Precision M90 support for 4Gb memory

The chipset cannot fully use 4G of RAM because of the way it is designed, that much is correct.

 

You need an Intel 965 chipset to have that option - the older 945 does not.

 

so, what are you are saying is that Dell lied. There is no 4Gb support like it was said in the pub, sheets, etc of this laptop.

 

Can I get my money back?

No, there IS support for 4G - the system will take 2X2G soDIMMs.  It's Intel's design that prevents the full use of the last half gig or so.

 

Every single Dell system sold in the last few years has a disclaimer that though 4G is supported, less RAM than that will be available - so no, you haven't a case.

 

Never saw that 'note' on memory I'm afraid. I never liked those small notes that no one notices. But it's my fault that I didn't read those notes. Why trust Dell? Should have read all that small notes.

 

I'll not bye Dell again for my company and will not recomend them to my partners and clients. It's the only thing I can do now.

 

thank you for your responses.

You can call Dell and ask, but you'll almost certainly get nowhere.

 

Just want to add that Dell mentioned the following:

 

“The total amount of available memory will be less than 4GB. The amount less depends on the actual system configuration. To fully utilize 4GB or more of memory requires a 64-bit enabled processor and 64-bit OS.”

 

This is a little misleading since it implies that running a 64-bit OS on the M90 will allow you to fully utilize 4GB or more of RAM.

I'm sure the Intel 945PM chipset has support for 4Gb of RAM because I test it on another Laptop. Only GMS supports 3GB max.

 

The M90 comes with the Mobile Intel 945PM Express. So, still wondering... 

 

You are correct that the mobile 945 supports 4G.  It will, because it does NOT support memory remapping, not release all 4G for use by the system.

 

Which operating system?  With service pack 1, even 32-bit Vista will report all 4G as present (though it still doesn't have all 4G available for use).

Maybe I wasn't explicit. The laptop of my college has the Intel 945PM chipset and reports 4Gb in his 64bit OS.

 

I will put Linux, but my college has Vista 64bit SP1 (the without SP1 doesn't)

As above, Vista with SP1 will read all four gigs, even if it isn't using all of that RAM. 

 

The hardware limitations of the chipset remain - it uses part of the RAM for internal bookkeeping purposes, so you cannot use all four gigs for the system itself, regardless of what the OS supports.

 

Ok, I gess I will put the 4Gb to have dual channel in the second memory bay even if I only get 3.2Gb.

 

Thank you for you reply's  

 

Hi,

I have a Dell M90 which I use for 3d CAD

CAN ANYONE WHO HAS FIXED THIS PLEASE HELP ME

I have 4GB installed, but only 2GB is visible... and this is in Win7 64Bit!!??

I have installed 64 bit Windows7 to try and correct this. But the problem still persists.

- However, I do know that users who have reported this problem have managed to get 3.25 GB of memory available. How?

I cant seem to get more than 2GB visible to the desktop, which is really annoying as my 3D CAD uses tonnes of memory!!

I have completed all of the windows updates, but I still have a problem. I am unsure what to do, as I think that I have the latest BIOS (rev AO8) and the memory that I have put in there should be fine.

I really need to access 4GB to use the system for CAD, as it was intended.

Can anybody please help?

Kind regards, Bid