10GB Hardware Reserved RAM on 16GB HP Pavilion

[siva14]

I  upgraded my HP Pavilion Gaming laptop to 16GB RAM 2 years ago. Previously, the hardware reserved RAM was around 2GB. However, i noticed it has increased to 10GB recently . This seems excessive, especially considering that my integrated GPU is only using 2GB.

HP doesn't allow users to manually adjust hardware reserved RAM settings in the BIOS. I'm looking for solutions to optimize RAM usage and reduce this significant overhead. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Alden4]

Hi @siva14,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like an unusual amount of hardware reserved RAM, especially on a system with only an integrated GPU that typically wouldn't demand that much. Here are some steps to help identify and potentially resolve this issue.

Reseat the RAM

• Start with the simplest approach: power off the laptop, disconnect it, and carefully remove and reseat the RAM modules. Sometimes, improperly seated RAM can cause abnormal hardware reservation.

Check BIOS and Windows Updates

• Make sure your BIOS is up to date, as sometimes firmware updates can improve memory handling. HP typically releases BIOS updates for improved hardware compatibility and efficiency.
• Also, ensure that Windows is fully updated, as updates often include fixes for hardware management issues.

Inspect System Configuration for Memory Limits

• In Windows, go to System Configuration:
  • Press Win + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
  • Go to the Boot tab, click Advanced options, and check if the Maximum memory box is checked. If it is, uncheck it, then restart your system. This option can sometimes limit the available RAM.

Disable Integrated Graphics in Device Manager (for Testing)

• Sometimes integrated graphics can take more memory than necessary, especially if there’s a software or driver issue. Try disabling the integrated GPU temporarily:
  • Open Device Manager (search for it in the Start menu), find Display Adapters, right-click the integrated GPU, and select Disable device.
• After doing this, restart and check the hardware reserved memory. If this reduces the reserved memory, you may need to troubleshoot further with the GPU drivers.

Update or Roll Back Graphics Drivers

• Updating to the latest GPU driver or rolling back to a previous version (if the issue started after a driver update) can also help manage memory allocation.
• Use Device Manager or go directly to the GPU manufacturer’s site for the latest drivers.

[Alden4]

Run Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool

• This can help identify if there are issues with the RAM itself.
• Press Win + R, type mdsched.exe, and select Restart now and check for problems. The tool will run a diagnostic on your RAM and let you know if there’s a hardware fault that might be causing excessive reservation.

Check for Any BIOS Setting Related to Memory Allocation

• While HP typically locks down extensive memory configuration options, it's worth checking for any settings related to “UMA Frame Buffer Size” or similar terms, which might impact RAM reserved for the GPU.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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Alden4

HP Support