Using Vista x64.... need a solution for my problem

Hi.

I know this question has been asked here "atleast 3 times a week * number of
weeks this newsgroup was in action" as said by someone.... but this is
strange....

I have 6 GB of RAM installed. System properties says 6.0GB installed, but
actually only 5374 MB ram is available to Windows....

Checked using Start-> type winver in search and press enter.... in the
bottom it shows 5,503,160KB available to windows.

I am using vista ultimate x64, Memory hole remap is enabled in the BIOS.
BIOS shows 6144 MB during post. Memtest 86 also recognizes 6144 MB and tests
all of it.

My board is Maximus formula, CPU - Core 2 Extreme QX9650, 6 GB RAM
installed, 8800GT 512 MB PCI E card.

More info....

under HKLM in registry->hardware->resource map->system resources->physical
memory, I checked the address range of the instaled memory, it is as follows

PHYSICAL ADDRESS
START 0x100000 Length: CFE80000
Start: 0x0000000100000000 Length: 80000000

These are HEX values, open calculator, in scientific mode, select HEX enter
CFE80000 and add 80000000 and then press DEC.... now divide by 1024 twice...
u will get the amount of RAM that is mapped in MB. it shows 5374.5 MB.

DEP is enabled, Memory Remap feature is enabled in BIOS.
I tried manually editing the Registry values for devices, jus adding
FFFFFFFF to the value in Binary, which will make the values 00000001xxxxxxxx
so that Devices are mapped from 8.0 GB and downwards, but when I restarted,
all the settings turned back to original values in registry too. I am not
able to remap the resources using device manager, on the resources TAP even
after enabling PCIPnP OS.

Wonder how I know so much things to do regarding registry n stuff? well, I
am jus saying I know my stuff.

Why this problem in Vista? I am using SP1.
I jus dont want my OS to show 6 GB RAM but use jus 5374 MB as it is
happening now.

What is the problem here? with x64 too? and all my hardware is x64 Compatible.

Got any solutions or even Ideas to try?

"broken_ninja" <> wrote in message
news:F9E0FBB2-07CC-490F-AEBB-...
> Hi.
>
> I know this question has been asked here "atleast 3 times a week * number
> of
> weeks this newsgroup was in action" as said by someone.... but this is
> strange....
>
> I have 6 GB of RAM installed. System properties says 6.0GB installed, but
> actually only 5374 MB ram is available to Windows....
>
> Checked using Start-> type winver in search and press enter.... in the
> bottom it shows 5,503,160KB available to windows.
>
> I am using vista ultimate x64, Memory hole remap is enabled in the BIOS.
> BIOS shows 6144 MB during post. Memtest 86 also recognizes 6144 MB and
> tests
> all of it.

The memory remap setting just moves the PCI reserved space out of the lower
4 GB so you can use 4 GB RAM. But it still has to appear SOMEWHERE in the
memory space. Most current 64 bit motherboards have an 8 GB address
space. It looks like the memory remap setting moves your PCI reserved
space to just beyond 4 GB. Some move it to the TOP of the 8 GB space,
so you wouldn't see this issue until you install 8 GB RAM.

There is nothing you can do about this. Any OS would see the exact same
memory map. This is not a Windows problem, and there is no solution. Put
in 2 more GB (8 GB) and you will have 7374 MB of useable RAM.

Until motherboards have an address space of 256 GB or more and remap the PCI
address space WAY UP HIGH, this will continue to be a problem.

"Bob Campbell" <> wrote in message
news:...
> "broken_ninja" <> wrote in message
> news:F9E0FBB2-07CC-490F-AEBB-...
>> Hi.
>>
>> I know this question has been asked here "atleast 3 times a week * number
>> of
>> weeks this newsgroup was in action" as said by someone.... but this is
>> strange....
>>
>> I have 6 GB of RAM installed. System properties says 6.0GB installed, but
>> actually only 5374 MB ram is available to Windows....
>>
>> Checked using Start-> type winver in search and press enter.... in the
>> bottom it shows 5,503,160KB available to windows.
>>
>> I am using vista ultimate x64, Memory hole remap is enabled in the BIOS.
>> BIOS shows 6144 MB during post. Memtest 86 also recognizes 6144 MB and
>> tests
>> all of it.
>
> The memory remap setting just moves the PCI reserved space out of the
> lower 4 GB so you can use 4 GB RAM. But it still has to appear SOMEWHERE
> in the memory space. Most current 64 bit motherboards have an 8 GB
> address space. It looks like the memory remap setting moves your PCI
> reserved space to just beyond 4 GB. Some move it to the TOP of the 8
> GB space, so you wouldn't see this issue until you install 8 GB RAM.
>
> There is nothing you can do about this. Any OS would see the exact same
> memory map. This is not a Windows problem, and there is no solution.
> Put in 2 more GB (8 GB) and you will have 7374 MB of useable RAM.
>
> Until motherboards have an address space of 256 GB or more and remap the
> PCI address space WAY UP HIGH, this will continue to be a problem.

