System Properties question: RAM

October 21, 2008

When I click Start > right-click My Computer > choose Properties, I see my

computer's properties.

My question is regarding the information at the bottom of the General tab.

For the amount of RAM, is the amount shown the amount of RAM I have left or

the amount installed?

I ask because I thought it was the amount installed but a computer

technician told me it's how much I have left.

--

Thanks,

K.

In the field of stones...

October 21, 2008

Re: System Properties question: RAM

"K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:ACBF6D43-5961-4BB0-AD05-5C6DF617E23B@microsoft.com...

> When I click Start > right-click My Computer > choose Properties, I see my

> computer's properties.

>

> My question is regarding the information at the bottom of the General tab.

>

> For the amount of RAM, is the amount shown the amount of RAM I have left

> or

> the amount installed?

>

> I ask because I thought it was the amount installed but a computer

> technician told me it's how much I have left.

It's the amount installed *and* available for use. And that is a reference

to systems that have graphics chips that use "shared" memory - these are

often chips on the motherboard, as opposed to graphics cards that you

install. All graphics chips and cards need some memory, and these ones

don't have any of their own, so they "share" the system RAM.

These "shared" graphics cards use part of the RAM that you've installed.

So, if you've got a system like this, and there are many, and you've

installed, say, 1 gig of RAM, you'll see that Windows reports somewhat less

than 1 gig is installed. The difference is the amount that the graphics

chip "shared", meaning "took", for its own use.

HTH

-pk

>

> --

> Thanks,

> K.

> In the field of stones...

October 21, 2008

Re: System Properties question: RAM

Thanks Patrick!

According to my computer's specs, 1024MB was installed but System Properties

says 384MB of RAM, so I was concerned.

So my graphics cards use that much memory? Wow.

If I were to upgrade my RAM to its maximum of 4GB, would that help speed

things up?

--

Thanks,

K.

In the field of stones...

"Patrick Keenan" wrote:

> "K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:ACBF6D43-5961-4BB0-AD05-5C6DF617E23B@microsoft.com...

> > When I click Start > right-click My Computer > choose Properties, I see my

> > computer's properties.

> >

> > My question is regarding the information at the bottom of the General tab.

> >

> > For the amount of RAM, is the amount shown the amount of RAM I have left

> > or

> > the amount installed?

> >

> > I ask because I thought it was the amount installed but a computer

> > technician told me it's how much I have left.

>

> It's the amount installed *and* available for use. And that is a reference

> to systems that have graphics chips that use "shared" memory - these are

> often chips on the motherboard, as opposed to graphics cards that you

> install. All graphics chips and cards need some memory, and these ones

> don't have any of their own, so they "share" the system RAM.

>

> These "shared" graphics cards use part of the RAM that you've installed.

> So, if you've got a system like this, and there are many, and you've

> installed, say, 1 gig of RAM, you'll see that Windows reports somewhat less

> than 1 gig is installed. The difference is the amount that the graphics

> chip "shared", meaning "took", for its own use.

>

> HTH

> -pk

>

> >

> > --

> > Thanks,

> > K.

> > In the field of stones...

>

October 21, 2008

Re: System Properties question: RAM

"K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:5CAFC85D-6E35-47B0-8A3F-F2A0CC9AB3DF@microsoft.com...

> Thanks Patrick!

>

> According to my computer's specs, 1024MB was installed but System

> Properties

> says 384MB of RAM, so I was concerned.

Where exactly are you looking? On this XP Pro system, which has 2 gig RAM

installed, the General tab shows - 2 gig, the installed amount. There are

other places that *do* show the amount available - but free RAM is wasted

RAM, Windows should be allocating it.

Power down your system (not restart), turn it back on and go into the BIOS.

How much memory does it list? You may find that part of the RAM is not

being recognised, or that there is less installed than you think.

The place to check this is outside the OS, and that means in the BIOS. If

it isn't recognised there, Windows has no chance of seeing it.

> So my graphics cards use that much memory? Wow.

Such chipsets are often in the 64 to 128 meg range, and 384 plus 128 is 512,

half the amount of memory you think is installed.

> If I were to upgrade my RAM to its maximum of 4GB, would that help speed

> things up?

