HP Omen Max 16 Ram issue

[Deltaromeoone]

Hi,

I have only had my laptop for a few days now and it should have 32gb of DDR5 Ram at 5600 MT/s. However, when I am on task manager its says i can only use 15.8gb of ram ( it states 32gb above this, top right of the window). Below the graph it’s. Says ‘committed is 12.9/26.8 and that that hardware reserved is at 16.2. 
There is nothing in the bios that allows me to adjust this and run, msconfig wont allow me to change anything due to bitlocker. 

My main game is DayZ and the CPU and GPU are running at around 30/40% with the RAM at 96% with some stuttering. I think this is down to the RAM!

Can i change the RAM settings so that 32gb is being used instead of the 15.8gb?

[Max3Aj]

@Deltaromeoone, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
I understand how frustrating it must be to see only 15.8 GB of usable RAM out of 32 GB on your new HP Omen. Let's walk through what’s likely happening and how to fix or clarify it.

What’s Likely Happening

When Task Manager shows:

• 32 GB installed
• 15.8 GB usable
• Hardware Reserved: 16.2 GB

…it usually means a large portion of RAM is being reserved by the system—often due to:

1. Integrated GPU memory reservation (especially on hybrid graphics systems like Intel + NVIDIA).
2. BIOS/UEFI settings allocating memory for hardware.
3. Memory remapping disabled (rare on modern systems).
4. Faulty RAM detection or configuration.

Steps to Troubleshoot and Fix

Check BIOS Version and Settings

• Restart your laptop and press F10 repeatedly to enter BIOS.
• Look for any settings related to "UMA Frame Buffer Size", "Integrated Graphics", or "Memory Remapping".
• If available, reduce the reserved memory or enable memory remapping.
• If no such options are visible, proceed to the next step.

You can update BIOS using HP Support Assistant or manually at Official HP® Support

Update BIOS and Chipset Drivers

Outdated firmware or chipset drivers can cause incorrect memory allocation.

• Download and install the latest:
  • BIOS update
  • Intel chipset drivers
  • Intel Management Engine Interface (MEI)
  • NVIDIA graphics drivers

Check msconfig (System Configuration)

You mentioned BitLocker is preventing changes. Here's a workaround:

• Press Win + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
• Go to the Boot tab → click Advanced Options.
• Ensure "Maximum memory" is unchecked.
• If it's greyed out due to BitLocker:
  • Suspend BitLocker temporarily:
    • Open Control Panel > BitLocker Drive Encryption
    • Click Suspend Protection
  • Make the change in msconfig.
  • Reboot and re-enable BitLocker.

Check RAM in System Information

• Press Win + R, type msinfo32, and press Enter.
• Look for:
  • Installed Physical Memory (RAM)
  • Total Physical Memory
  • Available Physical Memory

This helps confirm if Windows is recognizing all 32 GB.

Run HP Diagnostics

To rule out hardware issues:

• Restart and press Esc → then F2 for HP UEFI Diagnostics.
• Run the Memory Test.

Regarding DayZ Performance

If RAM usage is at 96% while CPU/GPU are underutilized, it’s likely due to:

• Limited usable RAM (as you suspected).
• Background apps consuming memory.
• Game settings or mods causing memory spikes.

Once the full 32 GB is usable, performance should improve significantly.
 

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support