Windows 10: 8 GB RAM installed but only 3.23 GB usable

Discus and support 8 GB RAM installed but only 3.23 GB usable in Windows 10 Drivers and Hardware to solve the problem; I have recently upgraded to Windows 10 Home from Windows 7 Home. And I replaced my 4 RAM sticks with 8 GB RAM but my system shows : Installed memory... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Drivers and Hardware' started by vedaban, Sep 26, 2015.

  1. vedaban Win User

    8 GB RAM installed but only 3.23 GB usable


    I have recently upgraded to Windows 10 Home from Windows 7 Home. And I replaced my 4 RAM sticks with 8 GB RAM but my system shows : Installed memory (RAM): 8.00 GB (3.23 GB usable). Please advise if anyone knows how to fix this.


    8 GB RAM installed but only 3.23 GB usable [​IMG]


    :)
     
    vedaban, Sep 26, 2015
    #1

  2. 8gb ram installed only 3.44 gb ram usable

    See these steps:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-ie/help/978610...

    If any of the options do not help,

    You might have to fiddle up with BIOS settings to lower down the physical memory reserved for the graphics driver.
     
    Sumit Dhiman2, Sep 26, 2015
    #2
  3. 8gb ram installed only 3.44 gb ram usable

    Hi Dimitris. I'm Greg, a volunteer installation specialist and 8 year Windows MVP, here to help you.

    Test your RAM with memtest for 6-7 passes:
    http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram...


    Try changing RAM slots to compare.

    Contact the new RAM support to have them help test it and possible replace.

    I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and let us know how it goes. I will keep working with you until it's resolved.
     
    Greg Carmack - Windows MVP, Sep 26, 2015
    #3
  4. Antilope Win User

    8 GB RAM installed but only 3.23 GB usable

    I would try several things.

    -First, make sure you have loaded the latest bios to the laptop from the Sony site. Go into the bios menu and see if all 8mb of ram are recognized there.

    -Make sure each of the two memory simms are correctly seated and installed.

    -Remove one memory simm and boot the computer to see if the single memory simm is recognized.
    If it is recognized, remove that simm and now boot with the second simm alone. This will test to see
    if possibly one simm is bad. Also try each, single simm, in the other memory socket to possibly see if one simm socket is bad.
     
    Antilope, Sep 27, 2015
    #4
  5. Dude Win User
    Follow Antilope's post and post a screen shot of your resource monitor memory tab.
     
  6. PaulGo Win User
    I don't think the memory would be bad since the OS recognizes 8GB but show 3.23GB usable. I would look under System Configuration, chooser the Boot tab then choose Advanced Options then look at maximum memory. I once had a similar problem running Windows 7 and the only way I could correct it was by putting a value of the correct maximum memory in the box and then saving that entry.
     
    PaulGo, Sep 27, 2015
    #6
  7. Simple Win User
    I have a similar problem with HP ENVY M6 notebook. if I install Windows 32bit I only get 4GB ram available but 986MB usable.. I then kept downgrading the BOIS from F.26. The only one that gave me around 3GB is F.12.

    By the way, I have reported this issue to HP support last year. Alas, HP has not released a fixed BIOS yet.

    I would advice you try the various BIOS versions to see if one would work. Also, state your computers brand, model and configuration so that other with similar setup may share their experiences.
     
    Simple, Sep 27, 2015
    #7
  8. vedaban Win User

    8 GB RAM installed but only 3.23 GB usable

    My Laptop Specs:
    MODEL: SONY VAIO F Series VPCF135FG
    CPU: IntelR
    CoreTM i5-560M Processor 2.66 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 3.20 GHz
    GRAPHICS: NVIDIAR GeForceR 310M GPU with 512 MB VRAM

    BIOS is up to date and recognizes all 8 GB of RAM.
    Both memory sticks are correctly seated and installed.
    Both the sockets are OK, because, if I put back my old 2 sticks of 2 GB each, they work perfectly fine at their full capacity of 4 GB.
    But as soon as I install the new sticks 2 X 4 GB , only 3.23 GB is usable.
    If I install only one 4 GB stick, the computer does not boot at all, which ever slot or stick I use.
    But if I install one of my old 2 GB sticks, the computer does boot and the memory shows 2GB.

    I also tried under System Configuration, Boot Tab, Advanced Options, maximum memory by changing the value to 8192 MB but in vain.


    8 GB RAM installed but only 3.23 GB usable [​IMG]
     
    vedaban, Sep 27, 2015
    #8
  9. Kanata Win User
    If the BIOS shows the full size but Windows does not, then it's likely a problem with Windows. I am assuming that the RAM is fully compatible with your hardware and that both sticks are identical.
    Download the utility CPU-Z and see how that interprets your RAM and the individual RAM sticks.
    If you can, run a Linux live disk and check the memory from there. This will doubly prove the fault is in Windows or not.
     
    Kanata, Sep 27, 2015
    #9
  10. Antilope Win User
    It's interesting that one stick of 2mb ram will boot the computer, but one stick of 4mb ram will not. There may be a hardware compatibility issue between your Sony laptop and the 4gb ram. Are you sure this 4gb ram simm is the exact recommended ram for this laptop?

    What is the brand name and model number of the 4gb ram?
     
    Antilope, Sep 27, 2015
    #10
  11. vedaban Win User
    I did some research prior to purchase but I am not very confident about its compatibility although the manufacturer says it is compatible with all i5 processors.

    CORSAIR VENGEANCE CMSX8GX3M2B1866C10 DDR3L
     
    vedaban, Sep 27, 2015
    #11
  12. Antilope Win User
    In looking up the specs for the ram, it seems to be what is recommended for the Sony Vaio VPCF135FG judging by what others are selling as ram upgrades for it.

    But still, not being able to boot from a single stick of the 4gb ram doesn't seem right. There must be some hardware incompatibility and the laptop is only recognizing 2gb of ram from each of the 4gb simms. Why, I don't know, but that seems to be what is happening.


    CORSAIR VENGEANCE CMSX8GX3M2B1866C10 DDR3L

    DDR3L

    SO DIMM 204-pin
    1600 MHz /

    1.35 / 1.5 V


    Brand
    CORSAIR

    Series
    Vengeance Performance

    Model
    CMSX8GX3M2B1866C10

    Details

    Capacity
    8GB (2 x 4GB)

    Type
    204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM

    Speed
    DDR3L 1866 (PC3L 15000)

    Cas Latency
    10

    Timing
    10-10-10-32

    Voltage
    1.35V

    Multi-channel Kit
    Dual Channel Kit
     
    Antilope, Sep 27, 2015
    #12
  13. 8 GB RAM installed but only 3.23 GB usable

    Cluster Head, Sep 27, 2015
    #13
  14. vedaban Win User
    I have another spare hard disk with windows 7 loaded. I swapped it today and tried to test my new ram sticks on it but it is all the same as in Windows 10. Hence proved that there is no problem with the Windows 10 operating system.

    So, the question of compatibility gets more and more serious.
     
    vedaban, Sep 27, 2015
    #14
  15. vedaban Win User
    I even had a discussion with CORSAIR Customer care guys, but they are damn confident about its compatibility. After asking some specific technical questions to me they confirmed that the new RAM sticks are not faulty.
    They claim that the problem lies with Windows 10 or Sony Vaio. How convenient !
     
    vedaban, Sep 27, 2015
    #15
Thema:

8 GB RAM installed but only 3.23 GB usable

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