I bought  another 4GB of RAM for my Desktop with which i already have a 2GB in it and I know that my motherboard can handle up to16GB. But when I checked the DxDIag, It's just showing that I have only 3GB total Physical memory RAM.

Is there something I can do to get the rest of them to show up?

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System Information
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Time of this report: 10/28/2008, 21:55:24
       Machine name: GEORRIE
   Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.080814-1233)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: GBT___
       System Model: NVDAACPI
               BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5400+,  MMX,  3DNow (2 CPUs), ~2.8GHz
             Memory: 3072MB RAM
          Page File: 316MB used, 4640MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
    DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
     DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

From Previous Dxdiag:

System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 10/16/2008, 04:53:26
       Machine name: GEORRIE
   Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-215
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: GBT___
       System Model: NVDAACPI
               BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5400+,  MMX,  3DNow (2 CPUs), ~2.8GHz
             Memory: 2048MB RAM
          Page File: 585MB used, 3354MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
    DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
     DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

Sorry... the 3.something GB RAM limit is because of XP.

You need to move to a 64bit OS to use more than 4GB (minus a bit).

Either save the RAM for later (after you've installed a 64bit OS) or sell it to someone.

There is a boot.ini parameter that will let you use up to the video memory handles (3.5ish GB).

WARNING! Incorrectly changing your boot.ini file can cause your computer to fail to boot.

to add the parameter:

make a copy of c:\boot.ini and call it c:\boot.bak

• right-click the original c:\boot.ini and turn off the "read only" flag
• open the file and add
  /3GB
  to the end of the boot line that coresponds to your XP install
• save the file
• set the "read only" flag again
• reboot

If you are unsure what to alter post your boot.ini here and I'll modify the line for you.

It's okay then and thanks since I wouldn't be able to use a total of 6 GB of RAM, I just returned it to the Store. I forgot about that Windows XP 64-bit that should be used to have a RAM higher than 3GB. Thanks again. Plus I dont think they sell those 64 bit anymore too TOOPID MS!!!! GRRR!!!

To add to this thread, I have a 64bit OS with 8gig of Ram.  I cannot get Mxo to use more than 1.4 gig...  I think its a product of a 32 bit application running on a 64 bit OS.. I also have a 2gig ddr5 vid card that is hardly working to render mxo.

Strykre wrote:

...I cannot get Mxo to use more than 1.4 gig...  I think its a product of a 32 bit application running on a 64 bit OS..

correct

Strykre wrote:

I also have a 2gig ddr5 vid card that is hardly working to render mxo.

I'd bet I could change that

Strykre wrote:

To add to this thread, I have a 64bit OS with 8gig of Ram.  I cannot get Mxo to use more than 1.4 gig...  I think its a product of a 32 bit application running on a 64 bit OS.. I also have a 2gig ddr5 vid card that is hardly working to render mxo.

You are correct (well, from what I remember right now lol).  Regardless of being 64bit OS, any 32bit app that runs is limited to 2GB of memory.

phi: Thinking about it, isn't /3GB the one that bumps this up? I get that and /MAXMEM= confused.

/3GB only affects the OS's memlimit. 32bit apps are still restricted to 3.5GB max due to the memory addressing structure.

The OS being able to use up to 3.5GB means that you can have more programs loaded before needing to use the swap file.

Incidentally, two other things about the 3GB threshold:

1) Your motherboard may have a setting for "Software Over 3GB Remapping".  You can try enabling that to see if there is a difference.  All it will do is try to shift the registers around to fool the machine (but I bet this doesn't help the OS if you're on XP).

2) With Vista, I still had problems with it only seeing part of my RAM...and Vista Service Pack 1 fixed it.