8GB of RAM installed but only 4GB usable? :: Hardware and Operating Systems

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Holding These Alligators Down Aug 3, 2018 @ 12:43pm

8GB of RAM installed but only 4GB usable?

In my system info it says i have 8GB of RAM but only 4 is usable. In task manager it says I only have 4GB of RAM too.
Why has this happened and what do i do to fix it?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Last edited by Holding These Alligators Down; Aug 3, 2018 @ 12:50pm

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Showing 1-12 of 12 comments

mtono Aug 3, 2018 @ 12:50pm

do you have a 32 bit version of an operating system?
you need 64 bit to be able to use your 8 gb of ram.

Holding These Alligators Down Aug 3, 2018 @ 12:50pm

Originally posted by professor pilz:
do you have a 32 bit version of an operating system?
you need 64 bit to be able to use your 8 gb of ram.

I have 64. It used to use all 8 so I don't know what's happened.o

Last edited by Holding These Alligators Down; Aug 3, 2018 @ 12:51pm

mtono Aug 3, 2018 @ 12:52pm

one of your ram sticks( iguess you have two) maybe defective...if you have two try using only one of them at a time. so you can test them.

Holding These Alligators Down Aug 3, 2018 @ 1:51pm

I tried making my pc use all available memory in command prompt and enabling all cores and max memory but that didn't work so now I'm doing a system reset. If that doesn't work I'll open it up and make sure everything is connected properly which is the last thing I wanted to do cuz I don't really know what I'm doing.

If that wasn't obvious before.

Last edited by Holding These Alligators Down; Aug 3, 2018 @ 1:51pm

Viper Aug 3, 2018 @ 2:00pm

This more than likely means that one of your Memory modules ( ram sticks) is not being seen . reseating them could fix it. But also one memory module might have failed. Try taking your case cover off. Make sure your PC is powered off an unplugged. Remove the memory sticks one at a time and reseat them in the slot. You do this by pushing the tabs at each side of the slot down. Take the memnory module out and then push them back into the slot until they click in place.

Last edited by Viper; Aug 3, 2018 @ 2:01pm

Keith Aug 3, 2018 @ 2:21pm

Originally posted by ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Van Damme Is The Man.:
I tried making my pc use all available memory in command prompt and enabling all cores and max memory but that didn't work so now I'm doing a system reset. If that doesn't work I'll open it up and make sure everything is connected properly which is the last thing I wanted to do cuz I don't really know what I'm doing.

If that wasn't obvious before.

Taking the advice you've been given would be far less disruptive than what you're suggesting.

Holding These Alligators Down Aug 3, 2018 @ 3:03pm

I did a reset and task manager still saus I have 4GB of RAM.
I love pc gaming.

Omega Aug 3, 2018 @ 5:42pm

Can you take a screenshot of the task manage? You can upload it to Steam as artwork or on Imgur.

There is usually a lot of confusion around available RAM etc..

Last edited by Omega; Aug 3, 2018 @ 5:48pm

-=SOF=-WID99 Aug 3, 2018 @ 5:46pm

check your systen bios settings does your bios see 8 gig ?

what motherboard do you have ?

what ram is installed ?

yea you could have a bad ram chip or slot or ram that will not run on your board

Last edited by -=SOF=-WID99; Aug 3, 2018 @ 5:52pm

Aliquis Freedom & Ethnopluralism Aug 3, 2018 @ 6:12pm

Not really PC gamings fault that either of:
1) Your RAM isn't seated properly.
2) It's broken.
... though sure you kinda can blame that.
or:
3) You run 32 bit Windows.

Since you say 3 isn't true reseat the RAM sticks (you said reset not sure what you mean with that.) If you can't get it to work whatever then I guess one RAM stick is broken.

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