8GB RAM installed Windows 8 64bit says 3.9 GBusable. Help!

[maddlo]

I recently built my computer with:

Windows 8 x64 bit
Motherboard: Asus M5A99FX Pro R2.0
CPU: AMD FX8350
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaw Series 1600MHz (2x4gb) DDR3 F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL (was on mobo's QVL)
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950

The Task Manager says that there is 4.1GB of hardware reserved memory. Is there any way to reduce this? Why does it say this?

I have tried:
1. unchecking the Maximum Memory on the advanced boot settings
2. enabling BIOS Memory Hole Remapping
3. reseating the RAM modules from DIMM1-DIMM3 to DIMM2-DIMM4(current) (dual channel)
No avail.

What puzzles me is that the very first main BIOS (version2005) screen says Total Memory: 4,000MB (1600mhz); but, it still reads both DIMM slots 2 and 4 on Advance>North Bridge settings. Why?
CPU-Z also reads both. If Windows, BIOS, and CPU-Z reads the RAM, then the RAM works fine right??

Can you guys help me solve this? I really need all my RAM to render my projects...

 

[my2cents]

Slots A2 and B2 are the correct locations for a 2 module configuration:



So, I think your reference to DIMM 2 and 4 may be a match there. So, how much memory does you HD 7950 have? Also, could you provide a screenshot of these two locations:

 

[maddlo]

gpu: 3gb

 

[my2cents]

OK, great but I really need to see this specific view as well:

 

[maddlo]

here ya go

 

[my2cents]

Ok, thanks for that! Now, here is my initial evaluation based on previous exposure to similar situations:

First off, I think it looks right because I have read an article regarding this issue and AMD has clearly stated that the "hardware reserved" area does include RAM that will be made available (eg, reserved) for the PCIe card. Read more on a similar situation here and good luck.

http://www.eightforums.com/drivers-...-11-5-gb-usable-4-5-gb-hardware-reserved.html

However, a real test would be for you to switch to integrated graphics (if you have that option) and see if that RAM gets returned to the common RAM pool.

 

[maddlo]

my mobo doesnt have integrated graphics D:
Does that mean there is nothing I can do?
Would I have to buy more RAM to make up for the "Reserved Memory"?

 

[my2cents]

my mobo doesnt have integrated graphics D:
Does that mean there is nothing I can do?
Would I have to buy more RAM to make up for the "Reserved Memory"?

No, just hold on and wait for additional responses and/or do a little bit of research on this yourself. You might also want to contact Sapphire support to confirm my suspicions are correct. In summary, I don't want you to do anything like that until you are certain that your current configuration is working correctly as designed and my assumptions really haven't been proven to be fact yet.

However, I am (fairly) certain that if you bought additional memory and configured it properly that none of the new memory would show up as (or be allocated to) hardware reserved; however, I really think your next stop should be at Sapphire support because they can definitely confirm or deny my assumptions. So, plaes contact them before you go out and spend any money.

Good luck.

my2cents

 

[maddlo]

my mobo doesnt have integrated graphics D:
Does that mean there is nothing I can do?
Would I have to buy more RAM to make up for the "Reserved Memory"?

No, just hold on and wait for additional responses and/or do a little bit of research on this yourself. You might also want to contact Sapphire support to confirm my suspicions are correct. In summary, I don't want you to do anything like that until you are certain that your current configuration is working correctly as designed and my assumptions really haven't been proven to be fact yet.

However, I am (fairly) certain that if you bought additional memory and configured it properly that none of the new memory would show up as (or be allocated to) hardware reserved; however, I really think your next stop should be at Sapphire support because they can definitely confirm or deny my assumptions. So, plaes contact them before you go out and spend any money.

Good luck.

my2cents

Alright thanks helping