XPS 13 Ultrabook - 690 MB Hardware Reserved RAM

Hi Sudipta,

The XPS 13 systems are shipped out with Intel graphics cards which use some amount of the memory. Please check in BIOS to verify if the system has 4GB of memory is installed.
To access BIOS,

1. Power off the computer
2. Restart the computer and press ‘F2’ on the Dell logo.
3. On the BIOS screen, look for ‘Extended Memory’, it should show 4096MB since you have 4GB memory installed on your computer
   
    
   
   
   
4. System Memory will show the RAM used by the graphics card.
5. Press ‘F10’, choose ‘Yes’ to exit BIOS screen

If you want to use the full 4GB, then perform the following steps:

1. Click Start, type ‘msconfig.exe’ in the Search for programs and files box (without the parenthesis)
2. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue
3. You get ‘System Configuration’ dialog box
4. Select the ‘Boot’ tab
5. Click ‘Advanced Options’
6. Uncheck the ‘Maximum Memory:” option
7. Click OK and OK again
8. Then restart the computer

Please reply if you have any questions.

Yeah - I have the same stuff displayed in my BIOS as you have shown. Whats weird is that if system memory is the graphics RAM really - and thats ~600KB - then whats eating up the 690MB memory that gets labelled as "Hardware reserved".

I tried what you said. It does just the opposite - my RAM now falls to 2.8GB from 3.3GB :(

Can you show a screenshot of your system properties or the resource monitor - RAM tab - just to confirm that this is not an issue with just my XPS13? Thanks!

Hi Sudipta,

Thank you for your response. If BIOS is showing 4GB memory, then there is no issue with the physical memory.  Let’s try an alternate step and see if that’s resolves the issue of the memory allocation within the operating system.

1. Click Start, type ‘msconfig’ in the Search for programs and files box (without the parenthesis)
2. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue
3. You get ‘System Configuration’ dialog box
4. Select the ‘Boot’ tab
5. Click ‘Advanced Options’
   
   
    
   
   
   
6. Check the ‘Maximum Memory:” option
7. Type ‘4096’ in the box below
   
   
    
   
   
   
8. Click OK and OK again
9. Then restart the computer

Please keep me posted.

Nopes. I did this when you said in the 1st post. That reduces my usable memory from 3.3GB to 2.8GB. :(

And here's more - i ran memtest (http://www.memtest.org/) and that also shows as 3.3GB. Memtest runs at command line and in its own boot environment - not in windows. So no need of graphical memory. It shows only 3.3GB. Impossible!

Ran Ubuntu live. Shows 3.2GB. Oops! Not happening.

Finally downloaded CPU Z and tried. It shows 3.3GB and is not able to detect the individual RAM modules.

This is certainly an issue as I remember CPU Z used to show up correctly before with 4GB. This must have happened after the BIOS upgrade. I am on A07 version of BIOS and I guess that this update may be botched up.

I see that you on A00. Can you try to upgrade to A07 and check? And send me the screen shot from you system properties to see if you are facing the same?

Sudipta,

While I don't work for Dell I am a computer technician with 23 years experience. From what I've read, it doesn't sound like anything is wrong with your laptop. Many laptops are designed with a certain amount of RAM reserved for the video card & other built-in hardware / expansion slots.

For example my previous Dell was a Precision m65. I maxed out the RAM to 4 GB. The video card used 256 MB & PCI express slot had 500MB reserved even though I didn't have anything in the slot. It had roughly 756MB hardware reserved. Windows showed 3.25 GB usable RAM. Which added up together equals 4 GB total.

Likewise I updated to a newer precision last year which doesn't use any shared/reserved hardware. Therefore Windows has the full amount of RAM as being available.

As long as the BIOS shows 4 GB installed. There's nothing to worry about, the 690MB reserved is normal. No RAM is missing, it's simply reserved for video & other hardware on the laptop. Roughly 3.3 GB plus 690MB adds up to roughly 4 GB. What you're seeing is by design & isn't a hardware problem.

I hope that helps to clarify things.

Regards,

Richard B

Hi Sudipta,

Thank you for your response. The steps that were mentioned in my first post and the second post are different. I would recommend you to perform the steps in my second post and let me know the findings. 
Richard B has correctly mentioned above; if BIOS shows 4GB RAM installed, then there is no issue with the system and it would not hamper the functionality. Your system will utilize the RAM based on the system configuration and resources.

Please keep me posted.

Thanks Richard. But the fact that Memtest - which is a command line program that runs without booting into Windows shows only 3.3GB. In that case, shouldnt the memory used for graphics normally be freed up?

