After upgrading to Windows 10, many users began to complain about the problem of using an incomplete amount of RAM. For example, let's take a case from the Microsoft forum. When installing 6 GB of RAM in Windows 10 32, only 3.92 GB was displayed. The entire amount of RAM was inaccessible, or rather, the system simply did not see it. In some cases, reinstalling the RAM sticks in places and cleaning the contacts helped to solve this problem. However, in some cases this problem could not be solved.
Ways to customize the display of all RAM on Windows 10
If you are faced with a situation where not all RAM is available on Windows 10 and you have not swapped modules, you should follow these steps:
- Press "Win + R" and enter "msconfig".
- The System Configuration window opens. Go to the "Download" tab. Click on the "Advanced Options" button.
- Will open small window. Here you need to uncheck "Maximum memory".
- After saving the changes, you need to restart your computer and see how much memory is being used.
If Windows 10 does not see the full amount of RAM, it is worth removing the strips from the slots and swapping them. We also recommend cleaning the contacts of the RAM modules. To do this, take a stationery gum and gently wipe the dirt from the contacts.
If you insert the modules incorrectly, a post will pass when the PC boots. You will need to return the modules to their places and restart the computer. After downloading Windows 10 32 bit, you need to download the MemTest86 program and check the performance of the RAM.
If everything is in order with the modules, but Windows does not see all RAM you may be using old version motherboard firmware and you need to update the BIOS, as well as check some of its parameters.
- The first BIOS parameter that is responsible for the stable operation of RAM is memory reallocation. This section may be named differently in different firmware versions (Memory Hole Remapping, H/W DRAM Over 4GB Remapping, Hardware Memory Hole). Therefore, it is worth studying in detail the instructions for the board or finding a description for the version of the BIOS used.
The memory remapping function moves the address blocks used by expansion cards to an address space beyond 4 GB. Thus, it is possible to increase the amount of RAM (otherwise Windows 10 will see 3-3.5 GB). To fully support such a volume, it is necessary to use 64-bit processors and 64-bit OS versions (or server versions of 32-bit operating systems, allowing PAE physical address extensions). If you have less RAM, be sure to turn this option off (Disabled), as there may be problems with the RAM. Enabling memory reallocation - value Enabled.
- Memory settings for AGP video aperture is the amount of memory that the system shares with the video adapter. It is necessary for displaying textures and rendering images. This amount of memory may not be used by the system if it is blocked by the video adapter. There is only one way to enable it: boot into BIOS, select AGP Aperture size. Standard values: 32MB, 64MB, 128MB and Auto. We look at how much memory the video card has and set the required value by value. Often this is 128 MB. However, you can try each of the options to see which one gives the best result.
After making all changes to BIOS settings you need to boot into Windows and check if the entire amount of RAM is visible. If the system still does not see the RAM, it is worth trying to insert other modules into the slot. Perhaps the old RAM sticks are out of order or have defects.
For information on why the system does not see all the RAM and how to fix it, see the video:
Installing additional RAM is not difficult, insert the bar into the slot and turn on the computer. However, there are a number of hardware and software related issues that cause installation problems.
Windows is able to see and use a large amount of RAM. If Windows does not see all the RAM, the problem may be one of the following reasons.
You are using a 32-bit Windows OS
The maximum amount of RAM supported by 32-bit versions of Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP is 4 GB. If you have more than 4 GB of memory, you need to install the 64-bit version to use them. By the way, more RAM is not the only difference and advantage of the 64-bit version.
Type of installed system can be viewed in the properties of systems. Right click on My computer choose Properties.
This is how the message looks like, that there is more RAM, and you are not using the full potential of your hardware.
Your version of Windows has a RAM limit
32 bits is not the only thing that can limit the maximum amount of RAM. Windows editions also have their own limitations. For example, if you are using Windows 7 Starter, you can only use up to 2 GB of RAM. Even 64-bit Windows 7 Home Basic can use a maximum of 8 GB of RAM.
Below in the tables you can see what restrictions exist not in server operating systems.
Memory allocated to integrated graphics card or other hardware
Hardware components often use some of your internal system memory for themselves. For example, a discrete graphics card (GPU) comes with its own RAM, integrated graphics (also known as integrated graphics) use a portion of the total RAM as video memory.
