Only 3.2GB RAM usable (64Bit Windows 10)

[harrykirkby]

My girlfriends laptop has 8GB RAM installed, it's a HP Probook 455 G1 with the AMD A4-4300M processor. It came with Windows 8 but has been upgraded to Windows 10, however the 8GB RAM is not usable.

In task manager, only 3.2GB is availible. The rest of the RAM is showed as 'Reserved', however it is detecting all 8GB. I have reseated the RAM, restarted, updated to the latest BIOS, to no avail. Suggestions?

[CF4]

Hi

it maybe that some is reserved for any onboard graphics.

I lose about a gig to mine, your scenario does seem excessive though.

[GPU-2]

HI.

Your RAM memory or other system resources
(Harware) of the computer take part of the memory for exclusive use, preventing the operating system access to them, although it seems a bit excessive if the memory frequency is correct, you should not worry, since it has 8 GB running.

Regards.

[harrykirkby]

But it's not accessible therefore makes having 8GB pointless as I may as well have had 4GB, right? Surely that can't be the only answer and there must be a way to use the entire amount of RAM you pay for?

[GPU-2]

Do not lose it because it is used, in the same way, even if it does not appear in your system, you work with 8GB.

[harrykirkby]

I don't really understand how I'm working with 8GB RAM when I only have 3.2GB available to me? Correct that the system has 8GB installed, but if I cannot use all of this 8GB RAM, or at least 90% of it, for actual day to day program consumption when using my PC, surely this should be sold as 3.2GB RAM?

I've got a home desktop with 16GB RAM, that uses 61.2MB reserved. So clearly this issue is not the case on all PC's globally and is specific to my laptop (and many other HP laptops it seems), suggesting the issue is certainly in a hardware/BIOS limitation.

So if someone can help by providing a solution for removing this silly cap/reducing this so I'm not getting less than 40% of the RAM (as if it's being reserved... i.e. unusable by the consumer, it's clearly not usable) I paid for that'd be appreciated.

[Huffer]

Well yes so far the information provided has not been good. The video should not grab over half the memory. And you are correct that only the memory shown as available by Windows will actually address and run the OS and programs so effectively you have less than 4 gigs of RAM. Now, let's get down to brass tacks. Please identify the memory you have installed. Was it all HP original memory or is some added? If so please ID the actual modules installed. You also see a screenshot above from the BOOT advanced options in task manager. Let's just look and see if maybe a maximum memory amount is set there. 

[harrykirkby]

Hi Huffer,

The RAM itself is stock RAM that came with the machine. Please see the photo attached for the RAM ID's, it's AData RAM.

Also see attached a screenshot of the msconfig Advanced Options, unfortunately when ticking and unticking the RAM options for Maximum Memory, both result in 3.2GB RAM being utilized.

Your help would be appreciated, the BIOS config itself has a horrendously basic setup, so basic it doesn't qualify for 'Basic' so very little options to modify.

[harrykirkby]

Following on from this, I'll list what I've done to attempt to resolve the issue:

• Reset BIOS configuration to defaults.
• Updated BIOS to latest stable version.
• Reset Windows 10 to default settings.
• Re-installed Windows on new hard drive/SSD.
• Re-intsalled all respective drivers through HP SoftPaq.
• Installed AMD drivers directly from SoftPaq, no luck.
• Changed RAM consumption in msconfig.

And here I am!

[Huffer]

This is a puzzler and should not be happening. The memory is identical sticks and compatible specs. 

All I can suggest is the registry edit outlined here. This clears out the page file. You have already done the other two things he suggests. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFK2eB51_Ss

Also do a hardware diagnostic tap esc as you power up then F2 and test to see if the RAM modules throw off any errors. 

Lastly you say you reseated the memory but did you swap it in the slots?