@Appu S - Sorry misread your post. The first suggestion wouldnt work as the box was already unticked. The second one reduced usable RAM from 3.3GB to 2.8GB. :(

I guess you are having a XPS 13 also from the screenshot in the first message. Can you please let me know if you face the same? Can you send a snapshot of 'resmon' with Memory tab selected? I want to ensure that this is not a problem with my XPS13 alone.

Hi Sudipta,

Thank you for your response. Just to clarify the things further, windows has to address and interact with the memory using the same physical memory that it uses for RAM, PCI devices and other devices (memory mapped input/output devices).
To see which hardware is reserving physical address space, go to ‘device manager’, select Resources by Connection in the View Menu, and expand the Memory node which would show the hardware devices that are using the memory.

Steps to access ‘Device Manager’:

1. Click on Start
2. Right click on Computer -> click on Properties
3. Click on ‘Device Manager’
4. Click on ‘View’
5. Choose ‘Resource by Connection’
6. Choose Memory
   
    

As long as BIOS shows 4GB installed on the computer and computer properties show 4GB installed, there is no issue with the computer. There is no way to change it.

Here is a detailed description of the terminology of the Physical memory allocation in Resource Monitor:

• Hardware Reserved: Memory that is reserved for use by the BIOS and some drivers for other peripherals
• In Use: Memory that is used by process, drivers, or the operating system
• Modified: Memory whose contents must go to disk before it can be used for another purpose
• Standby: Memory that contains cached data and code that is not in use actively
• Free: Memory that does not contain any valuable data and that will be used first when processes, drivers, or the operating system need more memory

Here is a detailed description of Resource Monitors current reported status of the installed memory:

• Available: Amount of memory (including standby and free memory) that is immediately available for use by processes, drivers, and the operating system
• Cached: Amount of memory (including standby and modified memory) that contains cached data and code for rapid access by processes, drivers, and the operating system
• Total: Amount of physical memory that is available to the operating system, device drivers, and processes
• Installed: Amount of physical memory installed in the computer

Please reply if you have any questions.

Sudipta,

Firstly about the drop in recognized RAM. Have you tried reversing the steps you did ?. Going back into system configuration - boot options. Un-check the max memory box, pressing Ok/ok, then rebooting. That should restore settings and windows should show 3.3GB again.

Typically those settings are used by developers for limiting the various resources windows uses. Not to say they can't be used for trouble shooting purposes. Generally if left alone Windows correctly runs hardware at the maximum capable. Chances are Appu-S had you adjust to check whether any built-in hardware could be freed RAM wise.  I would un-check the box & let Windows handle memory management.

The reserved system memory is hard coded i.e static. Although *sometimes* under the BIOS you can adjust the amount of RAM the video card uses. That is about the only user adjustable settings. Other times shared video memory can't be user adjusted, it all depends on the design.

As for Memtest: since the reserved memory is static i.e 690MB. The amount of RAM available for system use remains the same, roughly 3.3GB in your case. It doesn't matter whether your running Windows or using a command line application. The program will always see 4GB - 690MB= 3.3 GB. 99% of the time they will report the usable amount; not the total RAM installed. Only very low level applications such as the BIOS report 4 GB. But they don't account for the reserved ram. So 3.3 GB is more accurate since the other amount can't be freed up.

I'm on my 3rd dell precision, my current model is the first that hasn't used any reserved memory. The previously two also did & the precision line is pretty high end. I know it can be confusing when you' expect to see the total amount of RAM installed to be all usable by the computer. Other than high end laptops, that's usually not the case.

What you're seeing is normal, use of reserved memory isn't a bad thing. As long as things are running fine, I wouldn't worry too much, simply know that  3.3G is the most you'll see :) . Again I would try reverting the steps previously stated & Windows should report 3.3GB.

Richard

Thank you Richard. I was hoping my XPS13 ultrabook is high end ;)

Hi Sudipta,

Is the computer working fine as of now. Would you require any further assistance from my end?

Richard, thank you so much for your inputs and assistance.

Sudipta - Your welcome. Ultra portables will always be a balance between price & features ;)

Appu S - Glad I could help provide information & assistance to a fellow CSR/tech. Have a good shift :)

sudiptya.adhya - I also investigated this problem and found something which may interest you on another forum post. Hopefully now the cause is established we may get some more answers and a proper fix.

I have the same problem. But when I use Bios of version A04, only 114MB memory is reserved. And A05,A06,A07,A08 are all the same, 690MB. Can you tell me why?