How do I get my operating system to use all 16 GIGS of RAM?

**Ballsyone** · 11-24-11, 02:44 PM

My computer now reads 16 GIGs installed but only 7.99 GIGs available.

Windows 64 bit Home Premium.

**DJ Ms. White** · 11-24-11, 02:55 PM

Just noticed that I have the same problem. 16 gigs installed but only 12 available.

**Ballsyone** · 11-24-11, 03:36 PM

Mr. White, I think there is a program that needs to be running to take advantage of all 16 gigs. I'm making like Neo and searching for the truth.

I know it's out there somewhere...

**rush2049** · 11-24-11, 03:38 PM

Memory Limits for Windows Releases
Specifically the area about:
Physical Memory Limits: Windows 7

The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows 7.

Version	Limit on X86	Limit on X64
Windows 7 Ultimate	4 GB	192 GB
Windows 7 Enterprise	4 GB	192 GB
Windows 7 Professional	4 GB	192 GB
Windows 7 Home Premium	4 GB	16 GB
Windows 7 Home Basic	4 GB	8 GB
Windows 7 Starter	2 GB

That limit includes ram on add on cards, and cache on ANY device that needs to be addressed.
Notable things include video cards ram and sound card ram.

**DJ Ms. White** · 11-24-11, 03:39 PM

I've got Professional so...

**Ballsyone** · 11-24-11, 03:50 PM

Rush, I've got Home Premium. I'm wondering if it is a BIOS setting that needs to be addressed?

**rush2049** · 11-24-11, 04:02 PM

Ok, for ballsyone: did you subtract out the ram from your video card(s)

DJ Mr. White: where are you looking?
How do I get my operating system to use all 16 GIGS of RAM?-untitled-jpg

How do I get my operating system to use all 16 GIGS of RAM?-untitled-jpg

The red arrow is the amount of ram that is free+cached
The green arrow is the total detected by windows.

If the green arrow is the one that says 12GB then I would check your mobo specs to make sure it supports 4GB sticks in all 4 channels, or however you have your ram divided up. Some mobo manufacturers cheap out on some of the slots and don't forward high addresses for certain slots.....
Also your bios MIGHT, and thats a very slight might, have an option somewhere that is limiting you.... but highly unlikely I would say.

**DJ Ms. White** · 11-24-11, 04:07 PM

The one for Total is 16GB. The one for Available is 12GB.

**rush2049** · 11-24-11, 04:12 PM

Then your good, your system is only actively using ~4 gb and the other portion is being filled as a cache for stuff you might want to load, or is sitting free (idle waste).