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12GB RAM installed. Why does it show only 8GB usuable?

Computer tech said an upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit to "Ultimate" would make rest of my RAM usuable. No change. No noticeable change to system performance, just $220 down the gurgler. Anything I can do to use the extra 4GB?

 

System specs: intel core i7 920 @2.67GHz; DDR2 12GB; 64-bit operating system

Hi MeghanMcBain. Here is how to fix the issue in Windows 7 Ultimate x64 where your maximum recognized memory is capped at 8GB when performing a Windows Anytime Upgrade from any edition of Windows 7:
  1. Click Start and type in msconfig.
  2. Right click the msconfig app to run it as Administrator.
  3. Click the Boot tab, and then click the Advanced Options button. 
  4. Clear the check box next to "Maximum Memory", then reboot your computer.
Please let me know if this does not resolve the problem.
Joseph Dissmeyer | MCDST, MCSA, MCTS: Vista, Active Directory, Network Infrastructure,

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Thanks for your responses. Unfortunately Maximum Memory box was not checked. The figure "0" in the box was greyed out. No other boxes checked within the window either. Any other ideas?

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12GB RAM installed... only 8GB usuable?


Computer tech said an upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit to "Ultimate" would make rest of my RAM usuable.


This is not true - Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit supports up to 16GB of RAM, you did not need to buy Ultimate.





12GB RAM installed. Why does it show only 8GB usuable?


Are you sure the motherboard supports 12GB?

If the motherboard requires matching pairs of memory, are they all correctly paired?

The usable memory may be less than the installed memory on Windows 7-based computers:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978610




MCC 2011

TrekDozer

Sharing bits of knowledge.

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What is the make and model of your PC or is it a custom build? Home Premium uses all 16 GB on mine fine. 

I upgraded to Ultimate anyway.

Check to see if there is a BIOs setting.

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Strikes me that the difference between installed and usable is more than you'd expect to find used by the hardware - but perhaps it's been configured in the BIOS to allocate to my graphics card?? I haven't tried a restart yet and checked BIOS. Got to get the kids to bed first. My motherboard is a Gigabyte EX58-UD4P. Supposed to be one of the best for a high performance machine.

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Your motherboard is not the problem as it supports up to 24 gb:
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=2986#sp

How many memory sticks and what sizes are they?

Check your BIOS. Type Sysyem Information in the Search Box above the Start button and press the ENTER key. What BIOS make and model? Compare to next link:
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=2986&dl=1#bios

Note a number of the BIOS updates reference memory so an update could help if your BIOS has not previously been updated.

Gerry
Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, England
Enquire Plan Execute

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System Info:

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
Other OS Description  Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name THE-DESIGN-BUS
System Manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model EX58-UD4P
System Type x64-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU         920  @ 2.67GHz, 2664 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Award Software International, Inc. F6, 26/02/2009
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale Australia
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7601.17514"
User Name The-Design-Bus\Meghan McBain
Time Zone AUS Eastern Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 12.0 GB
Total Physical Memory 8.00 GB
Available Physical Memory 6.05 GB
Total Virtual Memory 16.0 GB
Available Virtual Memory 13.8 GB
Page File Space 8.00 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

My BIOS has not been updated since I was on Vista.

F13 from Bios upgrade list you provided looked like it'd be a good option. Do you agree? Do I download and install the Asia version? - seems to be the closest to Australia.

Again, thanks so much for your assistance!

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Custom build. System info report above. I looked at BIOS but didn't know what to look for. I'm not familiar with BIOS stuff at all. Any help with what to look for would be appreciated. :)

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F13 from Bios upgrade list you provided looked like it'd be a good option. Do you agree? Do I download and install the Asia version? - seems to be the closest to Australia.

Yes and Yes.

http://www.gigabyte.com/webpage/20/HowToReflashBIOS.html

 

Gerry
Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, England
Enquire Plan Execute

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Last updated April 16, 2024 Views 10,367 Applies to: