4GB Hardware Reserved under Windows 7

GEC: Discuss gaming, computers and electronics and venture into the bizarre world of STGODs.

Moderator: Thanas

Post Reply
User avatar
paladin
Jedi Master
Posts: 1391
Joined: 2002-07-22 11:01am
Location: Terra Maria

4GB Hardware Reserved under Windows 7

Post by paladin »

For some reason, Windows 7 on my home computer has 4GB of ram as Hardware Reserved and I don't know why. I did a Google searched and tried several suggested solutions to fix the problem. I have updated the BIOS, disabled the onboard audio, and cleared the maximum memory in System Configuration in order to fix the problem. Each time I restart the computer after making the fix, the total memory in Resource Monitor would show total memory as 15.9 GB. However, the next time I started the computer again, the total ram will only be 11.9 GB.

My computer's hardware configuration is: Asus Sabertooth 990FX motherboard, an AMD FX8150 cpu, and an Intel 520 120GB SSD. It uses Windows 7 Home Premium with 16 GB of ram installed.

Any ideas from the board would be very appreciated.
"Single-minded persistence in the face of futility is what humanity does best." Tim Ferguson
User avatar
Dominus Atheos
Sith Marauder
Posts: 3900
Joined: 2005-09-15 09:41pm
Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: 4GB Hardware Reserved under Windows 7

Post by Dominus Atheos »

What video card do you have?
User avatar
paladin
Jedi Master
Posts: 1391
Joined: 2002-07-22 11:01am
Location: Terra Maria

Re: 4GB Hardware Reserved under Windows 7

Post by paladin »

Dominus Atheos wrote:What video card do you have?
PNY NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT.
"Single-minded persistence in the face of futility is what humanity does best." Tim Ferguson
User avatar
phongn
Rebel Leader
Posts: 18487
Joined: 2002-07-03 11:11pm

Re: 4GB Hardware Reserved under Windows 7

Post by phongn »

A quick Googling showed all sorts of issues with that mainboard and RAM; you may have to RMA it.
User avatar
Irbis
Jedi Council Member
Posts: 2262
Joined: 2011-07-15 05:31pm

Re: 4GB Hardware Reserved under Windows 7

Post by Irbis »

Is that Windows 32 bit version or 64 bit version?
User avatar
General Zod
Never Shuts Up
Posts: 29205
Joined: 2003-11-18 03:08pm
Location: The Clearance Rack
Contact:

Re: 4GB Hardware Reserved under Windows 7

Post by General Zod »

Irbis wrote:Is that Windows 32 bit version or 64 bit version?
Since the 32-bit version won't detect more than 4gb of ram, it's safe to say 64.
"It's you Americans. There's something about nipples you hate. If this were Germany, we'd be romping around naked on the stage here."
User avatar
Irbis
Jedi Council Member
Posts: 2262
Joined: 2011-07-15 05:31pm

Re: 4GB Hardware Reserved under Windows 7

Post by Irbis »

General Zod wrote:Since the 32-bit version won't detect more than 4gb of ram, it's safe to say 64.
That is incorrect. Win 32 bit can detect more than 4 gb, it can't address more that 4 gb, unless you add something like PAE or AWE (without going into too much details). My first, probably wrong guess was that the OP uses 16 GB PAE and last 4 GB are eaten by memory allocated to other stuff, like graphic card. My second guess would be that 4 GB are assigned to graphic card as extra memory, but then, OP said he checked BIOS thoroughly. Beyond that, there is too little data for further guesses.
User avatar
phongn
Rebel Leader
Posts: 18487
Joined: 2002-07-03 11:11pm

Re: 4GB Hardware Reserved under Windows 7

Post by phongn »

Irbis wrote:
General Zod wrote:Since the 32-bit version won't detect more than 4gb of ram, it's safe to say 64.
That is incorrect. Win 32 bit can detect more than 4 gb, it can't address more that 4 gb, unless you add something like PAE or AWE (without going into too much details). My first, probably wrong guess was that the OP uses 16 GB PAE and last 4 GB are eaten by memory allocated to other stuff, like graphic card. My second guess would be that 4 GB are assigned to graphic card as extra memory, but then, OP said he checked BIOS thoroughly. Beyond that, there is too little data for further guesses.
Non-server versions of 32-bit Windows will not address more than 3.25GB even if PAE is enabled. DMA uses the upper memory addresses (which in a 64-bit processor and a 64-bit OS is well beyond any presently feasible amount of physical RAM).
Post Reply