I am using win 7 64 bit.
I tried the solution given here, didn’t help. David’s answer makes me think this is futile. Is there anything else to try?
Updates:
Notice that I have a graphic card on my motherboard (with 512MB), so in theory, it doesn’t need any external memory. Also, notice the BIOS latest update (03/25/08).
From what I can see here, there is a newer version (2008/07/30), but I am scared to use it (since it is “BETA”)
Thoughts ?
Motherboard: CPU Type DualCore Intel Pentium D 915, 2800 MHz (14 x 200) Motherboard Name Gigabyte GA-945GCM-S2C (2 PCI, 1 PCI-E x1, 1 PCI-E x16, 2 DDR2 DIMM, Audio, Video, LAN) Motherboard Chipset Intel Lakeport-G i945GC System Memory 3328 MB (DDR2-667 DDR2 SDRAM) DIMM1: 2048736750L 2 GB DDR2-667 DDR2 SDRAM (5-5-5-15 @ 333 MHz) (4-4-4-12 @ 266 MHz) (3-3-3-9 @ 200 MHz) DIMM3: 2048736750L 2 GB DDR2-667 DDR2 SDRAM (5-5-5-15 @ 333 MHz) (4-4-4-12 @ 266 MHz) (3-3-3-9 @ 200 MHz) BIOS Type Award Modular (03/25/08) Communication Port Communications Port (COM1) Communication Port Printer Port (LPT1) Display: Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT (512 MB) Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT (512 MB) 3D Accelerator nVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT DMI: DMI BIOS Vendor Award Software International, Inc. DMI BIOS Version F5 DMI System Manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. DMI System Product 945GCM-S2C DMI System Version DMI System Serial Number DMI System UUID 00000000-00000000-0000001F-D06D37BD DMI Motherboard Manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. DMI Motherboard Product 945GCM-S2C DMI Motherboard Version x.x DMI Motherboard Serial Number DMI Chassis Manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. DMI Chassis Version DMI Chassis Serial Number DMI Chassis Asset Tag DMI Chassis Type Desktop Case DMI Total / Free Memory Sockets 2 / 0
Solution:
It’s your motherboard that’s limiting the available RAM (more precisely it’s the Intel 945G chipset).
From Gigabyte:
Memory
2 x 1.8V DDR2 DIMM sockets supporting up to 4 GB of system memory
Dual channel memory architecture
Support for DDR2 667/533/400 MHz memory modules (Go to GIGABYTE’s website for the latest memory support list.)
* Due to standard PC architecture, a certain amount of memory is reserved for system usage and therefore the actual memory size is less than the stated amount.
What I’m about to put here is based on personal discussions with Intel technicians about this issue:
Since the chipset can only access 4GB of RAM at most, and you have 4GB installed, the chipset statically maps the I/O devices instead of dynamically mapping them (as it’s faster to have it mapped statically). This makes these RAM addresses invisible to the OS, as it’s never going to be available.
When the system has less than 4GB installed the chipset dynamically maps the I/O instead, so that it can ensure the most amount of installed RAM is available at any time.
To do this, they need to make all the installed RAM visible to the OS so that it can access any potentially available RAM addresses, regardless of where the I/O is mapped at that point in time.
Since the chipset has to keep track of where the I/O is mapped dynamically, this is slightly slower.
This was a decision made by the Intel design team to ensure top overall ‘performance’ in both fully populated and partially populated configurations.
To get ‘all you RAM’ visible, you’ll need to find a motherboard with a chipset that supports your 64-bit CPU, and allows more than 4GB of RAM.
Something with an Intel G965 chipset would probably be your best bet. Perhaps the Intel DQ965GF, we used a ton of these and it was a good board. It’s slightly outdated these days, but probably still available (as probably are other makes and models with the G965 chipset).
Hope that helps…