TweakVista memory error

from Stardock Forums
I just downloaded TweakVisa onto my new Asus notebook. It has 4gb memory, but TweakVista reports that it has only one! (Not even close!)

Incidentally, Everest and Vista Computer Properties think I have 3gb and SiSandra thinks I have 2gb.

So far three strikes--but there is a winner...the System Bios recognizes all 4gb. (According to Asus, this notebook can handle up to 8gb.)

So, in order of accuracy:

1. Bios (4gb .. correct!)
2. Everest and Vista Properties (tied) (3gb close!)
4. TweakVista (1gb not even in the ballpark) The big loser!

BTW: I am not sure if I will be able to get back here if anyone asks questions. I am not happy with all the stuff that Stardock installed onto my computer, and I intend to remove it all right away.
4,581 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I am not happy with all the stuff that Stardock installed onto my computer

Minor unrelated sidenote.... Stardock didn't install anything on your computer - you did    

...and now back to your regular scheduled complaint/rant

WindowBlinds - Free yourself of the default settings, customize your desktop.
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
TweakVista is a 32 bit program so it can't correctly address the 4GB. That's also why Everest and Sandra report the wrong amount. To get them to report the correct amount, you need to use 64 bit versions of the applications if they exist.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
The initial system assessment is run on first install, and it's possible that if the assessment has not been run since then it is just recording the amount of memory that was installed at the time. If so, the assessment should be re-run.

If the computer is running a 32-bit OS, then it will only be able to address a certain amount of memory - 4Gb minus however much space is taken up by hardware devices for "address space". For example, if you have a 512Mb video card, that 512Mb of onboard memory needs to be "mapped" into the address space - and if there is system RAM there already, it will be unmapped, effectively rendering this memory useless. The BIOS will still report it, but it will not be accessible to the operating system, because the hardware devices take precedence. In one extreme case a person had bought a "fully loaded" system that only had 1.75Gb of usable memory even though it had 4Gb of RAM modules installed, because of all the video cards and other that he had. Usually it's closer to 1Gb. There's more information here.

64-bit operating systems have a far, far larger address space so this is not an issue.