Windows 7 How to Unlock Full 6GB RAM Usability in Windows 7 64-bit

[mrpc999]

I just installed Windows 7 64 bit on a high spec computer which has 6GB of RAM installed. System under control panel says 6GB but only 3.25GB usable. How can I make the full amount usable? Many thanks for any advice.

 

[gavin19]

Where does it actually say that only 3.25GB is usable? When I go to System I see -

Link Removed

 

[mrpc999]

It looks similar to yours (though different details) but says this -

Installed memory (RAM): 6.00GB (3.25 GB usable)

I guess the usable part only appears if part of the memory is not usable.

 

[gavin19]

From reading around it seems that it may be a bios setting to do with 'Remapping memory' that's in order. It could also be a limitation of your chipset, in that if it is 32bit then you will max out at 3.25 of usable RAM, hopefully this isn't the case.

Could you post the full spec of your PC please, especially your motherboard and RAM.

 

[mrpc999]

Thanks for the help

MB is a Foxconn NL 94V-0 E253317 (this part number was on the bottom of the board in small letters)

CPU is an Intel core 2 quad Q6600 2.4GHz

The RAM is 2 off 1GB SiS, abd 2 off 2GB Adata, latter a matched pair, all is DDR2

 

[gavin19]

Can't find that motherboard anywhere, it must be a serial number of some sort. Download CPU-Z and run it. Once installed click the Mainboard tab and it should give you everything you need to know, MB, chipset etc etc. Like this -

Link Removed

 

[pbcopter]

Select the start Orb and type msconfig into the start search box.

Then select the boot TAB, then advanced options.

Make sure maximum memory is not checked.

 

[mrpc999]

Thanks again for the help

The msconfig was checked and max memory is unchecked. In

task manager > performance > resource monitor > memory, it shows"hardware reserved 2818MB"

I also noted that 2 memory sticks are PC2-5300 and 2 are PC2-6400. Could this cause a problem?

system > device manager > computer reports it is an x64 PC

The output from CPUZ is partially shown below -

CPU-Z TXT Report
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Binaries
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

CPU-Z version 1.52.2

Processors
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of processors 1
Number of threads 4

APICs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 0
-- Core 0
-- Thread 0 0
-- Core 1
-- Thread 0 1
-- Core 2
-- Thread 0 2
-- Core 3
-- Thread 0 3

Processors Information
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 1 ID = 0
Number of cores 4 (max 4)
Number of threads 4 (max 4)
Name Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Codename Kentsfield
Specification Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz
Package (platform ID) Socket 775 LGA (0x4)
CPUID 6.F.B
Extended CPUID 6.F
Core Stepping G0
Technology 65 nm
Core Speed 1595.9 MHz
Multiplier x FSB 6.0 x 266.0 MHz
Rated Bus speed 1063.9 MHz
Stock frequency 2400 MHz
Instructions sets MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, EM64T
L1 Data cache 4 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache 4 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache 2 x 4096 KBytes, 16-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control yes
FID range 6.0x - 9.0x
Max VID 1.288 V

Chipset
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northbridge Intel P35/G33/G31 rev. A2
Southbridge Intel 82801IH (ICH9DH) rev. 02
Graphic Interface PCI-Express
PCI-E Link Width x16
PCI-E Max Link Width x16
Memory Type DDR2
Memory Size 6144 MBytes
Channels Dual, (Symmetric)
Memory Frequency 332.5 MHz (4:5)
CAS# latency (CL) 5.0
RAS# to CAS# delay (tRCD) 5
RAS# Precharge (tRP) 5
Cycle Time (tRAS) 15
Row Refresh Cycle Time (tRFC) 44
Command Rate (CR) 2T
MCHBAR I/O Base address 0x0FED14000
MCHBAR I/O Size 4096
MCHBAR registers

Memory SPD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIMM # 1
SMBus address 0x50
Memory type DDR2
Module format Regular UDIMM
Manufacturer (ID) (0000000000000000)
Size 1024 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2-5300 (333 MHz)
Part number
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Nominal Voltage 1.80 Volts
EPP no
XMP no
JEDEC timings table CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC @ frequency
JEDEC #1 3.0-3-3-9-12 @ 200 MHz
JEDEC #2 4.0-4-4-12-16 @ 266 MHz
JEDEC #3 5.0-5-5-15-20 @ 333 MHz


DIMM # 2
SMBus address 0x51
Memory type DDR2
Module format Regular UDIMM
Manufacturer (ID) A-Data Technology (7F7F7F7FCB000000)
Size 2048 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2-6400 (400 MHz)
Part number DQVE1B16
Manufacturing date Week 12/Year 08
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Nominal Voltage 1.80 Volts
EPP no
XMP no
JEDEC timings table CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC @ frequency
JEDEC #1 3.0-3-3-9-12 @ 200 MHz
JEDEC #2 4.0-4-4-12-16 @ 266 MHz
JEDEC #3 5.0-5-5-18-23 @ 400 MHz


DIMM # 3
SMBus address 0x52
Memory type DDR2
Module format Regular UDIMM
Manufacturer (ID) (0000000000000000)
Size 1024 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2-5300 (333 MHz)
Part number
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Nominal Voltage 1.80 Volts
EPP no
XMP no
JEDEC timings table CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC @ frequency
JEDEC #1 3.0-3-3-9-12 @ 200 MHz
JEDEC #2 4.0-4-4-12-16 @ 266 MHz
JEDEC #3 5.0-5-5-15-20 @ 333 MHz