Your computer may also allocate some RAM to other hardware, such as network hardware. To determine how much of the RAM is reserved for hardware, use the Properties window mentioned above.
Motherboard limit
Motherboards also have RAM limits. Just because there's a free slot and you can pop in a bracket doesn't mean the motherboard can use all the installed memory.
To determine if the motherboard is seeing all the memory, enter your computer's BIOS. To do this, restart your computer and press the boot key (often Del or F2). Open the system information tab and view information about installed boards.
If your BIOS shows all your RAM, but the OS does not see it, then the problem is software. If your BIOS does not display all the bars, you are dealing with a different level of problem.
This information can be easily found in the motherboard specification. It usually indicates the maximum amount of supported RAM.
RAM not inserted correctly
If you know your motherboard supports the entire installed volume, but it does not appear in your BIOS, the problem may simply be in contact. Try replugging the boards or changing the slots.
These are just one of possible causes. Faced with some problems, write in the comments, we will try to solve your problem.
Once I had to assemble a computer for my friends. I do this extremely rarely, but since I am a "computer", I have to deal with repairs 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 collected everything, I did not see another 4 GB of RAM in Bios, i.e. instead of 8, there was 4GB. Digging 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 even more confused. In particular, in the properties of computers it was " Installed Memory (RAM): 8 GB (3.90 GB available)".
After looking in the resource monitor, I finally reached a dead end, 4 GB was occupied by "Reserved Hardware".
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 way to dancing with a tambourine. It should be noted that if in your case, the BIOS does not "see" part or all of the RAM, then of all the ways, pay more attention to setting up the BIOS and hardware. If the entire amount of RAM is available in BIOS, but not in Windows, in this case, 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 properties of the system, look at the bit depth of the operating system. Do not forget that 32-bit Windows systems there is a limit of 4 GB of RAM, and at least put 16 GB, the computer will not see them (there are workarounds, but this is not about that 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:
The maximum amount of RAM available on Windows 7
| X86 | X64 | |
| Windows 7 Ultimate | 4 GB | 192GB |
| Windows 7 Enterprise | 4 GB | 192GB |
| Windows 7 Professional | 4 GB | 192GB |
| Windows 7 Home Premium | 4 GB | 16 GB |
| Windows 7 Home Basic | 4 GB | 8GB |
| Windows 7 Starter | 2GB | Not available |
Maximum available RAM in Windows 8
| X86 | X64 | |
| Windows 8 Enterprise | 4 GB | 512GB |
| Windows 8 Professional | 4 GB | 512GB |
| Windows 8 | 4 GB | 128GB |
Therefore, first of all, check.
Check your motherboard limits.
Each motherboard has limitations in the amount of perceived RAM. Older ones are able to see a maximum of 4 GB of memory, others 16 GB, there are already those that can work with 32 GB or more. Therefore, in the documentation for the motherboard or on the official website of the manufacturer, look at its capabilities. Also note that the motherboard would support the frequency of your RAM.
Make sure there are no restrictions when loading Windows.
There are cases where restrictions are placed on Windows boot, so some of the RAM may not be available. To check this, press the key combination "Win" + "R", in the line enter "msconfig".
Then open the "Download" tab, click the "Advanced Options" button.
In the window that opens, make sure that the box next to the line "Maximum memory" is not checked.
You can try to write in this field the amount of RAM you are using. In my case, this did not help, after I restarted the computer, the checkmark remained, and the value became 0.
Make sure the memory is working.
There are times when the RAM is out of order or you have acquired a marriage, so check its performance. Attention!!! All manipulations with the RAM sticks should be done with the computer turned off. Take out all the memory sticks and turn on one at a time in the same port, after changing each stick, turn on the computer and in BIOS or in Windows make sure that the computer sees this memory stick. Or, on another working computer, check each bar or all together.
Shuffling RAM sticks.
For the dual-channel operation of RAM sticks, it is recommended to use the same manufacturer and even the same model, and of course the volume itself. If you are using different manufacturers, in this case, you can experimentally change the connector, connect the brackets and determine the sequence in which the computer sees all your RAM.
BIOS update.
Not unimportant is what version of BIOS is used on motherboard. Very often updating the BIOS leads to the solution of related problems, including the ability to "see" the RAM. Here is an example how to update firmware on 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 not unimportant moment is resetting the settings to the factory settings in the BIOS. Someone can say that he never changed anything there and why is there something to dump. In fact, I know cases where resetting to factory settings really solves problems for which the solution is not obvious. In order to reset the settings, press the "Exit" button in the BIOS and select "Load default settings" in the menu that appears, or remove the battery on the motherboard for a few seconds and put it back.
