Hi
@chamorganda28, I will share what Microsoft informed you about your problem for Windows 7 and then I will share a solution that I found for Windows 10.
The usable memory may be less than the installed memory on Windows 7-based computers
Symptoms
On a computer that is running Windows 7, the usable memory (RAM) may be less than the installed memory.
For example, a 32-bit version of Windows 7 may report that there is only 3.5 GB of usable system memory on a computer that has 4 GB of memory installed.
Or, a 64-bit version of Windows 7 may report that there is only 7.1 GB of usable system memory on a computer that has 8 GB of memory installed.
Note The amount of usable memory in the examples are not exact amounts. Usable memory is a calculated amount of the total physical memory minus "hardware reserved" memory.
To view the installed memory and the usable memory in Windows 7, follow these steps:
- Click Start
, right-click Computer, and then click Properties.
- View the Installed memory (RAM) value under System. For example, if it displays 4.00 GB (3.5 GB usable), this means that you have 3.5 GB of usable memory out of 4 GB of installed memory.
Cause
This is expected behavior on computers that are running Windows 7. The reduction in available system memory depends on the configuration of the following:
- The devices that are installed in the computer and the memory that is reserved by those devices
- The ability of the motherboard to handle memory
- The System BIOS version and settings
- The version of Windows 7 that is installed (For example, Windows 7 Starter Edition only supports 2 GB of installed memory.)
- Other system settings
For example, if you have a video card that has 256 MB of on-board memory, that memory must be mapped within the first 4 GB of address space. If 4 GB of system memory is already installed, part of that address space must be reserved by the graphics memory mapping. Graphics memory mapping overwrites a part of the system memory. These conditions reduce the total amount of system memory that is available to the operating system.
What To Try
There are several additional situations that could cause the usable RAM to be less than expected. These issues and possible solutions are listed here:
Check the system configuration settings
This problem may occur because the
Maximum memory option is selected incorrectly. To fix this, follow these steps:
- Click Start
, type msconfig in the Search programs and files box, and then click msconfig in the Programs list.
- In the System Configuration window, click Advanced options on the Boot tab.
- Click to clear the Maximum memory check box, and then click OK.
- Restart the computer.
Update the system BIOS
The problem may occur because the system BIOS is outdated. If you have an older computer, the system may be unable to access all the installed RAM. In this case, you have to update the system BIOS to the latest version.
To update the BIOS on your computer, visit the Web site of your computer manufacturer to download the BIOS update. Or, contact your computer manufacturer for help.
Check BIOS settings
The problem may occur because some BIOS settings are incorrect.
- Enable the memory remapping feature
Check the BIOS settings to see whether the memory remapping feature is enabled. Memory remapping gives Windows access to more memory. You can enable the memory remapping feature in the BIOS by booting to the system setup. See the User's Guide for your computer for instructions on how to boot to system setup on your computer. The name for the memory remapping feature may be different for different hardware vendors. This can be listed as memory remapping, memory extension, or something similar. Be aware that your computer may not support the memory remapping feature.
- Change the AGP video aperture size in the BIOS settings
Check the BIOS settings to see how much memory that you have allocated to AGP video aperture. This is the memory that the system is sharing with the video card that is used for texture mapping and rendering. This memory would not be used by the system, because it is locked by the video card. You can adjust the AGP video aperture size in the BIOS. Standard settings are "32MB,""64MB,""128MB,"and "Auto." After you change this setting in the BIOS, restart your computer, and then check the usable memory. You can test each setting to see which offers the best results.
Check possible issues with the physical RAM
The problem may occur because there are issues with the physical RAM installed.
- Check whether you have bad memory modules
To check whether you are experiencing this issue, turn off the computer, unplug the computer, and then swap the order of the memory.
- Make sure that the memory arrangement is correct
Refer to the User's Guide of the computer to determine in what order the memory modules should be inserted into the memory slots. The system may require you to use specific slots when you are not using all the available slots. For example, the computer has four slots available. But you may have to use slot 1 and slot 3 if you want to use only two memory modules.
- Check whether memory standoff cards are used
If you use a memory standoff card to hold multiple memory modules on the computer, the system may require specific configurations for this scenario. Therefore, the usable memory may be less than expected.
Windows 10 Won’t Use Full RAM
Many of the users, when started using Windows 10, reported that when they open the Windows property window or the Task Manager, they noticed that only a part of the total amount of RAM is currently usable by Windows. In some cases, they would see an unusually large amount of RAM been “Hardware Reserved” by the Windows in the Task manager. It could be in fact due to reason that amount of memory has been reserved for the internal graphics adapter installed on your computer but if you have dedicated graphics card installed on your computer then this shouldn’t be the problem. And for some, the amount was from 1024 MB to 4181 MB which is not normal.
