you may be running the 32 bit version of Windows. open the control panel and from there open "system". if it says 32 bit version of windows, then you won't be able to see all 8GB. About 3.5 is as much as you'd see. With your integrated video card sharing the memory, that would be why you only see 2.9ish.
The good news is that that laptop can use the 64 bit version of windows. the bad news is you'll have to get it from somewhere and then install it. If you choose to go that route, I'd recommend upgrading the disk to an ssd while your at it. They don't cost much but can dramatically up the performance. I put a Samsung EVO 850 in my sons 3700. Made a big difference. More than when I put in 8GB of ram.
About half way down it tells you how to get the software from Microsoft.
The 3700 I have is currently running windows 8. I have a new ssd coming tomorrow and will do a fresh Windows 10 install. The only thing that may give problems is the video drivers. There are no official ones on the Dell page but I found one that works with Windows 8 64 so I'm hoping it works on 10.
If I have any hang ups, I can report back here how I got around them.
So, bad news. I tried every trick up my sleeve and researched every corner of the internet I know of. There is no video driver for Dell's 330m hybirid nvidia setup on the 3700 (plus a few others) for Windows 10. I tried forcing the issue with the windows 8 driver. It started installing and halfway through, when driver installs usually flicker, this one just went to a black screen. Rebooting it had the same result.
Bottom line, if Dell doesn't upgrade its 5 year old driver for a 5 year old laptop, it's not going to work. And I wouldn't hold my breath.
The good news. If you don't need or care about the nvidia 330m, windows 10 works fine. It will install the intel video driver on its own and give you full resolution. There were a couple drivers I had yet to chase down in the device manager but everything was working besides the nVidia.
If you need the 330m as I do, it works fine under Windows 8.1 64 bit. That's how I had it before and just kept it that way after the hard drive I installed. I only use this PC for my 7 year old to play Minecraft and a few other small games. Windows 10 is not a deal breaker for that. Windows 8.1 gives me the parental controls I need so I'll stick with that on there.
Hope you come up with a solution. Let me know if I can help you further.
Many thanks for all your advice and help, I have just purchased a SSD you recommended and have decided to install my Win 7 Pro 64bit. Hopefully this will pick up my 8GB of Ram that installed many moons ago.
rolandk10
4 Posts
0
March 16th, 2016 11:00
you may be running the 32 bit version of Windows. open the control panel and from there open "system". if it says 32 bit version of windows, then you won't be able to see all 8GB. About 3.5 is as much as you'd see. With your integrated video card sharing the memory, that would be why you only see 2.9ish.
The good news is that that laptop can use the 64 bit version of windows. the bad news is you'll have to get it from somewhere and then install it. If you choose to go that route, I'd recommend upgrading the disk to an ssd while your at it. They don't cost much but can dramatically up the performance. I put a Samsung EVO 850 in my sons 3700. Made a big difference. More than when I put in 8GB of ram.
rolandk10
4 Posts
0
March 16th, 2016 17:00
Since you are using an activated copy of windows 10, you should be able to upgrade it to 64 bit. I've never done that but I found this page:
http://www.howtogeek.com/228042/how-to-switch-from-32-bit-windows-10-to-64-bit-windows-10/
About half way down it tells you how to get the software from Microsoft.
The 3700 I have is currently running windows 8. I have a new ssd coming tomorrow and will do a fresh Windows 10 install. The only thing that may give problems is the video drivers. There are no official ones on the Dell page but I found one that works with Windows 8 64 so I'm hoping it works on 10.
If I have any hang ups, I can report back here how I got around them.
rolandk10
4 Posts
2
March 19th, 2016 19:00
So, bad news. I tried every trick up my sleeve and researched every corner of the internet I know of. There is no video driver for Dell's 330m hybirid nvidia setup on the 3700 (plus a few others) for Windows 10. I tried forcing the issue with the windows 8 driver. It started installing and halfway through, when driver installs usually flicker, this one just went to a black screen. Rebooting it had the same result.
Bottom line, if Dell doesn't upgrade its 5 year old driver for a 5 year old laptop, it's not going to work. And I wouldn't hold my breath.
The good news. If you don't need or care about the nvidia 330m, windows 10 works fine. It will install the intel video driver on its own and give you full resolution. There were a couple drivers I had yet to chase down in the device manager but everything was working besides the nVidia.
If you need the 330m as I do, it works fine under Windows 8.1 64 bit. That's how I had it before and just kept it that way after the hard drive I installed. I only use this PC for my 7 year old to play Minecraft and a few other small games. Windows 10 is not a deal breaker for that. Windows 8.1 gives me the parental controls I need so I'll stick with that on there.
Hope you come up with a solution. Let me know if I can help you further.
Alistairr24
4 Posts
0
March 16th, 2016 12:00
Yes running I am 32bit Windows 10, do you think I could get away with downloading a 64bit version from MS?
I have been thinking about a SSD are that much quicker?
Cheers
Alistairr24
4 Posts
0
March 17th, 2016 14:00
Yes just found the same site, going to give it ago, let me know how you get on with ssd and what model is it? As I may follow in your foot steps
rolandk10
4 Posts
0
March 17th, 2016 18:00
I ordered a 250 GB Samsung Evo 850. I've used 3 or 4 of them of varying sizes on other PC's. You can't go wrong. Bought it from Amazon.
I'll let you know how the setup goes in the next day or two.
Alistairr24
4 Posts
0
April 5th, 2016 11:00
Many thanks for all your advice and help, I have just purchased a SSD you recommended and have decided to install my Win 7 Pro 64bit. Hopefully this will pick up my 8GB of Ram that installed many moons ago.
Cheers