DIMM # 4
SMBus address 0x53
Memory type DDR2
Module format Regular UDIMM
Manufacturer (ID) A-Data Technology (7F7F7F7FCB000000)
Size 2048 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2-6400 (400 MHz)
Part number DQVE1B16
Manufacturing date Week 12/Year 08
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Nominal Voltage 1.80 Volts
EPP no
XMP no
JEDEC timings table CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC @ frequency
JEDEC #1 3.0-3-3-9-12 @ 200 MHz
JEDEC #2 4.0-4-4-12-16 @ 266 MHz
JEDEC #3 5.0-5-5-18-23 @ 400 MHz



Monitoring
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mainboard Model G33M05 (0x0000015F - 0x004EF6A0)

LPCIO
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

LPCIO Vendor ITE
LPCIO Model IT8718
LPCIO Vendor ID 0x90
LPCIO Chip ID 0x8718
LPCIO Revision ID 0x3
Config Mode I/O address 0x2E
Config Mode LDN 0x4
Config Mode registers






Description VGA Controller
Location bus 1 (0x01), device 0 (0x00), function 0 (0x00)
Common header
Vendor ID 0x10DE
Model ID 0x0422
Revision ID 0xA1
PI 0x00
SubClass 0x00
BaseClass 0x03
Cache Line 0x10
Latency 0x00
Header 0x00
PCI header
Address 0 (memory) 0xFA000000
Address 1 (memory) 0xD0000000
Address 3 (memory) 0xF8000000
Address 5 (port) 0x0000DF00
Subvendor ID 0x105B
Subsystem ID 0x0F1F
Int. Line 0x10
Int. Pin 0x01
PCI capability
Caps class Power Management
Caps offset 0x60
Caps version 1.1
PCI capability
Caps class Message Signalled Interrupts
Caps offset 0x68
PCI capability
Caps class PCI Express
Caps offset 0x78
Device type PCI-E Endpoint Device
Port 0
Version 1.0
Link width 16x (max 16x)
Extended capabilities
Caps class Virtual Channel
Caps offset 0x100
Caps class Power Budgeting
Caps offset 0x128
Caps class Vendor Specific
Caps offset 0x600
Vendor ID 1
Size 36




DMI
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

DMI BIOS
vendor Phoenix Technologies, LTD
version 763D3.P03
date 09/17/2007

DMI System Information
manufacturer DIXONSXP
product T9610
version OEM
serial 910301100600G74101120
UUID 001C2537-23212007-10120151-17000000

DMI Baseboard
vendor DIXONSXP
model G33M05
revision MP
serial UYSA74002015

DMI System Enclosure
manufacturer DIXONSXP
chassis type Desktop
chassis serial 0

DMI Processor
manufacturer Intel
model Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad
clock speed 2400.0 MHz
FSB speed 266.0 MHz
multiplier 9.0x

DMI Memory Controller
correction 8-bit parity
Max module size 2048 MBytes

DMI Memory Module
designation A0
size 1024 MBytes (double bank)

DMI Memory Module
designation A1
size 2048 MBytes (double bank)

DMI Memory Module
designation A2
size 1024 MBytes (double bank)

DMI Memory Module
designation A3
size 2048 MBytes (double bank)





API NVIDIA NVAPI
API NVIDIA I/O

Display Adapters
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Display adapter 0
Manuf. API index 0
Display name \\.\DISPLAY1
Name NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS
Revision A2
Codename G86
Technology 80 nm
Memory size 256 MB
Memory type DDR2
Memory bus width 64 bits
PCI device bus 1 (0x1), device 0 (0x0), function 0 (0x0)
Vendor ID 0x10DE (0x105B)
Model ID 0x422 (0xF1F)
Performance Level 3D Applications
Core clock 459.0 MHz
Shader clock 918.0 MHz
Memory clock 400.0 MHz


Software
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows Version Microsoft Windows 7 (6.1) Home Premium Edition (Build 7600)
DirectX Version 10.0

 

[gavin19]

I would remove the 2gigs of slower RAM as they are dragging the other DIMMs down to their speed in order to operate properly, ie the 4gigs of PC-5300 are causing the other 4 gigs of PC-6400 to run at the same speed. 4gigs is plenty for W7 and you can always buy more of the same spec in the future if need be.

You could also try updating your bios since it is pretty old. At the minute it is using the Dixons bios but this can be overwritten with the Foxconn one. You can find what you need Link Removed.

 

[mrpc999]

I took the 2 slower sticks out and the usable memory is still at 3.25 GB.

I downloaded the BIOS upgrade from the Foxconn website but when I tried to install it I get an error message something like

BIOS does not support AFUDOS

I am wondering if the BIOS is locked in some way. The Foxconn instructions mention removing a jumper. I did try removing one but no change.

Getting quite frustrated now as the reason I got W7 was to use additional memory but seems like I wasted my money as it seems there is no way to get usable more than 3.25.

The system definitely is X64.

Any further advice would be appreciated.

 

[confused]

that wouldn't be causing the problem. As long as both are compatible with the computer. One just performs a little better but still would give you the total memory amount.

Some machines will only give you a maximum of memory. For example in a laptop some max out at 2 GB of memory with two slots. Thus putting in 2 2 gb totaling four GB would only show 2gb in that computer.

 

[gavin19]

Chipset
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Memory Size 6144 MBytes

I'm stumped as CPU-Z clearly recognises the 6GB installed (at the time). I know shared Video memory can eat into your RAM but not by this much. There should be a bios setting related to 'Shared VRAM' or similar which you can turn off. Your motherboard supports up to 8GB of RAM so there is no reason for this apparent limitation. Maybe someone with a bit more technical expertise can jump in?

 

[mrpc999]

I have had a very good look at the BIOS adjustments possible. There are no options which might improve this problem. I believe if I could flash the BIOS with a newer version it could sort out this problem but for whatever reason it seems to be locked and won't allow me.

 

[confused]

I'd make sure your computer will work with that much memory. I could fill my slots up with loads of memory too but it just wouldn't be able to use it.