Windows 7 still only recognizing 3gb ram

[Dirty Dan]

I run boot camp on my 24inch iMac (2nd most recent model, 3 ghz, 4gb ram, GeForce 8800 GX) with Windows 7. I expected 7 to recognize all 4gb of my ram, unlike XP, but it hasn't. It says that there is 4gb installed but 3gb available for use, which I find especially odd since it's 2x2gb. It's not that 1 gb is in use for the OS, it's just not available at all.

Anyone know what's up with that? It hasn't been a problem, I run TF2 perfectly fine which is what's important, but it just bothers me that it's not available to me.

[Boss Llama]

Not all Windows 7 versions are 64 bit, there are 32 bit versions, - are you certain you're using a 64 bit one? Some of the available downloads are 32.

Second question, just to cover it, what kind of processor do you have? Probably not the issue, given you say it's a recent model, but some older processors can't run 64 bit mode.

[gator]

[quote="Alizée Fan";p="178722"]
Second question, just to cover it, what kind of processor do you have? Probably not the issue, given you say it's a recent model, but some older processors can't run 64 bit mode.[/quote]

The last revision iMacs have 64-bit processors - Core 2 Duo Penryn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_In ... C_45_nm.29

Regarding why you are [<- edit corrected typo] seeing somewhere around 3GB, read this KB note.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605/en-us

You should probably grab the 64-bit version of the Windows 7 Release Candidate if you want to have 4GB of memory available to the OS.

[metacide]

Indeed, its a problem with your Win7 being 32 bit. 32 bit systems see at most 4 GB of memory. What most people forget is that video and processor memory are taken into consideration before RAM is. So let's say you have a 512MB video card, well now the most your RAM can be is 3.5GB, regardless of what you installed.

[Dirty Dan]

[quote="metacide";p="178838"]Indeed, its a problem with your Win7 being 32 bit. 32 bit systems see at most 4 GB of memory. What most people forget is that video and processor memory are taken into consideration before RAM is. So let's say you have a 512MB video card, well now the most your RAM can be is 3.5GB, regardless of what you installed.[/quote]

Oh I didn't realize that would count against the total, I see. Thanks for clearing that up.

I don't have the very latest iMac revision, I have the one before it. I bought it in August 08. I'm guessing I can't run the 64bit, and I dont think I'll bother.

With computers I don't want to ruin something while it's working, I'll stop while I'm ahead...

[gator]

[quote="Dirty Dan";p="179103"]
[quote="metacide";p="178838"]Indeed, its a problem with your Win7 being 32 bit. 32 bit systems see at most 4 GB of memory. What most people forget is that video and processor memory are taken into consideration before RAM is. So let's say you have a 512MB video card, well now the most your RAM can be is 3.5GB, regardless of what you installed.[/quote]

Oh I didn't realize that would count against the total, I see. Thanks for clearing that up.

I don't have the very latest iMac revision, I have the one before it. I bought it in August 08. I'm guessing I can't run the 64bit, and I dont think I'll bother.

With computers I don't want to ruin something while it's working, I'll stop while I'm ahead...
[/quote]

The earlier post I mentioned on the processors were for that revision - the April 2008 one.

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2008/04/28imac.html

I wouldn't bother reinstalling the 64-bit version though unless you think you really need the extra gig of RAM available to the OS.

[Dirty Dan]

[quote="gator";p="179135"]
[quote="Dirty Dan";p="179103"]
[quote="metacide";p="178838"]Indeed, its a problem with your Win7 being 32 bit. 32 bit systems see at most 4 GB of memory. What most people forget is that video and processor memory are taken into consideration before RAM is. So let's say you have a 512MB video card, well now the most your RAM can be is 3.5GB, regardless of what you installed.[/quote]

Oh I didn't realize that would count against the total, I see. Thanks for clearing that up.

I don't have the very latest iMac revision, I have the one before it. I bought it in August 08. I'm guessing I can't run the 64bit, and I dont think I'll bother.

With computers I don't want to ruin something while it's working, I'll stop while I'm ahead...
[/quote]

The earlier post I mentioned on the processors were for that revision - the April 2008 one.

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2008/04/28imac.html

I wouldn't bother reinstalling the 64-bit version though unless you think you really need the extra gig of RAM available to the OS.
[/quote]

Yeah that's what I figured too. Thanks.