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Question

Windows 7 64-bit cannot always use all of my RAM (intermittent problem)

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I have recently upgraded my computer from a dual core CPU and motherboard to an i7 processor with 4GB of DDR3 RAM. During the upgrade, I completely replaced every component of the system except the computer case.  Ever since I upgraded; the system has mapped 2 GB of the RAM as "hardware reserved" every other time I boot up. This is a very consistent problem and only occurs every other time I boot up. When it sees all of the RAM, it simply functions normally, but the computer is a lot faster. I can get it to see all of the memory simply by rebooting the computer, but this is a major inconvenience. This IS a 64 bit version of Windows 7.
I am using an Asus motherboard, and 4GB of DDR3 RAM. I have already tried re-installing the operating system; which did not resolve the problem. I have also tried re-seating the RAM several times. I have had similar problems with earlier version of Windows. 
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IDWMaster

IDWMaster

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Hi IDWMaster,

There could be two possibilities with this issue.
1. May be the maximum memory is not enabled in the BIOS.
2. Maximum memory is not configured in advanced boot options.

BIOS.
You can check with your BIOS manufacturer, about how to enable the maximum memory.

Check the advanced boot options.
1. Go to Start, in the search bar type msconfig and press enter.
2. System Configuration window will open on the screen.
3. Click on tab named "boot".
4. Click on "Advanced Options" and uncheck the box for "Maximum Memory".

To use full 4 GB of RAM on your computer follow the below steps:

1.    Click Start  and type msconfig.exe

If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue.

2.    You get System Configuration dialog box.

3.    Select the ‘Boot’ tab.

4.    Click Advanced Options.

5.    Uncheck the ‘Maximum Memory:” option.

6.    Click OK and OK again.

Now, you should be able to use full 4 GB RAM on your computer.

Also, check if you’ve allocated an amount of physical memory dedicated to something else or the memory remapping might not be enabled in BIOS.

Enabling the BIOS REMAP MEMOR function may fix this issue.

Thanks and Regards:
Shalini Surana - Microsoft Support.
Visit our  Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

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Vaseem Ahmed

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Vaseem Ahmed
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The maximum memory option was already unchecked, and memory re-mapping was enabled. I just upgraded my BIOS, which may fix the problem. It's an intermittent issue, so it will take a few days without problems to verify that it has been resolved; although it's no longer doing it every other time. I will mark this as an answer if this issue no longer reoccurs by Saturday. I also installed the IDW Diagnostics Toolkit; which is 3rd-party software that is supposed to diagnose memory problems, and it has not found any issues so far.
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IDWMaster

IDWMaster

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OK. This did NOT resolve the problem, now the computer keeps rebooting itself at random times, and the IDW Diagnostics Toolkit returned the following error code:


The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck.  The bugcheck was: 0x0000001a (0x0000000000041201, 0xfffff680000b10b8, 0x86b000000a8ab867, 0xfffffa800721a620). A dump was saved in: C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP. Report Id: 031210-20264-01.

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IDWMaster

IDWMaster

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Hi IDWMaster,

There are a few other posts very similar to your issue that I've linked below:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itproinstall/thread/d2352537-dfc5-4265-87ff-eb47dcbe8b93

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7hardware/thread/a4a65931-55bc-4891-818c-fe23ed825e88

Hope this helps!

Debra
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer
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Debbie_H

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Debbie_H
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Debbie
http://browseryoulovedtohate.com/

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This still doesn't explain why the computer keeps randomly rebooting. Sometimes it boots into Windows and then the CPU completely freezes after Windows boots up (meaning that the display is still on, but there is no I/O activity on the CPU)
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IDWMaster

IDWMaster

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Hi IDWMaster,

It sounds like your drivers need to be updated.  You can either go to the manufacturer's website for your video card, motherboard, etc. to get the latest updates or you can use Windows Update:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/windows-update

Hope this helps! 

 

Debra
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer
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Debbie_H

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http://browseryoulovedtohate.com/

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