The amount of RAM installed doesn't actually speed your system up, it can

only keep it from slowing down as you load things into memory. And 4 gig

is wasted on a 32-bit OS, as memory above about 3.2 gig can't be used.

Windows uses the address space above that point, to 4 gig, for mapping

hardware addresses, so RAM that might be in that area is simply ignored.

So, there's pretty much no point in installing more than 3.

On many systems and for many users, 512 meg is plenty on an XP system, and 1

gig should be fine.

HTH

-pk

> --

> Thanks,

> K.

> In the field of stones...

>

> "Patrick Keenan" wrote:

>

>> "K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>> news:ACBF6D43-5961-4BB0-AD05-5C6DF617E23B@microsoft.com...

>> > When I click Start > right-click My Computer > choose Properties, I see

>> > my

>> > computer's properties.

>> >

>> > My question is regarding the information at the bottom of the General

>> > tab.

>> >

>> > For the amount of RAM, is the amount shown the amount of RAM I have

>> > left

>> > or

>> > the amount installed?

>> >

>> > I ask because I thought it was the amount installed but a computer

>> > technician told me it's how much I have left.

>>

>> It's the amount installed *and* available for use. And that is a

>> reference

>> to systems that have graphics chips that use "shared" memory - these are

>> often chips on the motherboard, as opposed to graphics cards that you

>> install. All graphics chips and cards need some memory, and these ones

>> don't have any of their own, so they "share" the system RAM.

>>

>> These "shared" graphics cards use part of the RAM that you've installed.

>> So, if you've got a system like this, and there are many, and you've

>> installed, say, 1 gig of RAM, you'll see that Windows reports somewhat

>> less

>> than 1 gig is installed. The difference is the amount that the graphics

>> chip "shared", meaning "took", for its own use.

>>

>> HTH

>> -pk

>>

>> >

>> > --

>> > Thanks,

>> > K.

>> > In the field of stones...

>>

October 21, 2008

Re: System Properties question: RAM

Thanks again!

Okay, here's a newbie question: How do I see the BIOS and the RAM outside

my OS?

-K.

--

In the field of stones...

"Patrick Keenan" wrote:

> "K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:5CAFC85D-6E35-47B0-8A3F-F2A0CC9AB3DF@microsoft.com...

> > Thanks Patrick!

> >

> > According to my computer's specs, 1024MB was installed but System

> > Properties

> > says 384MB of RAM, so I was concerned.

>

> Where exactly are you looking? On this XP Pro system, which has 2 gig RAM

> installed, the General tab shows - 2 gig, the installed amount. There are

> other places that *do* show the amount available - but free RAM is wasted

> RAM, Windows should be allocating it.

>

> Power down your system (not restart), turn it back on and go into the BIOS.

> How much memory does it list? You may find that part of the RAM is not

> being recognised, or that there is less installed than you think.

>

> The place to check this is outside the OS, and that means in the BIOS. If

> it isn't recognised there, Windows has no chance of seeing it.

>

> > So my graphics cards use that much memory? Wow.

>

> Such chipsets are often in the 64 to 128 meg range, and 384 plus 128 is 512,

> half the amount of memory you think is installed.

>

> > If I were to upgrade my RAM to its maximum of 4GB, would that help speed

> > things up?

>

> The amount of RAM installed doesn't actually speed your system up, it can

> only keep it from slowing down as you load things into memory. And 4 gig

> is wasted on a 32-bit OS, as memory above about 3.2 gig can't be used.

> Windows uses the address space above that point, to 4 gig, for mapping

> hardware addresses, so RAM that might be in that area is simply ignored.

> So, there's pretty much no point in installing more than 3.

>

> On many systems and for many users, 512 meg is plenty on an XP system, and 1

> gig should be fine.

>

> HTH

> -pk

>

> > --

> > Thanks,

> > K.

> > In the field of stones...

> >

> > "Patrick Keenan" wrote:

> >

> >> "K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> >> news:ACBF6D43-5961-4BB0-AD05-5C6DF617E23B@microsoft.com...

> >> > When I click Start > right-click My Computer > choose Properties, I see

> >> > my

> >> > computer's properties.

> >> >

> >> > My question is regarding the information at the bottom of the General

> >> > tab.

