Hardware Reserved (RAM) Help!

[legendcc]

Hello,

I just finished a new build.

ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77
Intel Core i5-3570 Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core
G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240 DDR3 1600 F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL
CORSAIR CX Series CX750 750W ATX12V / EPS12V
Windows 8 32bit Genuine
Nvidia GTS 450

When i start my Windows, it shows this in the Performance Monitor


Ive turned off Maximum Memory in the msconfig, Ive tried to check the Bios for a memory remapping to no avail, The bios shows the 2 4gb ram slots being installed and working. Ive tried swapping out the Ram into different slots and doing 1 at a time, and it reserved half of the 1 stick and only gives me 2gb.

CPUZ Shows this

Any help would be appreciated

[legendcc]

Re: Hardware Reserved (RAM) Help!

Also worth noting, that Windows 8 32-bit can only use max of 4gb, but wouldnt that allow me to get up to 4 and not just 2?

[parsec]

Re: Hardware Reserved (RAM) Help!

The 4GB in a Windows 32bit OS is the max for the PC, that is all a 32bit system can address. The user is not separate from the PC, just a part of it. The PC uses memory for its operation, and the rest is the users.

You might get some more memory back by going into the BIOS, Advanced options, Northbridge Configuration. Find the Share Memory option, and set it to Disabled. Right below it is the IGPU Multi-Monitor setting for the onboard graphics, set that to Disabled.

Why did you get 32bit Windows 8? Your PC is 64bit capable. So you had a 32bit OS, and bought the Win 8 upgrade?

[Chozo4]

Re: Hardware Reserved (RAM) Help!

Also worth noting, that Windows 8 32-bit can only use max of 4gb, but wouldnt that allow me to get up to 4 and not just 2?

Offhand - I know windows regardless of memory mapping under 32bit client OS's limit the memory use based on hardware reserved memory under the 4gb region to avoid 'possible driver issues'. This was from the days of old which normally no longer apply under typical scenarios but still remain. Being you have a 1gb gfx card there is 1gb reserved bringing you 3gb total. Add in a possible reservation of 1gb for the onboard video(?) that brings you to 2gb. The rest beyond 4gb is being artificially limited by Microsoft in 32bit windows clients and as thus is not addressable (and in the case of win8, being locked out as hardware reserved).

This can be remedied by using 32bit Server Versions or using client versions with system file edits (which I will not discuss here). Most 32bit OS's actually allow beyond 4gb based on the 128gb+ 36-bit PAE addressing but windows clients artificially limit PAE to only access the NX protection bit. Otherwise you're stuck to reclaiming 'artificial+hardware reserved' memory with memory remapping+PAE as a ramdrive instead to reclaim it for use with a swap file, temp files, etc with client versions.

Overall it will still limit the memory use to each application to 2-3gb ram (3gb with /3gb aware software) maximum per thread regardless of version. One can run for example 4 single threaded applications using 2gb each without issue under 32bit with the artificial ram limitations removed and memory remapping set providing you have the ram available.