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Possible Duplicate:
Why does Windows only show about 3.5 GB of my more than 4 GB of RAM?

I decided to add 2 GB to my laptop.

Before i have 2 GB.

So, after adding i suppose to have whole 4 GB.

But i have avaible only 3,2 GB. Resource monitor in Win7 (32bit) said, that 700+ MB are reserved by BIOS and periphery hardware.

So, what is it and how to free some memory if it can be free without bad circumstates?

Thanks for explanation!

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gaussblurinc
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  • Also read carefully the paragraphs about integrated graphics – nixda Jan 04 '13 at 17:13
  • thanks, but i have discreted graphics. I suppose, it is behaviour of 32 bit system. So, not only Win7, but also Linux Mint (32bit) do so :) Thanks! – gaussblurinc Jan 04 '13 at 17:14
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    This is a limitation of 32-bit Windows 7 license. You would need to reinstall Windows 7 x64 if you wanted all 4GB of your memory to be free to be used by the system. – Ramhound Jan 04 '13 at 17:15
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    @Ramhound: The limitation has nothing to do with the license. – SLaks Jan 04 '13 at 17:26
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    @SLaks it has something to do with License. MS limits the usable RAM per license value: http://www.geoffchappell.com/viewer.htm?doc=notes/windows/license/memory.htm although the 32Bit Windows can use more than 4GB with PAE. – magicandre1981 Jan 04 '13 at 19:10
  • @SLaks - While I would agree with your statement it also comes down to the 32-bit license. Instead of trying to explain that, while its possible to FORCE a 32-bit Windows operating system to use more then 4GB the license itself does not allow it and certainly not possible with a kernel hack. – Ramhound Jan 04 '13 at 20:36

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http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-hardware/not-showing-all-ram-in-win7-he-32-bit/5ab5c647-8a50-40d0-9fc6-f9db813a66a4

32-Bit releases do not have the ability to utilize more than the 3.75GB of RAM. This is due in part to other hardware components (such as the video card) utilizing some of the RAM, as well as a limitation within the architecture itself. Nothing can be done to increase the amount of usable RAM short of installing a 64-bit version of the OS.

Kruug
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    I disagree slightly. A 32 bit release **with PEA** could address more. However in the case of win7 32 bit this is true. – Hennes Jan 04 '13 at 17:29