Vaio AR31S and 4 GB of RAM

[cubalibre]

Just bought a Sony Vaio AR31S with 4 GB RAM and Vista Ultimate (32 bit Version) installed. Whereas the Sony Control Center recognizes all 4 GB of RAM, my Bios and Vista only recognize a total of 3 GB installed physical RAM. Anybody has an idea how to solve this problem - is there a BIOS update out ?

[kee-lo_]

If there is it's on www.vaio-link.com

Nice machine BTW, probably one of the best on the market

[cubalibre]

Thank´s, well there is no recent BIOS update available on the SONY Website regarding this issue.

[seb21__]

There is no way. The OS itself can't handle more than 4GB of Ram. Subtract the RAM of your graphic card and other periphery like chipset, optical drives and so on. Everything reserved some bits below the 4GB and above from 2GB.

Accordingly to your hardware setup, you maybe get something between 3 and 3,5GB of Ram.

If you want all the 4GB of Ram, then you have to use an 64bit OS.

Just for information, the BIOS does not support 64bit. That's why it won't show all your RAM.

[cubalibre]

Even if a 32bit OS can´t handle fully 4 GB of RAM, should it not at least recognize the physically installed total RAM ?

The question is probably if the Intel 945PM chipset can support fully 4 GB of RAM. The Intel hompage says that the 945PM chipset supports max. 4 GB....so this is maybe the limitation despite 64bit OS and 64bit capable CPU.

There may be a way in Vista with the PAE mode like with windows xp, anyone knows ?

[kee-lo_]

I was always under the impression that Vista could handle 8GB RAM, as it's so hungry for RAM anyway!

[seb21__]

Even if a 32bit OS can´t handle fully 4 GB of RAM, should it not at least recognize the physically installed total RAM ?

The question is probably if the Intel 945PM chipset can support fully 4 GB of RAM. The Intel hompage says that the 945PM chipset supports max. 4 GB....so this is maybe the limitation despite 64bit OS and 64bit capable CPU.

There may be a way in Vista with the PAE mode like with windows xp, anyone knows ?

32bit OS can address up to 4GB of RAM. But some of it won't be available because of this limitation. 64bit Windows Vista is able to address alot more RAM than 4GB. And here is an example what it looks like.

I was always under the impression that Vista could handle 8GB RAM, as it's so hungry for RAM anyway!

Yes, Home Basic. Home Premium up to 16GB of RAM and the rest up to 128, if my information is correct. And yes it is hungry for RAM, but in a good way.
Unlike to Windows XP, Windows Vista is using the RAM more than pagefile.sys . And that is good. The whole system is a hell faster because of that. The startup slows down abit because Vista is loading alot stuff to Ram. But then you have a really smooth working Windows Vista. Switching between apps only takes a few seconds, even if they are minimized since hours.

Viva Multitasking

[kee-lo_]

Wow Seb your PC is a monster :smileygrin:

[seb21__]

:smileyblush:


btw, screenshot is made with Vistas Snipping Tool. Lovely thing. :smileygrin:

[kee-lo_]

They really have to copy MacOS don't they?