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New RAM not showing up in XP

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ilovgoogle

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 2, 2009
9
0
For some reason the 4gigs of RAM I got (see here: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/53C4DDR2P4GB/) is showing up as 2.99 gigs inside of XP. Leopard shows it as 4. Windows XP is 32 BIT but with 4gigs that should not be a problem. I can't imagine Windows eating a gig either, I mean 1 entire gig is different from .10. Problem is I really need it for XP but rather then OSX to play Crysis. :) Thanks for any help!
 
I

ilovgoogle

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 2, 2009
9
0
Wait what?

Are you sure? I thought the max was 4gig? Leopard is 32 BIT and it sees it.
 
J

jon08

macrumors 68000
Nov 14, 2008
1,886
105
T

The General

macrumors 601
Jul 7, 2006
4,825
1
Tallest Skil said:
Actually, 32-bit OS' can't see more than 3GB.
Click to expand...

No, just 32-bit Windows has that limit.

32-bit Linux and Tiger work just fine with 4GB.

Cassie said:


Wait, then does that mean most G4 processors are 64-bit capable? [/obvious question]
Click to expand...

No, G4s are 32-bit, G5s are 64-bit, Core Duos are 32-bit, Core 2 Duos are 64-bit, Leopard is both.

My recommendation is installing Vista 64-bit. I use it, it is great. Way better than XP.
 
Tallest Skil

Tallest Skil

macrumors P6
Aug 13, 2006
16,044
4
1 Geostationary Tower Plaza
Cassie said:


Wait, then does that mean most G4 processors are 64-bit capable? [/obvious question]
Click to expand...

Um... Hmm... I remember the original PowerMac G5 being marketed as the first 64-bit chip... but...

Okay, let's see here. They're marketing Snow Leopard as the first true 64-bit OS. That probably means that only 64-bit Intel chips will run it, regardless of the G5's capabilities...

So Leopard (and Tiger) must be dually-compatible? Something like that. :D

Yeah, The General is all over this. Kudos.
 
D

drmemory

macrumors newbie
Jan 13, 2004
4
0
Austin, Tx
Same issue happens if you put the 4GBs in a Windows machine (as in not-Apple designed motherboard) with 32bit XP or 32bit Vista, even with 64bit CPU, you see 3-3.4GBs. The OS allows mappping the higher part of the memory for addressing the subsystems.
 
ShiggyMiyamoto

ShiggyMiyamoto

macrumors 6502a
Mar 29, 2004
620
31
Just outside Boston, MA.
Yeah. I have 4GB in my MacBook as well, and my 32 bit XP only sees 2.96GB out of my 4GB total. I have a preinstall of 64 bit Vista Home Premium (WinClone image) and when I have a larger HDD I'm going to restore it (I hope for a 500 GB SATA drive for my bday.). When you install Vista HP it takes up 10GB+ before BootCamp drivers and Windows Updates. I actually turned off updates and I deleted the ones that already downloaded, but weren't installed.

So ya, you're not gonna get more than 3 GB on 32 bit XP or Vista.

drmemory said:
Same issue happens if you put the 4GBs in a Windows machine (as in not-Apple designed motherboard) with 32bit XP or 32bit Vista, even with 64bit CPU, you see 3-3.4GBs. The OS allows mappping the higher part of the memory for addressing the subsystems.
Click to expand...

Really? My Vista Home Premium x64 (given on Apple hardware, but still) sees 3.96 GB before SP1, and after SP1 it sees all the 4GB.

Strange...
 
T

The General

macrumors 601
Jul 7, 2006
4,825
1
ShiggyMiyamoto said:
Really? My Vista Home Premium x64 (given on Apple hardware, but still) sees 3.96 GB before SP1, and after SP1 it sees all the 4GB.

Strange...
Click to expand...

That's because you're running a 64-bit version of Windows Vista which supports more than 4GB of RAM. My guess is that in SP1 they just made it round up to 4GB from 3.96GB when showing how much RAM you have.
 
ShiggyMiyamoto

ShiggyMiyamoto

macrumors 6502a
Mar 29, 2004
620
31
Just outside Boston, MA.
The General said:
That's because you're running a 64-bit version of Windows Vista which supports more than 4GB of RAM. My guess is that in SP1 they just made it round up to 4GB from 3.96GB when showing how much RAM you have.
Click to expand...

Hmm Yeah. Probably. Remember though, I'm not running it at the moment. I have it installed, though cloned to an image for when I have enough HDD space for it.
 
eXan

eXan

macrumors 601
Jan 10, 2005
4,738
134
Russia
Tallest Skil said:
Um... Hmm... I remember the original PowerMac G5 being marketed as the first 64-bit chip... but...

Okay, let's see here. They're marketing Snow Leopard as the first true 64-bit OS. That probably means that only 64-bit Intel chips will run it, regardless of the G5's capabilities...

So Leopard (and Tiger) must be dually-compatible? Something like that. :D

Yeah, The General is all over this. Kudos.
Click to expand...

Cassie was talking about G4...

And are you saying that Snow Leopard won't run on Core Duos? >.>
 
Markov

Markov

macrumors 6502
May 18, 2007
399
0
Philadelphia
All 32-bit OS's can address 4 gigs of ram WHICH INCLUDES GPU ram as well as another component that uses some sort of memory (I forget what it is) and then the system random access memory.

Vista 32-bit will recognize whatever is installed but only use what it can (which is dependent on how much GPU memory you have. XP 32-bit will only recognize only what can be used.

Leopard is BOTH 64-bit and 32-bit and can address what a pure 64-bit OS can address, such as anything greater than 2.98-4 gigs.

Snow Leopard will be a pure 64-bit OS, or so we are told.
 
erikpmort

erikpmort

macrumors regular
Oct 4, 2006
122
0
yeah dude i'm in the same boat as you. got 4 gigs in my imac for crysis!!! wowowowo best game ever and it only sees 2.96. wishi i could get a better video card :)
 
S

sonicwind

macrumors member
May 17, 2008
85
0
There's something else going on with the Macbook Pro not showing (or using) the full amount of ram possible. I'm only showing 3GB in XP. I wonder if the the fact that there is 768mb total video ram has something to do with the shortage?
 
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