Hi,

Have a VISTA 64 bit Gateway PC and increased Ram from 3 to 9 GB. I noticed that Windows System Information screen indicates there was 9 GB of Installed memory but only 2.99 GB of Total Physical Memory and Available Physical Memory of 1.47 GB. The Task Manager indicates total physical memory of 3062, Cached of 1729 and Free of 52. Can anyone tell me if my system is using the 9 GB if needed? I've Googled this and am a a bit confused as to what I am reading. BTW, I have Service Pack 2 installed.

Thanks

I'm a bit confused as to how you get to 9Gb RAM starting with 3 but I think you probably started with 3x1gb and added 3x2gb on a 6 slot mobo? Anyway best advice is check your mobo manual. My random guessing leads me to think you probably have triple channel memory, mine is dual channel so it likes to be installed in pairs, when I built my system I had two 2gb dimms, which with my mobo worked best in slots 1 and 3, when I added two more they went in slots 2 and 4. Triple channel works similarly in threes I believe. Find out what your mobo prefers from the manual and try that.
If that doesn't work then try them one at a time in slot 1 to isolate a bad stick.
If that doesn't solve it then it's BIOS/EFI time to try and match RAM speeds and timings etc.
Post your hardware specs as well please to save the guesswork!

Yes, how many memory slots does your mobo have. Six or four? Also what are the size of the various sticks of memory?

Are you SURE it's 64-bit Windows you're running? You have both Program Files and Program Files(x86) directories?
It sounds silly, but I've run into instances before of people thinking they had 32 bit but had 64 and vice versa.



The Jedi Master

Go into BIOS and make sure the Memory Remap Feature (or equivalent as it might be called something different) is enabled. Depending on the BIOS type it can be hard to find but it should be somewhere in advanced memory/chipset controls IIRC

Thanks for the quick replies. I do have VISTA 64 bit. At least that's what the specs were and what the Computer Details section of the Control Panel-Welcome Center says. I have a Program Files and a Program Files (x86) folder on the C Drive. What exactly do you mean by "Post your hardware specs as well..."?

"Go into BIOS and make sure the Memory Remap Feature..." I don't want to change the BIOS at this stage because, as you can see, I am not very tech savy. Lets see if another approach will work first. (But if I change that, will that allow me so use all 9 gigs without changing anything else?)

Looking at the receipt for the memory stocks looks like I got 6 GB of Crucial DDR3-1333. They came in 2GB sticks. And the computer did have triple channel memory, at least that's what I read in descriptions on the Web. It came with 3 GB already installed and I think it was divided into 3 single sticks of 1 GB instlled. I then installed three more sticks. So there are six memory slots.

Don't know what mother board I have or the types of memory set up it takes. Do you know how I can get that information?

I'm willing to take out memory sticks to see if that will help. Any suggestions as to how I should do it? Do I try taking out one of the original sticks or all three? Does it matter what slot a memory stick is located?

Thanks

Try running the 2Gb sticks in the white slots. Take all the rest out. From what I understand about triple channel. Then populate the remainder of the slots with the older 1Gb sticks. So you should have a 2GB in the first slot, 1 in the second, 2Gb in the third, 1 in the fourth and so on.

There's a little program called CPUID that will show you just about all of the essential info on your mobo like processor type, clock rates, RAM types, etc. etc. It will also show you the model number and brand of your hardware. Then you can post more specific PC specs (specifications). If you don't want to write it all down you can take a screenshot and post it

And yes, if in fact the MRF is disabled then all of the tricks won't help. Once it's enabled that should be it, and you'll have full access to all of your memory. Here's some more info on how/why it works if you're interested: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605

I went in and took out the old RAM and moved the new RAM into the white slots. As of now, I have 6 GB installed. I have not reinsalled the old memory yet. There is no change in the Physical Memory in the Task Manager. However, the Cached and Free memory keep changing. (At the moment I am typing this they are 2150 and 33.) Ths System Information indicates I have 6 GB of installed memory, physical memory of 2.99 and available physical memory of 1.70. From what I can see not much has changed. Should it change? I never understood what people were talking about when I googled the problem.

I'll check the CPUID specs and post a screenshot and look into the MRF topic.

Well I am NOT 100% sure but my Dad had a similar problem with his PC and I decided to check BIOS and sure enough there was a setting in there that needed to be changed for more memory..

If you do NOT like the idea of entering BIOS I would suggest getting a TECH savy Friend to help or take it to a pro and tell them what is going on I am sure they would be glad to Take your money for a few seconds work..

I am SORRY to say but this is PRobally ONLY going to be Fixed by going into BIOS.. I dont think it is Windows related and as for bad ram probally not..