given. After the reboot, if a menu appears with the bootloader, Windows is selected.

Note: all actions are performed solely by running files as an administrator at your own peril and risk, since system performance after using this method is not fully guaranteed.

Updated: 01/01/2020 Published: 06/15/2018

Description

The system detects less RAM than is installed in the computer.

Or not all memory is available to the system:

Also, the BIOS may not detect its entire volume (more often than not, only half).

Cause

1. Part of the memory is taken by the video card.
2. The edition or bit limit of the operating system.
3. Software limitation.
4. Memory reservation by the system.
5. RAM malfunction.
6. Processor-side limitation.
7. BIOS error or need to update it.
8. The maximum volume limit that the motherboard supports.
9. The motherboard does not support one of the memory modules.

Solution

1. Using the built-in video card

This problem is characterized by insignificant memory allocation for the video adapter. In this case, we will observe a slight decrease in available memory, for example:

Any video card integrated into the motherboard consumes system memory, since it does not have its own resources.

To understand which video card is used, you can go to the device manager (command devmgmt.msc) and expand the section Video adapters:

Typically, NVIDIA and AMD adapters are discrete (not integrated), while Intel adapters are integrated.

If we want the built-in video card to consume less memory, go to the BIOS/UEFI and find one of the parameters:

• Share Memory Size
• Onboard VGA Frame Buffer
• Display Cache Window Size
• On-Chip Video Window Size
• Onboard Video Memory Size
• Internal Graphic Mode Select
• Integrated Graphics Share Memory

* in different BIOS versions they may be called differently. It is also possible that other parameters may be used - in this case, you need to study the documentation for the motherboard or use a search engine.

Then we change the amount of memory reservation for the required video systems:

2. Software limitation

The restriction can be set in the system. To remove it, open the command line and enter the command msconfig- the “System Configuration” window will open (you can also use the Windows search by the window name).

In the window that opens, go to the tab and click on Extra options:

Check that the checkbox is not checked Maximum memory or not worth a value less than the volume. Otherwise, just uncheck the box:

3. Operating system limits

Different editions of the Windows system have limitations on the maximum amount of memory used.

a) All 32-bit versions can use a maximum of 3.25 GB of RAM. This architectural limitation is the limit of what a 32-bit system is capable of. The picture will be something like this:

To use more than 3 GB of memory, you need to reinstall the system to the 64-bit version.

b) Windows editions also have limitations. For example, Windows 10 Home 64 bit will allow you to use 128 GB, and Windows 10 Pro x64 will allow you to use 512 GB. With Windows 7 the situation is worse - the home basic edition will allow you to use only 8 GB, and the initial edition only 2 GB.

More details in the tables:

OS	Limit, GB
	32-bit	64-bit
Windows 10 Home	4	128
Windows 10 Pro	4	512
Windows 8	4	128
Windows 8 Enterprise	2	512
Windows 8 Professional	4	512
Windows 7 Starter	2	2
Windows 7 Home Basic	4	8
Windows 7 Home Premium	4	16
Windows 7 Professional	4	192
Windows 7 Enterprise	4	192
Windows 7 Ultimate	4	192

If our problem is related to the edition limit, we need to update the system or reinstall it.

4. Setting up the basic I/O system

In order for the computer to use all the memory, in some cases, BIOS/UEFI settings may be required:

5. Checking the fastening of modules or rearranging memory sticks

The memory stick may not be connected to the slot on the motherboard tightly enough, which is why it will not be used by the computer. In this case, we will observe a shortage of a large amount of memory (per module). We try to insert it more tightly into the connector. When installed correctly, the module should make a clicking sound.

Sometimes, swapping memory modules helps. We simply disassemble the computer, take out the modules and swap them.

In some cases, the slot on the motherboard may be faulty. If there are free connectors, you can try to use them. It is necessary to use slots of the same color.

6. Maximum volume that the motherboard supports

It is necessary to check what is the maximum volume that the motherboard itself can see. To do this, you should use the instructions - it is included in the kit, and you can also download it from the manufacturer’s website. Also, similar information can be found on some online stores:

Some equipment (usually already outdated), in principle, does not support large amounts of memory. For example, the ASUS K50 laptop according to the specification supports 4 GB, however, official technical support states that it will only see 3 GB.