> >> >

> >> > For the amount of RAM, is the amount shown the amount of RAM I have

> >> > left

> >> > or

> >> > the amount installed?

> >> >

> >> > I ask because I thought it was the amount installed but a computer

> >> > technician told me it's how much I have left.

> >>

> >> It's the amount installed *and* available for use. And that is a

> >> reference

> >> to systems that have graphics chips that use "shared" memory - these are

> >> often chips on the motherboard, as opposed to graphics cards that you

> >> install. All graphics chips and cards need some memory, and these ones

> >> don't have any of their own, so they "share" the system RAM.

> >>

> >> These "shared" graphics cards use part of the RAM that you've installed.

> >> So, if you've got a system like this, and there are many, and you've

> >> installed, say, 1 gig of RAM, you'll see that Windows reports somewhat

> >> less

> >> than 1 gig is installed. The difference is the amount that the graphics

> >> chip "shared", meaning "took", for its own use.

> >>

> >> HTH

> >> -pk

> >>

> >> >

> >> > --

> >> > Thanks,

> >> > K.

> >> > In the field of stones...

> >>

>

October 21, 2008

Re: System Properties question: RAM

"K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:B91A43E3-65E6-439A-907D-1F84DB83A20C@microsoft.com...

> Thanks again!

>

> Okay, here's a newbie question: How do I see the BIOS and the RAM outside

> my OS?

The precise method vares from PC to PC.

First, though, open any Explorer window (not IE) and go to Help, About

Windows. You'll get a little dialog that includes the line "Physical Memory

Available to Windows:" and have a figure in KB. If yours shows 384, it's

extremely unlikely that there is 1024 meg installed. It might be not

seated properly, or broken, or not there, but it isn't 1 gig.

To get into the BIOS, you have to turn the power OFF, you cannot just

restart. Watch the screen carefully as it comes up; you will see something

like "Press DEL (or F2) to enter setup". Press that named key. You might

not get it the first pass.

HTH

-pk

>

> -K.

>

> --

> In the field of stones...

>

> "Patrick Keenan" wrote:

>

>> "K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>> news:5CAFC85D-6E35-47B0-8A3F-F2A0CC9AB3DF@microsoft.com...

>> > Thanks Patrick!

>> >

>> > According to my computer's specs, 1024MB was installed but System

>> > Properties

>> > says 384MB of RAM, so I was concerned.

>>

>> Where exactly are you looking? On this XP Pro system, which has 2 gig

>> RAM

>> installed, the General tab shows - 2 gig, the installed amount. There

>> are

>> other places that *do* show the amount available - but free RAM is wasted

>> RAM, Windows should be allocating it.

>>

>> Power down your system (not restart), turn it back on and go into the

>> BIOS.

>> How much memory does it list? You may find that part of the RAM is not

>> being recognised, or that there is less installed than you think.

>>

>> The place to check this is outside the OS, and that means in the BIOS.

>> If

>> it isn't recognised there, Windows has no chance of seeing it.

>>

>> > So my graphics cards use that much memory? Wow.

>>

>> Such chipsets are often in the 64 to 128 meg range, and 384 plus 128 is

>> 512,

>> half the amount of memory you think is installed.

>>

>> > If I were to upgrade my RAM to its maximum of 4GB, would that help

>> > speed

>> > things up?

>>

>> The amount of RAM installed doesn't actually speed your system up, it can

>> only keep it from slowing down as you load things into memory. And 4

>> gig

>> is wasted on a 32-bit OS, as memory above about 3.2 gig can't be used.

>> Windows uses the address space above that point, to 4 gig, for mapping

>> hardware addresses, so RAM that might be in that area is simply ignored.

>> So, there's pretty much no point in installing more than 3.

>>

>> On many systems and for many users, 512 meg is plenty on an XP system,

>> and 1

>> gig should be fine.

>>

>> HTH

>> -pk

>>

>> > --

>> > Thanks,

>> > K.

>> > In the field of stones...

>> >

>> > "Patrick Keenan" wrote:

>> >

>> >> "K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

>> >> message

>> >> news:ACBF6D43-5961-4BB0-AD05-5C6DF617E23B@microsoft.com...