There are some configurations in Windows 10 and your motherboard’s BIOS that can reserve some amount of RAM making them unusable. They can be easily changed and are listed in the solutions below. But In some cases, the hardware was also found to be the culprit causing this issue. Below listed are the best solutions that have worked for users. But before you start with the solutions, you should know that if you have a
32 bit Windows 10 operating system installed, you can only use
3.5GB RAM no matter how much RAM is physically installed on your computer. You will need to install a
64 bit Windows 10 operating system to use more than 3.5GB RAM.
- To know which type of operating system you have, simply Press and Hold the Windows key and Press R.
- In the Run dialog box type msinfo32 and Press Enter.
- In the System Information window that opens, look for System type in the right pane.
- If next to System type the value is x86 then you have a 32 bit Windows 10 installed. If it is x64 then you have a 64 bit Windows 10 installed.
- Now let’s start with the solutions.
Solution 1: Modify RAM used on Boot
This option in Windows is used to reserve RAM that is used during the boot procedure when your system is turning on. By default, it may permanently and unnecessarily reserve a significantly large amount of RAM for it.
- To set that right, Press and Hold the Windows key and Press R. Type msconfig in the Run dialog box and Press Enter.
- The System Configuration window will open. Go to the Boot tab in it.
- Select your Operating system from the list below if you have more than one. Now Click on the Advanced Options button.
- On the upper right corner, Clear the checkbox next to Maximum memory. Click Ok.
- Now restart your computer. Check of the issue resolved. If not, move on to the next solution.
Solution 2: BIOS Settings
There are a few configurations on BIOS that can limit the Windows from using the full amount of RAM installed. Firstly, if you have a separate dedicated video card installed, then you have to make sure the internal graphic processing unit (iGPU) is off which is is used in case you don’t have any external one. If it is On, Windows can be reserving the memory for it.
To make sure it is off,
Restart your computer and enter its
BIOS/
UEFI setup. You will have to tap a specific key to Enter BIOS and it differs by your system’s model. It can be
F1, F2, F12 or the
Esc key. You can easily google the model of your system to see which key to use to enter the BIOS setup.
In the BIOS setup, search for
iGPU,
Internal Graphics or
Onboard Graphics. The name and location of this setting can once again vary according to your system’s manufacturer so you will have to search for it. Once you find it, make sure it is
Disabled or turned
Off.
Also in BIOS, there is a
Memory Map Feature that can give Windows full access to the RAM installed. Search for it and make sure it is
Enabled or turned
On.
In addition to the feature mentioned above, if you can find the below features, make sure they are in their respective states as mentioned next to them.
Feature State
Render Standby Enabled
iGPU Memory Auto
Multimonitor Disabled
Save changes and Restart your computer. Check if can now use the whole RAM. If still an amount of RAM is unusable, move on to the next solution.
Solution 3: Physical Inspect RAMs
In some cases, the reason Windows 10 showed less amount of RAM usable was due to a physical defect. So we will check the RAMs physically, and will also rule out the possibility if the slots on which the RAMs are installed are faulty. Only proceed if you’re comfortable opening your CPU.
Unplug all
wires and remove the cover of your computer. Here, you will be able to see
Rectangular sticks (RAMs) installed on your motherboard. They will be next to a big heat sink with a fan on it. There will be either 2 or 4 slots on which RAMs can be installed.
There will be
clips at the
sides of the slots.
Toggle them and
Unplug All the RAMs installed and make sure there contacts are clean. Also, remove any dust that may be inside the slots.
If you have more than 1 stick of RAM installed it is possible one may be faulty so remove any one them and start up your computer. Do the same with the other stick of RAM. If the system fails to run with any one of the RAM installed, then that stick of RAM is faulty.
Similarly, check the slots in use by inserting a known working stick of RAM in it and running your computer. If it fails to run on any one slot, then the slot in question is faulty rendering the RAM inserted in it unusable by Windows.
If all the slots and stick of RAM are working, inserting them back but in different slots as they were originally in before. This is also known to work for some users. Make sure they are properly placed and locked in.
Solution 4: Update BIOS
In some cases, an outdated BIOS version has been known to cause this memory bug to appear in Windows 10.
The procedure to update BIOS varies by system manufacturers and models. Access your system manufacturer’s website to download and install the latest BIOS version on your system.
NOTE TO MODERATORS: I could not use
lookimg.com because the page is currently being maintained.