7. Problem with BIOS/UEFI

Since BIOS/UEFI is responsible for collecting information about the computer, the problem may occur at the initial stage of turning on the PC.

First, let's try resetting the settings. To do this, disconnect the computer from the power source and remove the battery for 20 minutes (you can try for the first time, 10 seconds). If this does not help, update the BIOS.

8. Memory module malfunction

In the event of a memory failure, the system and BIOS will not display its entire volume (usually only half). For example, if 16 GB are inserted into the computer (2 8 GB sticks), we will only see 8.

In this case, you can try to remove and reinsert the memory sticks (you can blow some dust out of them). Also, the slats can be swapped. You can also try cleaning the contacts (a regular eraser will do). Some laptops or all-in-one computers have a separate cover, by opening which you can get to the memory modules, otherwise you need to completely disassemble the computer.

If this does not help, run a memory test. In the case when the test also shows part of the memory, we try to pull out both sticks and insert them one at a time - if the computer does not turn on with one of them, this faulty stick needs to be replaced, if the computer starts with all the sticks, perhaps we are dealing with a problem BIOS (step below).

9. Discrete graphics card

It was already indicated above that the built-in video card takes up part of the memory for its work. A discrete card, in some cases, can also take up system memory as so-called “swap memory”. This happens at a time when it does not have enough of its own memory (most often, after overclocking or launching demanding games/applications).

To solve the problem, try the following:

• If the card has been overclocked, we return the old parameters.
• Reinstall the video card driver.

Also, some laptops may use two video cards - built-in and discrete. If the application is not demanding on the graphics adapter, then the laptop will run on the built-in video card, taking up memory resources. Alternatively, in the BIOS settings you can enable priority for using a discrete video card.

10. Processor limitations

Each processor has its own limit on supporting the maximum amount of RAM. You need to go to the official website of the developer and check what maximum volume our processor supports.

11. Module support from motherboard side

If you purchased additional memory and it is different from the second stick, you need to make sure that the motherboard supports the new module.

This can be done on the official website of the motherboard manufacturer - go to the support section and find the compatibility sheet. Among the list of equipment, you need to find the purchased memory.

12. Cleaning modules with an eraser

If the problem appears on its own, you can try to remove the memory modules from the motherboard and clean their contacts with an eraser. Afterwards we blow out the connectors on the motherboard and insert the memory into place.

13. Installing the driver for the chipset

Updating or reinstalling the driver may also help resolve the issue. To do this, we determine the manufacturer and model of the motherboard, go to the manufacturer’s website, find the page for the specific model and download the driver for the chipset. Install the downloaded driver and restart the computer.

Also, the driver can be installed semi-automatically using the DriverHub program.

14. Adjusting timings

If the computer is equipped with sticks with different timings, the memory controller automatically adjusts the necessary parameters, usually focusing on the indicators of the slowest one. But it happens that the controller cannot select the optimal settings. This leads to the fact that one of the modules does not work correctly and its memory capacity is not used.

To set timings, go to BIOS/UEFI and find the memory settings option. Depending on the type of firmware, its version and manufacturer, these settings may vary greatly. You need to find instructions for the BIOS/UEFI version you are using to change the timing parameters and set those that correspond to the slowest memory module.

15. Disable virtualization

In some cases, enabled virtualization technology may have an impact on maximum memory support. To check this option, we try to disable it.

Disabling virtualization support occurs in the BIOS in a section with a name similar to CPU or CPU Configuration. This section is usually located in the subsection Advanced. Depending on the processor used, the virtualization support option is called differently:

• for Intel processors we translate the option Intel Virtualization Technology(or Intel VT) to position Disabled.
• for AMD processors we translate the option SVM Mode to position Disabled.

Save the settings and check the memory capacity.

16. Windows license limitation

The systems that come with computers use a strict licensing policy that limits the replacement of equipment. This can lead to a situation where, when adding memory, all of it will not be recognized.

In this case, you need to reinstall the system. In this case, a simple reinstallation over the existing system will not help - only a complete formatting of the system partition with the installation of a new Windows.