>> >> > When I click Start > right-click My Computer > choose Properties, I

>> >> > see

>> >> > my

>> >> > computer's properties.

>> >> >

>> >> > My question is regarding the information at the bottom of the

>> >> > General

>> >> > tab.

>> >> >

>> >> > For the amount of RAM, is the amount shown the amount of RAM I have

>> >> > left

>> >> > or

>> >> > the amount installed?

>> >> >

>> >> > I ask because I thought it was the amount installed but a computer

>> >> > technician told me it's how much I have left.

>> >>

>> >> It's the amount installed *and* available for use. And that is a

>> >> reference

>> >> to systems that have graphics chips that use "shared" memory - these

>> >> are

>> >> often chips on the motherboard, as opposed to graphics cards that you

>> >> install. All graphics chips and cards need some memory, and these

>> >> ones

>> >> don't have any of their own, so they "share" the system RAM.

>> >>

>> >> These "shared" graphics cards use part of the RAM that you've

>> >> installed.

>> >> So, if you've got a system like this, and there are many, and you've

>> >> installed, say, 1 gig of RAM, you'll see that Windows reports somewhat

>> >> less

>> >> than 1 gig is installed. The difference is the amount that the

>> >> graphics

>> >> chip "shared", meaning "took", for its own use.

>> >>

>> >> HTH

>> >> -pk

>> >>

>> >> >

>> >> > --

>> >> > Thanks,

>> >> > K.

>> >> > In the field of stones...

>> >>

>>

October 21, 2008

Re: System Properties question: RAM

Patrick,

I followed your instructions and the amount of physical memory available is

almost 393,000 KB. That's 393 MB or RAM. Hmmm... Maybe I'll open up the

CPU and check the chips again.

Thanks,

K.

--

In the field of stones...

"Patrick Keenan" wrote:

> "K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:B91A43E3-65E6-439A-907D-1F84DB83A20C@microsoft.com...

> > Thanks again!

> >

> > Okay, here's a newbie question: How do I see the BIOS and the RAM outside

> > my OS?

>

> The precise method vares from PC to PC.

>

> First, though, open any Explorer window (not IE) and go to Help, About

> Windows. You'll get a little dialog that includes the line "Physical Memory

> Available to Windows:" and have a figure in KB. If yours shows 384, it's

> extremely unlikely that there is 1024 meg installed. It might be not

> seated properly, or broken, or not there, but it isn't 1 gig.

>

> To get into the BIOS, you have to turn the power OFF, you cannot just

> restart. Watch the screen carefully as it comes up; you will see something

> like "Press DEL (or F2) to enter setup". Press that named key. You might

> not get it the first pass.

>

> HTH

> -pk

>

> >

> > -K.

> >

> > --

> > In the field of stones...

> >

> > "Patrick Keenan" wrote:

> >

> >> "K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> >> news:5CAFC85D-6E35-47B0-8A3F-F2A0CC9AB3DF@microsoft.com...

> >> > Thanks Patrick!

> >> >

> >> > According to my computer's specs, 1024MB was installed but System

> >> > Properties

> >> > says 384MB of RAM, so I was concerned.

> >>

> >> Where exactly are you looking? On this XP Pro system, which has 2 gig

> >> RAM

> >> installed, the General tab shows - 2 gig, the installed amount. There

> >> are

> >> other places that *do* show the amount available - but free RAM is wasted

> >> RAM, Windows should be allocating it.

> >>

> >> Power down your system (not restart), turn it back on and go into the

> >> BIOS.

> >> How much memory does it list? You may find that part of the RAM is not

> >> being recognised, or that there is less installed than you think.

> >>

> >> The place to check this is outside the OS, and that means in the BIOS.

> >> If

> >> it isn't recognised there, Windows has no chance of seeing it.

> >>

> >> > So my graphics cards use that much memory? Wow.

> >>

> >> Such chipsets are often in the 64 to 128 meg range, and 384 plus 128 is

> >> 512,

> >> half the amount of memory you think is installed.

> >>

> >> > If I were to upgrade my RAM to its maximum of 4GB, would that help

> >> > speed

> >> > things up?

> >>

> >> The amount of RAM installed doesn't actually speed your system up, it can

> >> only keep it from slowing down as you load things into memory. And 4

> >> gig

> >> is wasted on a 32-bit OS, as memory above about 3.2 gig can't be used.

