Available Memory

Question

Hi, I just received a new D620 with 4GB of RAM. I am aware of the WinXP memory limits, so I installed Win2003 Server SP1 on the machine. The OS still only reports 2.99GB of RAM. When I look in the BIOS, it reports 4096 MB installed and 3063 MB available with the following note:

Due to an amount of memory being assigned for system use 'Memory Available' is less than 'Memory Installed.'

Can someone please tell me why more than a Gig of RAM is being assigned for "system use????" Surely there must be some way of altering this. If not, what is the point of being able to buy the machine with 4GB of RAM in the first place??

Thanks in advance for any info.

speedstep · Answer

You need EMT64 cpu and 64 bit version of XP or 2003 This is a very old limit that has to do with 32 bit software.

todd.partridge · Answer

Thanks, but I do not think that is accurate. I currently run multiple Windows 2003 Servers on Xeon processors with 4GB of RAM. I also have a separate XP Pro box running 4GB of RAM using the /PAE switch within the boot.ini file.

This issue is at the BIOS level before I even get to the OS. If the BIOS is reporting only 3GB available, there is no way an OS is ever going to show more. Why would the the BIOS say 4GB installed, 3GB available?? Is Dell shipping a notebook which supports 4GB of RAM with a BIOS that does not??

cdobkins · Answer

I am having the same issue with an XPS M1210 that I purchased with 4GB of Memory.  The bios says that only 3GB are available.  Were you able to find any resolution on this issue?

speedstep · Answer

PAE is paging. Its not the same thing as having an EMT64 cpu with 64 bit OS. SERVER XEONS and SERVER chipsets are not the same as latitude Laptops so thats comparing apples to oranges and does not apply.

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Available Memory

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