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Questions about GIGABYTE products => Motherboards with Intel processors => Topic started by: Aounty on July 05, 2010, 10:20:29 am

Title: 4GB only 3GB usable on G31M-ES2L
Post by: Aounty on July 05, 2010, 10:20:29 am

Hello
I'm running windows7  64-bit on G31M-ES2L

Bios version is F10

i have 2 sticks of 2GB on the board but only 3GB is usable.

is there anything i need to change in my BIOS setting to enable 4GB?

Title: Re: 4GB only 3GB usable on G31M-ES2L
Post by: absic on July 05, 2010, 10:33:53 am

Hi,

Although Windows is reporting that only 3 Gb is usable, are you seeing all 4 Gb's during POST when you first power up your PC?. 
A quick glance through the manual for your Mobo doesn't show any settings that you can make in BIOS they all seem to be read only when it comes to memory so, I don't think there is anything you can do there.


Windows always takes a certain amount of RAM for it's own uses. Also, if you are using On-Board graphics rather than a dedicated card, then I think the system will take some RAM for this (not certain about this on Intel but it certainly does on AMD systems and maybe Dark Mantis will correct this if I am mistaken) which maybe the reason you can only use 3Gb's.

Title: Re: 4GB only 3GB usable on G31M-ES2L
Post by: Dark Mantis on July 05, 2010, 11:19:24 am

When you look at your "System Properties" what amount of memory does Windows report there? As absic115 says if you have onboard graphics a certain predetermined amount will be reserved for that.

Title: Re: 4GB only 3GB usable on G31M-ES2L
Post by: geronimo on July 05, 2010, 12:50:56 pm

Like the previous posts state, a 32bit operating system will address 4GB of ram, but because of the fixed hardware critical addressing structure, you'll only get a marginal physical use of any ram over 2GB. Most simple hardware configurations will have the use of 3.5GB. Read this: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/hiltonl/archive/2007/04/13/the-3gb-not-4gb-ram-problem.aspx

Title: Re: 4GB only 3GB usable on G31M-ES2L
Post by: Dark Mantis on July 05, 2010, 01:35:25 pm

Quote from: geronimo on July 05, 2010, 12:50:56 pm

Like the previous posts state, a 32bit operating system will address 4GB of ram, but because of the fixed hardware critical addressing structure, you'll only get a marginal physical use of any ram over 2GB. Most simple hardware configurations will have the use of 3.5GB. Read this: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/hiltonl/archive/2007/04/13/the-3gb-not-4gb-ram-problem.aspx

The OP states quite clearly the he is running Windows 7 64 bit not 32 bit.

Title: Re: 4GB only 3GB usable on G31M-ES2L
Post by: geronimo on July 05, 2010, 02:18:46 pm

OOPS! My Bad! Some motherboards require you to turn on a memory remap feature. Look for one in your bios. Are you using on board graphix?