If he has 6GB of RAM, it is pretty safe to say he has a 8GB memory space or
better. Never heard of this at 6GB.... At 4 with 32 bit, but not 6GB and
64 bit.

He should see, and be able to use 6GB without any issues, or so the theory
goes.

Unless Vista automatically does this and assumes it is on a boundary? Bug?
User info not right? ??

To me, it sounds like Vista has remapped memory in just under 4GB and not up
just under 8GB.

BTW, I have 8GB and windows recognizes it ALL. Home Premium x84 even. All
8,386,892 KB of it as available to Windows. It might be mapping memory, or
maybe I am just lucky with the extra address bits and it sits up at 16GB or
something.

"Canuck57" <dave-> wrote in message
news:5KBFj.109531$w94.86504@pd7urf2no...
> He should see, and be able to use 6GB without any issues, or so the theory
> goes.

Depends on where the "remapped memory" is remapped to!

> To me, it sounds like Vista has remapped memory in just under 4GB and not
> up just under 8GB.

Vista does not do the remapping. It's the MB/BIOS/memory controller.

> BTW, I have 8GB and windows recognizes it ALL. Home Premium x84 even.
> All 8,386,892 KB of it as available to Windows. It might be mapping
> memory, or maybe I am just lucky with the extra address bits and it sits
> up at 16GB or something.

Your MB is remapping the PCI address space ABOVE your 8 GB RAM limit. I
hope your "x84" above is x64 - if it's x86 you are not using 8 GB of RAM.

"Bob Campbell" <> wrote in message
news:...
> "Canuck57" <dave-> wrote in message
> news:5KBFj.109531$w94.86504@pd7urf2no...
>> He should see, and be able to use 6GB without any issues, or so the
>> theory goes.
>
> Depends on where the "remapped memory" is remapped to!
>
>> To me, it sounds like Vista has remapped memory in just under 4GB and not
>> up just under 8GB.
>
> Vista does not do the remapping. It's the MB/BIOS/memory controller.
>
>> BTW, I have 8GB and windows recognizes it ALL. Home Premium x84 even.
>> All 8,386,892 KB of it as available to Windows. It might be mapping
>> memory, or maybe I am just lucky with the extra address bits and it sits
>> up at 16GB or something.
>
> Your MB is remapping the PCI address space ABOVE your 8 GB RAM limit. I
> hope your "x84" above is x64 - if it's x86 you are not using 8 GB of RAM.

My x84 is really Vista Premium x86. Not sure about it being premium.

Not all mapping is BIOS, Vista has a part as does video. UMA Video...can
dynamically grab RAM - does that show as usable or get hidden and used?

Me, I wouldn't order/buy a machine with UMA/shared memory that I couldn't
fix with a video card. But curious.

"Canuck57" <dave-> wrote in message
news:EVCFj.111467$pM4.80323@pd7urf1no...
>
> "Bob Campbell" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> "Canuck57" <dave-> wrote in message
>> news:5KBFj.109531$w94.86504@pd7urf2no...
>>> He should see, and be able to use 6GB without any issues, or so the
>>> theory goes.
>>
>> Depends on where the "remapped memory" is remapped to!
>>
>>> To me, it sounds like Vista has remapped memory in just under 4GB and
>>> not up just under 8GB.
>>
>> Vista does not do the remapping. It's the MB/BIOS/memory controller.
>>
>>> BTW, I have 8GB and windows recognizes it ALL. Home Premium x84 even.
>>> All 8,386,892 KB of it as available to Windows. It might be mapping
>>> memory, or maybe I am just lucky with the extra address bits and it sits
>>> up at 16GB or something.
>>
>> Your MB is remapping the PCI address space ABOVE your 8 GB RAM limit. I
>> hope your "x84" above is x64 - if it's x86 you are not using 8 GB of RAM.
>
> My x84 is really Vista Premium x86. Not sure about it being premium.
>
> Not all mapping is BIOS, Vista has a part as does video. UMA Video...can
> dynamically grab RAM - does that show as usable or get hidden and used?
>
> Me, I wouldn't order/buy a machine with UMA/shared memory that I couldn't
> fix with a video card. But curious.

Forget me, brain is on hold today. Vista Premium x64 (as in 64 bits).

"Canuck57" <dave-> wrote in message
news:EVCFj.111467$pM4.80323@pd7urf1no...
> My x84 is really Vista Premium x86. Not sure about it being premium.

Then you are not using 8 GB of RAM. Vista 32 is limited to about 3.3 GB of
RAM. It is physically impossible for 32 bit Vista to use more than this,
regardless of your MB or BIOS or what you do or what it is reporting.
Vista 32 with SP1 will report all of your RAM, but it still will not USE it.

> Not all mapping is BIOS, Vista has a part as does video. UMA Video...can
> dynamically grab RAM - does that show as usable or get hidden and used?

MB video ram isn't "remapped", it is simply used for video, and will not be
available to Vista.

"Canuck57" <dave-> wrote in message
news:cgDFj.111918$pM4.39169@pd7urf1no...
> Forget me, brain is on hold today. Vista Premium x64 (as in 64 bits).

Ah, OK. As I said in the other reply, it is not possible for 32 bit Vista
to use more than about 3.3 GB or RAM.

If i had 8 GB and my mobo addresses 8 GB only, I can understand why i wud get
only 7374 MB ram. but the issue here is, vista x64 has not remapped the
resources for devices to the 8GB space, it is still at the 4GB and downwards
space, as a result it is gobbling up my RAM.

"Bob Campbell" wrote:

> "Canuck57" <dave-> wrote in message
> news:EVCFj.111467$pM4.80323@pd7urf1no...
> > My x84 is really Vista Premium x86. Not sure about it being premium.
>
> Then you are not using 8 GB of RAM. Vista 32 is limited to about 3.3 GB of
> RAM. It is physically impossible for 32 bit Vista to use more than this,
> regardless of your MB or BIOS or what you do or what it is reporting.
> Vista 32 with SP1 will report all of your RAM, but it still will not USE it.
>
> > Not all mapping is BIOS, Vista has a part as does video. UMA Video...can
> > dynamically grab RAM - does that show as usable or get hidden and used?
>
> MB video ram isn't "remapped", it is simply used for video, and will not be
> available to Vista.
>
>

"broken_ninja" <> wrote in message
news:EF2ABD2C-E42D-4B14-BDEA-...
> If i had 8 GB and my mobo addresses 8 GB only, I can understand why i wud
> get
> only 7374 MB ram. but the issue here is, vista x64 has not remapped the
> resources for devices to the 8GB space, it is still at the 4GB and
> downwards
> space, as a result it is gobbling up my RAM.
>
> "Bob Campbell" wrote:

Go to http://software.opensuse.org/ and download the live version and make a
CD of it. The live version will allow you to test the ystems and see how
much RAM Linux can see/use. Make sure you get the live version, it is meant
to run from the CD/DVD. You do not want to install until your sure you
want to scrap Vista.


>> "Canuck57" <dave-> wrote in message
>> news:EVCFj.111467$pM4.80323@pd7urf1no...
>> > My x84 is really Vista Premium x86. Not sure about it being premium.
>>
>> Then you are not using 8 GB of RAM. Vista 32 is limited to about 3.3 GB
>> of
>> RAM. It is physically impossible for 32 bit Vista to use more than
>> this,
>> regardless of your MB or BIOS or what you do or what it is reporting.
>> Vista 32 with SP1 will report all of your RAM, but it still will not USE
>> it.
>>
>> > Not all mapping is BIOS, Vista has a part as does video. UMA
>> > Video...can
>> > dynamically grab RAM - does that show as usable or get hidden and used?
>>
>> MB video ram isn't "remapped", it is simply used for video, and will not
>> be
>> available to Vista.
>>
>>