Solved Interesting observation regarding Hardware reserved

whs

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My Hardware reserved RAM allocation is 2MB in Windows 7 and 770MB in Windows 8 on the same PC. I wonder why.

2011-10-06_0016.png2011-10-06_0013.png
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
Windows 8 must have some significant memory management changes in it, I'd assume. Also does your PC have both integrated graphics and a dedicated card? I'm thinking that that could cause something like that if switching the OS caused it to switch back to the integrated and use your RAM as VRAM.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4790k @ 4.6 GHz
    Motherboard
    MSI Z97 U3 Plus
    Memory
    8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon R9 285 (2 GB GDDR5), and Intel HD 4600
    Sound Card
    Integrated HD audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS VW246H 24.6 inch
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 (natve)
    Hard Drives
    512 GB Crucial SSD (SATA-III)
    PSU
    800W NZXT PP-800
    Case
    CoolerMaster HAF 932 Advanced Edition (Steel fulltower)
    Cooling
    Liqtech 240
    Keyboard
    Razer Lycosa
    Mouse
    Logitech G35
    Internet Speed
    11 Mbps download
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG free (and common sense :P)
It's at least curious !
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10.0.10122
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    My Build - Vorttex Ultimate
    CPU
    Core i7 @ 4500 MHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS Z87-Plus
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 @ 1822 MHz (OC)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R9 280X 3GB @ 1180 / 6800 MHz
    Sound Card
    7.1 HDA
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD LG 22" + CRT LG 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1760 x 1320 / 1280 x 960
    Hard Drives
    1 x 240 GB SSD (System)
    3 x 500 GB HDD (Data/Media)
    1 x 2000 GB e-HDD (Backup)
    PSU
    ThermalTake 1000W PSU
    Case
    Corsair Carbide R300
    Cooling
    Corsair H60 (Push-Pull)
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless Mouse
    Internet Speed
    60 Mbps (Down) 5 Mbps (Up)
    Browser
    IE, FF, Chrome
    Antivirus
    AVG Internet Security 2015
    Other Info
    Some wired stuff
I think it looks like they are trying to compartmentalize the windows processes a bit more, and have the necessary system processes run in an untouchable RAM partition. That would make sense, considering what they want to do with UEFI boot.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Dev Preview x64
    CPU
    i7 950 3.06GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Rampage III
    Memory
    G Skill 4GB DDR3 2000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GTX570 1.25GB DDR5
    PSU
    Antec ATX TruePower 750W
    Case
    Antec Lanboy Air Red
I have an ATI Radeon HD 2400 Pro graphics card with it's own RAM. So it could not come from there.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
I have an ATI Radeon HD 2400 Pro graphics card with it's own RAM. So it could not come from there.
That makes me all the more convinced that Microsoft are trying to reduce system RAM usage by having fixed process speeds (at least for the system processes).
Did you run both examinations at idle, with only Windows processes running?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Dev Preview x64
    CPU
    i7 950 3.06GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Rampage III
    Memory
    G Skill 4GB DDR3 2000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GTX570 1.25GB DDR5
    PSU
    Antec ATX TruePower 750W
    Case
    Antec Lanboy Air Red
Did you run both examinations at idle, with only Windows processes running?
Yeah, only the snipping tool was active.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
Yeah, only the snipping tool was active.
It's weird then that 8 was using more. I'd've expected it to use less.
Edit: Are you using W8 32bit? Says you've only got 3.3GB available to W8.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Dev Preview x64
    CPU
    i7 950 3.06GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Rampage III
    Memory
    G Skill 4GB DDR3 2000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GTX570 1.25GB DDR5
    PSU
    Antec ATX TruePower 750W
    Case
    Antec Lanboy Air Red
Yes, W8 32bit. But you got a point here. It may be using the address space for the GPU, etc.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
Ah, okay, that explains the skewed graph then. It appeared as though 8 was using more, when in fact it's using almost half as much.
Do you think you'd be able to get another shot with the 64 bit version? I wonder if there'd be a significant difference.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Dev Preview x64
    CPU
    i7 950 3.06GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Rampage III
    Memory
    G Skill 4GB DDR3 2000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GTX570 1.25GB DDR5
    PSU
    Antec ATX TruePower 750W
    Case
    Antec Lanboy Air Red
I think the mystery is solved. I had forgotten that Win8 is an x86 version. I feel like a dummy now.

I am sure in an x64 version the hardware reserved will be back to 2MBs. But I have no plans right now to redo my installation - too much invested in the current setup.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
Look at the In Use, are both on the same HDD ie do you have them dual boot?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    CP
Look at the In Use, are both on the same HDD ie do you have them dual boot?
Win8 is on a HDD all by itself and Win7 is on an SSD. They do not share the bootmgr. I switch with the BIOS boot order.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Dev Preview x64
    CPU
    i7 950 3.06GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Rampage III
    Memory
    G Skill 4GB DDR3 2000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GTX570 1.25GB DDR5
    PSU
    Antec ATX TruePower 750W
    Case
    Antec Lanboy Air Red
If I had room on my SSD, I could make an x64 dual boot there. That would be interesting to compare in performance terms. I guess I have to scout for a bigger Vertex2
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
If I had room on my SSD, I could make an x64 dual boot there. That would be interesting to compare in performance terms. I guess I have to scout for a bigger Vertex2
Yeah, although that'd be more money for you to have to spend...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Dev Preview x64
    CPU
    i7 950 3.06GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Rampage III
    Memory
    G Skill 4GB DDR3 2000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GTX570 1.25GB DDR5
    PSU
    Antec ATX TruePower 750W
    Case
    Antec Lanboy Air Red
If I had room on my SSD, I could make an x64 dual boot there. That would be interesting to compare in performance terms. I guess I have to scout for a bigger Vertex2
Yeah, although that'd be more money for you to have to spend...
LOL - at my age you do not save money - you spend it for fun things.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
If I had room on my SSD, I could make an x64 dual boot there. That would be interesting to compare in performance terms. I guess I have to scout for a bigger Vertex2
Yeah, although that'd be more money for you to have to spend...
LOL - at my age you do not save money - you spend it for fun things.
Well lucky for you! If I wanted Windows in both x86 and x64 I'd be spending my food money on it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Dev Preview x64
    CPU
    i7 950 3.06GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Rampage III
    Memory
    G Skill 4GB DDR3 2000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GTX570 1.25GB DDR5
    PSU
    Antec ATX TruePower 750W
    Case
    Antec Lanboy Air Red

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 and Windows Developer Dual efi boot
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-2600K
    Motherboard
    Asus P8P67
    Memory
    16 GB G Skill F3-10666 CL9D-4GBRL
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 6870
    Sound Card
    ATI Radeon HDMI / Realtek ALC892
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x 22" standard monitors / LG32LC56 to watch films
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x1080
    Hard Drives
    2 x OCZ Vertex2 120GB in RAID 0
    3 x Samsung103SJ
    1 x Samsung103UJ
    1 x WD3200BEVT
    1 x Hitachi5K320-160
    PSU
    Thermaltake Toughpower Cable Management 750W
    Case
    Antec 300
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-U12P SE2 and 5 120mm Case fans
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 2000
    Mouse
    Hama M3110 / Logitech M305
    Internet Speed
    16000
    Other Info
    I have also used Fedora, Suse, Ubuntu Linux
    And all other Windows from 95 to date except ME
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