DDR3 RAM question

[FOOKz™]

ok running 32-bit Windows XP Professional, ASUS motherboard with 8 slots for RAM.

The computer normally uses 2GB DDR3 RAM 'stock'. I filled all the slots in my computer's ram slots totaling 16GB RAM.

I check my computer's properties and its only using 3GB out of 16GB??? Why is that?

[1TONpete]

Im not sure about xp but I think all 32 bit operating systems have a limit on the ram. To see anything over 3gb you need a 64bit operating system.
Yeah confirmed ram limit on all 32 bit operating systems. XP included. I'm surprised you didn't know about this Fookz.

[Rodent]

yea that is true will only show up to 3gb even with all the updates, thats all mine shows and I have over 4gb of ram

[FOOKz™]

cool, because i had a few gaming PCs that my friend and i are tinkering around with and we wanted to try and put all the ram in 1 computer lol XD

[jacobia jacob]

32 bit os will limit you to about 3.5gb of ram. my question would be why do you have a mobo with 8 ram slots and end up running 32 bit windows xp?

[FOOKz™]

i built my PC 3 years ago. i bought the most expensive motherboard at the store ($120) because i knew i could upgrade it later on through the years because it needs expansions. I got my ram from someone's trash (not even kidding, they are basically retarded)

But i hated the fact operating systems were so expensive i just got XP because it was cheaper than windows vista by a long shot. i just use my computer for acad/ms word/ms excel/portfolio/chatting/surfing the web/modding and stuff like that.~I know computers can be used for much more but yeah i don't put a lot of time in software for it.

im not a PC gamer and never really will be unless there is a really good game that appeals to me.

my motherboard has on-board VGA video out, on-board HD audio, 8 sata ports, 8 ram slots(2 of them are yellow colored). its a pretty small computer... it doesn't have a DVD or floppy drive in it.

[hyper999]

32bit allows for 4gb ram including that of the video card.

[Crumbz]

Hey! I have Windows 7 (32 bit version) and was wondering would any of you know if it's possible to upgrade to a 64 bit version of Windows 7 by formatting it with the disc? or is it hardware related too?

(and thanks for the info guy's cuz that explains why my computer only uses 3GB of my 4 GB of ram.)

[jacobia jacob]

it's very possible assuming you have the 64 bit disc. just backup whatever files you want to save beforehand, put in the 64 bit windows 7 install disc and reboot. should be mostly self explanatory from there.

[Dcofer]

Hey! I have Windows 7 (32 bit version) and was wondering would any of you know if it's possible to upgrade to a 64 bit version of Windows 7 by formatting it with the disc? or is it hardware related too?

(and thanks for the info guy's cuz that explains why my computer only uses 3GB of my 4 GB of ram.)

you should be able to order a 64-bit install disk form microsoft to upgrade fro myour windows 7 32-bit to windows 7 64-bit.  I did it for vista and it cost like $10.  I will have to find the page again.  you can always email them and they should be able to answer for sure.  Of course  I had bought Vista seperate from the pc so I had its cd-key which I think you need.

[1TONpete]

You can install 64bit windows 7 on a windows machine and it will install fine and it will automatically save your old windows files in an old windows folder. No need to format or backup . As windows will do all that for you.
If your asking if you can use 32bit windows disc to format and install 64bit windows , no this won't work. You need windows 7 64bit disc. If you need help getting a valid copy of win 7 64 bit pm me , I can help.

[Crumbz]

well i have both the 32 and 64 bit discs for windows 7 (it came with both when i bought windows 7)

thankx for the info all!