Incorrect RAM size detected on Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit

Question

I use windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. I have installed a 2GB and two 1GB RAM on my computer, all in all 4GB, but my computer tells me that I have only 3GB all in all. It's as if the computer is registering the two 1GB sticks as only 2x 500MB.

Why is my computer showing and reacting as if I have only 3 gb when I personally have installed 4GB of RAM?

Answer 1

In Windows, part of the memory may be allocated to internal graphics card.

• “Hardware components often use some of your internal system memory (RAM) for themselves. [...]”

Another solution is to enable Memory Reamp.

• “I have recently bought a dell studio 1555 with 4gb ram. But the total usable ram is only 2.96 gb and the ramaining is reserved [...]”

• Another example.

Or maybe you have mistakenly installed x86 instead of x64.

• “I recently upgraded my computer's RAM to 4 GB. My 32-bit Windows installation shows only 3574 MB of the memory. [...]”

• 3 GB barrier article on Wikipedia