> >> Windows uses the address space above that point, to 4 gig, for mapping

> >> hardware addresses, so RAM that might be in that area is simply ignored.

> >> So, there's pretty much no point in installing more than 3.

> >>

> >> On many systems and for many users, 512 meg is plenty on an XP system,

> >> and 1

> >> gig should be fine.

> >>

> >> HTH

> >> -pk

> >>

> >> > --

> >> > Thanks,

> >> > K.

> >> > In the field of stones...

> >> >

> >> > "Patrick Keenan" wrote:

> >> >

> >> >> "K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

> >> >> message

> >> >> news:ACBF6D43-5961-4BB0-AD05-5C6DF617E23B@microsoft.com...

> >> >> > When I click Start > right-click My Computer > choose Properties, I

> >> >> > see

> >> >> > my

> >> >> > computer's properties.

> >> >> >

> >> >> > My question is regarding the information at the bottom of the

> >> >> > General

> >> >> > tab.

> >> >> >

> >> >> > For the amount of RAM, is the amount shown the amount of RAM I have

> >> >> > left

> >> >> > or

> >> >> > the amount installed?

> >> >> >

> >> >> > I ask because I thought it was the amount installed but a computer

> >> >> > technician told me it's how much I have left.

> >> >>

> >> >> It's the amount installed *and* available for use. And that is a

> >> >> reference

> >> >> to systems that have graphics chips that use "shared" memory - these

> >> >> are

> >> >> often chips on the motherboard, as opposed to graphics cards that you

> >> >> install. All graphics chips and cards need some memory, and these

> >> >> ones

> >> >> don't have any of their own, so they "share" the system RAM.

> >> >>

> >> >> These "shared" graphics cards use part of the RAM that you've

> >> >> installed.

> >> >> So, if you've got a system like this, and there are many, and you've

> >> >> installed, say, 1 gig of RAM, you'll see that Windows reports somewhat

> >> >> less

> >> >> than 1 gig is installed. The difference is the amount that the

> >> >> graphics

> >> >> chip "shared", meaning "took", for its own use.

> >> >>

> >> >> HTH

> >> >> -pk

> >> >>

> >> >> >

> >> >> > --

> >> >> > Thanks,

> >> >> > K.

> >> >> > In the field of stones...

> >> >>

> >>

>

October 21, 2008

Re: System Properties question: RAM

K. Stonefield wrote:

> Patrick,

>

> I followed your instructions and the amount of physical memory available is

> almost 393,000 KB. That's 393 MB or RAM. Hmmm... Maybe I'll open up the

> CPU and check the chips again.

>

> Thanks,

> K.

Try CPUZ.

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

Here is a sample picture of the output screens. The "memory"

tab shows the total memory installed, and the operating

speed and timing used. The "SPD" tab, shows information

about each stick, and the Serial Presence Detect data

is the timing information stored in a small chip on

each of the DIMMs. So the "SPD" tells you something

about each individual memory stick. Use the pulldown

menu on the SPD page, to select which memory slot

you're examining.

http://pat.marcourt.free.fr/cpu-z.JPG

HTH,

Paul

October 21, 2008

Re: System Properties question: RAM

K. Stonefield wrote:

> I followed your instructions and the amount of physical memory

> available is almost 393,000 KB. That's 393 MB or RAM. Hmmm...

Close.

Actually if you have 384 MB of RAM (aka physical memory), that comes to

393,216 KB because there are 1,024 KB in 1 MB.

Also, in an earlier post, you stated, "According to my computer's specs,

1024MB was installed."

That's unclear. Specs won't tell you how much you have installed! But

they will let you know up to how much *may* be installed.

Another way to determine how much RAM you have installed, as Patrick

mentioned, is to look in your BIOS. The proper key to strike (to enter

the BIOS) just after you power on your PC depends on the make and model,

but usually you can see the method on screen briefly. If not, look at:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

October 21, 2008

Re: System Properties question: RAM

On Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:57:01 -0700, K. Stonefield

<KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Patrick,

>

> I followed your instructions and the amount of physical memory available is

> almost 393,000 KB. That's 393 MB or RAM. Hmmm... Maybe I'll open up the

> CPU and check the chips again.

If you are suggesting that 393MB is not a possible amount of RAM to

have, that's true, but it's not the number you have. To get from KB to

MB, you divided by 1000, but that's the wrong divisor. There are

1024KB in one MB, so 1024 is what you need to divide by. The correct

result is 384MB, and that is a possible amount of RAM to have.

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

October 21, 2008

Re: System Properties question: RAM

On Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:29:01 -0700, K. Stonefield

<KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> When I click Start > right-click My Computer > choose Properties, I see my

> computer's properties.

>

> My question is regarding the information at the bottom of the General tab.

>

> For the amount of RAM, is the amount shown the amount of RAM I have left

No (unless some has been removed from the number because you have

motherboard video support instead of a video card).

> or the amount installed?

>

> I ask because I thought it was the amount installed but a computer

> technician told me it's how much I have left.

You are correct. That computer technician is one you should stop

using. He either doesn't know what he's talking about, or is purposely

lying to you for some reason.

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

October 22, 2008

Re: System Properties question: RAM

"K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:C29EF230-80C7-4532-A0A6-461DB0F19D3B@microsoft.com...

> Patrick,

>

> I followed your instructions and the amount of physical memory available

> is

> almost 393,000 KB. That's 393 MB or RAM.

As noted, it's actually 384. The counting is done in base 2, not base 10,

and 1K is actually 1024.

You would get 384 meg with a 256 and a 128 meg set, or 3x128 meg RAM sticks.

HTH

-pk

> Hmmm... Maybe I'll open up the

> CPU and check the chips again.

>

> Thanks,

> K.

> --

> In the field of stones...

>

> "Patrick Keenan" wrote:

>

>> "K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>> news:B91A43E3-65E6-439A-907D-1F84DB83A20C@microsoft.com...

>> > Thanks again!

>> >

>> > Okay, here's a newbie question: How do I see the BIOS and the RAM

>> > outside

>> > my OS?

>>

>> The precise method vares from PC to PC.

>>

>> First, though, open any Explorer window (not IE) and go to Help, About

>> Windows. You'll get a little dialog that includes the line "Physical

>> Memory

>> Available to Windows:" and have a figure in KB. If yours shows 384,

>> it's

>> extremely unlikely that there is 1024 meg installed. It might be not

>> seated properly, or broken, or not there, but it isn't 1 gig.

>>

>> To get into the BIOS, you have to turn the power OFF, you cannot just

>> restart. Watch the screen carefully as it comes up; you will see

>> something

>> like "Press DEL (or F2) to enter setup". Press that named key. You

>> might

>> not get it the first pass.

>>

>> HTH

>> -pk

>>

>> >

>> > -K.

>> >

>> > --

>> > In the field of stones...

>> >

>> > "Patrick Keenan" wrote:

>> >

>> >> "K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

>> >> message

>> >> news:5CAFC85D-6E35-47B0-8A3F-F2A0CC9AB3DF@microsoft.com...

>> >> > Thanks Patrick!

>> >> >

>> >> > According to my computer's specs, 1024MB was installed but System

>> >> > Properties

>> >> > says 384MB of RAM, so I was concerned.

>> >>

>> >> Where exactly are you looking? On this XP Pro system, which has 2

>> >> gig

>> >> RAM

>> >> installed, the General tab shows - 2 gig, the installed amount.

>> >> There

>> >> are

>> >> other places that *do* show the amount available - but free RAM is

>> >> wasted

>> >> RAM, Windows should be allocating it.

>> >>

>> >> Power down your system (not restart), turn it back on and go into the

>> >> BIOS.

>> >> How much memory does it list? You may find that part of the RAM is

>> >> not

>> >> being recognised, or that there is less installed than you think.

>> >>

>> >> The place to check this is outside the OS, and that means in the BIOS.

>> >> If

>> >> it isn't recognised there, Windows has no chance of seeing it.

>> >>

>> >> > So my graphics cards use that much memory? Wow.

>> >>

>> >> Such chipsets are often in the 64 to 128 meg range, and 384 plus 128

>> >> is

>> >> 512,

>> >> half the amount of memory you think is installed.