Cleaning the computer and checking connections.
Another in an efficient way make your computer see all the RAM - clean the RAM sticks and ports from dust. Also, do not forget to clean the processor, pull it out of the socket, check if the legs are bent. Many will say that this method is the most inefficient, especially those who collect new computer like me :) But he helped me. It turned out that either I inserted the processor incorrectly (although I have no idea how to insert it incorrectly without breaking a few legs), or I overdid it in tightening the bolts holding the cooler (I consider this version more like the truth), or the computer decided I don't know if I'd give 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 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 way of solving the problem related to RAM in a comment.
The amount of RAM directly affects the performance of your computer. Therefore, many users are trying to install more and more memory. Not infrequently, after such manipulations, it turns out that the computer or Windows does not see all the RAM.
In this article, we will explain why this situation may arise and what can be done. The article will be relevant for all modern versions of Windows, including Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10
Reason #1: 32-bit operating system.
If your computer does not see all the RAM, then the first thing to do is check the bitness of the Windows operating system. To do this, press the key combination Windows+Pause/Break and in the window that opens, pay attention to the "System Type" item.
If it says that you have a 64-bit operating system, then everything is in order. If the bit depth is 32, then you need to reinstall the system and install the 64-bit version of Windows. Otherwise, this problem cannot be solved.
Reason #2: Restrictions Depending on Windows versions.
Also, the computer may not see all the RAM due to limitations in some versions of Windows. In order to find out what version of Windows you have, you need to use the key combination again Windows+Pause/Break and look at the Windows release name.
| Windows version | Limitation for 32 bit system | Limitation for 64 bit system |
|
Windows 10 |
||
| Windows 10 Enterprise | 4 GB | 2 TB |
| Windows 10 Education | 4 GB | 2 TB |
| Windows 10 Pro | 4 GB | 2 TB |
| Windows 10 Home | 4 GB | 128 GB |
|
Windows 8 |
||
| Windows 8 Enterprise | 4 GB | 512 GB |
| Windows 8 Professional | 4 GB | 512 GB |
| Windows 8 | 4 GB | 128 GB |
|
Windows 7 |
||
| 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 | N/A |
|
Windows Vista |
||
| Windows Vista Ultimate | 4 GB | 128 GB |
| Windows Vista Enterprise | 4 GB | 128 GB |
| Windows Vista Business | 4 GB | 128 GB |
| Windows Vista Home Premium | 4 GB | 16 GB |
| Windows Vista Home Basic | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Windows Vista Starter | 1 GB | N/A |
|
Windows XP |
||
| Windows XP | 4 GB | 128 GB |
| Windows XP Starter Edition | 512MB | N/A |
If it turns out that your version of Windows has limits on the amount of RAM, then you need to reinstall the system using a more advanced version.
Reason #3: Integrated graphics.
As a result, the "System Configuration" window should open. Here you need to go to the "Download" tab and click on the "Advanced Options" button there.
After that, all open windows must be closed by clicking on the “Ok” button and restart the computer.
Reason #6: Faulty RAM.
If you have checked everything described above, but the computer still does not see all the RAM, then you should check how much RAM is available in the BIOS. To do this, restart your computer and. If the BIOS also does not show all the RAM, then this may indicate that one or more memory sticks are out of order.
In order to identify faulty memory sticks, you can install them one by one and try to turn on the computer. If the computer refuses to start with one of the bars, then most likely this is the desired faulty memory bar.
When working with Windows systems, many users can hear complaints about the fact that sometimes the computer does not see the full amount of RAM, or the entire installed amount is unavailable for use. Why this is happening, not everyone knows, so it’s worth understanding this problem, and at the same time finding out what specific steps can be taken to correct the situation, if, of course, this is possible.
Why the computer does not see the RAM
Let's start by clarifying the reasons for this phenomenon. The most important condition for determining the total installed amount of RAM, most experts call limitations on the part of motherboards and operating systems. For example, why does the computer not see the second one, which is installed additionally? Yes, only because the motherboard is not able to support the amount of RAM above the limit set for it. Also, the reason may also be that installing additional memory sticks in a certain slot is also possible only up to a certain limit.