>> >>

>> >> > If I were to upgrade my RAM to its maximum of 4GB, would that help

>> >> > speed

>> >> > things up?

>> >>

>> >> The amount of RAM installed doesn't actually speed your system up, it

>> >> can

>> >> only keep it from slowing down as you load things into memory. And 4

>> >> gig

>> >> is wasted on a 32-bit OS, as memory above about 3.2 gig can't be used.

>> >> Windows uses the address space above that point, to 4 gig, for mapping

>> >> hardware addresses, so RAM that might be in that area is simply

>> >> ignored.

>> >> So, there's pretty much no point in installing more than 3.

>> >>

>> >> On many systems and for many users, 512 meg is plenty on an XP system,

>> >> and 1

>> >> gig should be fine.

>> >>

>> >> HTH

>> >> -pk

>> >>

>> >> > --

>> >> > Thanks,

>> >> > K.

>> >> > In the field of stones...

>> >> >

>> >> > "Patrick Keenan" wrote:

>> >> >

>> >> >> "K. Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

>> >> >> message

>> >> >> news:ACBF6D43-5961-4BB0-AD05-5C6DF617E23B@microsoft.com...

>> >> >> > When I click Start > right-click My Computer > choose Properties,

>> >> >> > I

>> >> >> > see

>> >> >> > my

>> >> >> > computer's properties.

>> >> >> >

>> >> >> > My question is regarding the information at the bottom of the

>> >> >> > General

>> >> >> > tab.

>> >> >> >

>> >> >> > For the amount of RAM, is the amount shown the amount of RAM I

>> >> >> > have

>> >> >> > left

>> >> >> > or

>> >> >> > the amount installed?

>> >> >> >

>> >> >> > I ask because I thought it was the amount installed but a

>> >> >> > computer

>> >> >> > technician told me it's how much I have left.

>> >> >>

>> >> >> It's the amount installed *and* available for use. And that is a

>> >> >> reference

>> >> >> to systems that have graphics chips that use "shared" memory -

>> >> >> these

>> >> >> are

>> >> >> often chips on the motherboard, as opposed to graphics cards that

>> >> >> you

>> >> >> install. All graphics chips and cards need some memory, and

>> >> >> these

>> >> >> ones

>> >> >> don't have any of their own, so they "share" the system RAM.

>> >> >>

>> >> >> These "shared" graphics cards use part of the RAM that you've

>> >> >> installed.

>> >> >> So, if you've got a system like this, and there are many, and

>> >> >> you've

>> >> >> installed, say, 1 gig of RAM, you'll see that Windows reports

>> >> >> somewhat

>> >> >> less

>> >> >> than 1 gig is installed. The difference is the amount that the

>> >> >> graphics

>> >> >> chip "shared", meaning "took", for its own use.

>> >> >>

>> >> >> HTH

>> >> >> -pk

>> >> >>

>> >> >> >

>> >> >> > --

>> >> >> > Thanks,

>> >> >> > K.

>> >> >> > In the field of stones...

>> >> >>

>> >>

>>

October 25, 2008

Re: System Properties question: RAM

Hello,

You will all be glad to know that I fixed the problem myself and it was so

simple. I just opened up the unit and removed and reinserted the RAM chips

(both of them). I used the CPUID program and it only recognized ONE chip!

So I found that one of the chips wasn't secured all the way in (must have

been those techs who serviced it last time because I never touched them).

Sigh. So now it's back to the speed that I remember! Thanks again for all

your help, everyone!

K.

--

In the field of stones...

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:

> On Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:29:01 -0700, K. Stonefield

> <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>

> > When I click Start > right-click My Computer > choose Properties, I see my

> > computer's properties.

> >

> > My question is regarding the information at the bottom of the General tab.

> >

> > For the amount of RAM, is the amount shown the amount of RAM I have left

>

> No (unless some has been removed from the number because you have

> motherboard video support instead of a video card).

>

> > or the amount installed?

> >

> > I ask because I thought it was the amount installed but a computer

> > technician told me it's how much I have left.

>

> You are correct. That computer technician is one you should stop

> using. He either doesn't know what he's talking about, or is purposely

> lying to you for some reason.

>

> --

> Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

> Please Reply to the Newsgroup

>

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