Operating systems of the Windows family also play an important role. Their problem is the architecture used for each specific modification (x86 or x64). 32-bit operating systems have a strict limitation on the use of RAM at the level of only 4 GB. Some modifications of the same Windows 7 determine volumes above this limit, but they don’t want to work with them in any way (although they can).
Often the situation is aggravated by the fact that the “RAM” itself can be occupied by active system or other processes, not to mention the fact that if there is an integrated Video-on-Board class video card on the motherboard, and not a discrete one, part of the RAM can be reserved and under it. Finally, situations cannot be ruled out when the computer does not see the second bar of RAM if different amounts of it are installed or different types RAM. And, of course, one cannot discount the support from the primary I/O systems themselves. If the BIOS does not recognize the memory, for example, due to the obsolescence of the firmware itself or incorrect settings, the actions taken in the operating system will not detect it either.
Incorrect installation of memory sticks
Based on the foregoing, let's move on to possible solutions the existing problem. To get started, just check if the memory sticks themselves are physically installed correctly.
A loose fit of the contacts can provoke the appearance of such a situation. If the computer does not see the second RAM, which differs in class from the first stick, please note that, for example, for dual-channel DDR sticks, it is recommended to install only equipment from the same manufacturer and only the same volume. It goes without saying that you cannot install types that differ from each other (some "specialists" try to combine, say, DDR2 and DDR4, which is unacceptable).
RAM problems
Quite often, the reason that the computer does not see the RAM may be a violation of the performance of the strips themselves. We are talking, of course, about additionally installed volumes. After all, if the RAM was not recognized at all (in the same BIOS), starting the computer would be simply impossible.
In order not to use third-party software like Memetest86+, which an ordinary user may not understand, it is recommended to perform a memory test using the system tools by calling essential tool from the Run menu with mdsched.
Here you will need to use an immediate check with a reboot. It is possible, at least partially, but the problem will be fixed.
Problems with the bitness of the system
The most a big problem- bit depth of the installed operating system. The architecture of the 32-bit OS itself is such that it is simply not able to work with RAM volumes that exceed 4 GB. This task is partially solved by disabling the restriction, which will be described below.
But, as a rule, if the computer is supposed to install modern programs to work with multimedia or resource-intensive games, it is better to reinstall the system, preferring Windows x64 modifications.
Configuration setting
For operating systems Windows 7 and below, the problem of boot settings that are present in the configuration is often described. There is usually a limit set with a certain value.
If the computer does not see the RAM for this reason, you need to do the following:
- Call the configurator (msconfig).
- On the boot tab, go to advanced settings and uncheck the box for setting the maximum RAM.
- Then completely reboot the system.
The computer does not see the RAM completely: video card problems
Another common situation is integrated video chips. With a small amount of allocated memory, to ensure the correct operation of such devices, additional space is reserved at the expense of RAM (this is somewhat similar to reserving space on a hard disk for virtual memory). In this case, the setting can only be made in the BIOS.
- When you log in when you turn on a computer or laptop in the primary system, you need to find an item like Onboard Video Memory Size, Onboard VGA Frame Buffer, VGA Share Memory Size, or others.
- Set this option to Disabled or auto sizing.
Resetting and updating the BIOS
However, it also happens that the computer does not see the RAM solely for the reason that it is not recognized just at the BIOS level. There are only two options here: either the settings are set incorrectly, or the outdated firmware of the primary system itself is not designed to work with new equipment.
In the first case, it will be enough to simply reset the parameters using the appropriate item (Load Setup Defaults or something similar), after which an automatic restart will follow.
The second option is somewhat more complicated, since quite often it is difficult for an ordinary user to update the firmware on their own. The firmware to be installed must fully comply with the primary system itself, and the update must be done as carefully as possible, since one wrong step can lead to the most unpredictable consequences. With UEFI systems, everything is much simpler, since updates for them can be installed directly in the Windows environment. But, again, the updated firmware must meet all installation requirements (version, chip manufacturer, developer software etc.).
A few last words
It remains to add that in the case when the total and available amounts of RAM are approximately the same level, you can try to terminate unnecessary active processes, disable some startup items, or even deactivate unused or unnecessary background services and components of Windows systems, which will significantly reduce the load on the operating system. memory and processor, and even add speed.
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