Random access memory (RAM) is an integral part
of the operation of any computer, smartphone, or tablet device. As you know,
adding more RAM is one of the simplest ways to improve your PC's performance,
to some extent, being a factor in operating efficiency.
Upgrading the RAM is as simple as plugging the
new chip into the slots on the motherboard and turning on the computer and
you'll notice the difference in speed when you're running multiple programs at
the same time. However, sometimes after upgrading the RAM you discover that the
computer has not used the total amount of installed memory.
This problem is different from the one that we
talked about previously on the topic of what to do if the computer does not
read the RAM after installing it - what is meant here is that the computer
actually reads the RAM but does not use it completely, for example, it uses 6
or 7 GB out of 8 GB.
This problem occurs as a result of many reasons
related to hardware and software, and this will be explained in detail in the
following, so continue reading to find out the fate of the unused part of the
RAM.
Because you are using a 32-bit version of Windows
This is the most common reason for this
problem, some users install the 32-bit version of the Windows operating system
while the computer processor supports 64-bit architecture. As the 32-bit
version of Windows has low RAM limits, the maximum amount of RAM supported by
the 32-bit version of Windows XP and even Windows 10 is only 4 GB.
This means that if you have 8GB of RAM, for
example, your computer will only use half. To take advantage of the total
amount of RAM, you must install the same version of Windows but the 64-bit
version because it can handle large amounts of RAM, or at least more than 4 GB.
To check the version of Windows on your
computer, right-click on the This PC or My Computer icon from the desktop and
select Properties from the menu. Alternatively, if you are using Windows 10,
press the Win key + letter X together, and from the menu that will appear on
the screen choose System and you will get a window with basic information about
the device and the version of Windows.
Now focus on the System Type part. If you
discover that the Operating System is a 32-bit version and the processor
supports 64-bit architecture, you will need to install the 64-bit version of
the Windows version to solve the problem of not reading the entire RAM on your
device, because 64-bit Windows does not support more than 4 GB, or more
precisely, 3.75 GB of RAM
Because some versions of Windows support a certain amount of RAM
Using the 32-bit version of Windows instead of
the 64-bit version of Windows is not the only thing that can limit the amount
of RAM available on the computer; Most versions of Windows have their own
limitations as well.
For example, if you are using Windows 7 Starter
Edition, you will only be allowed to use 2 GB of RAM and not 4 GB. Windows 7
Home Basic users can only use a maximum of 8GB of RAM, even if they are using
the 64-bit version.
For the full list of limitations for each
version of Windows regarding the amount of RAM supported, see the official
Memory Limits for Windows page from Microsoft. All you have to do is search for
the name of the Windows version you are using on your device and you will know
the maximum amount of RAM allowed.
In general, this is not a problem for Windows 10 users since the 64-bit version of it supports between 128 GB and 6 TB of RAM, a number somewhat far from the majority of users of this system.
Windows may not read the entire amount of RAM to fill in other hardware components
Other hardware components often take up a small
amount of RAM in order to run more efficiently, and that happens automatically
without user interaction.
And to be clear, the graphics card, for
example, uses part of the RAM as video memory with Vram in order to display
more FPS even though it comes with its own video memory. Especially when there
is only an internal graphics card and its size is small, the device allocates
part of the RAM to work with the internal graphics card
The computer may also allocate a portion of RAM
to other components such as a network card or sound, whenever it finds that
these components need their own memory to provide better performance.
To see how much RAM is taken up by other
components and how much is usable by Windows, open the above System window but
this time focus on the Installed memory (RAM) pane where the total amount of
RAM is displayed alongside Usable Capacity.
In the attached image, we find that the
hardware components hold 0.1 GB of RAM. And this percentage may reach much more
than that, and then you should know that mostly the graphics card is the cause.
on this part and upgrade it, whether the graphics card or something else
Because of the limit imposed on the capabilities of the motherboard
Many people forget to know the capabilities of
the motherboard before upgrading any hardware component because it also has its
own limitations, and how not to connect the components together. If you have
checked the previous reasons and found that they are not related to the
problem, then you should look at the specifications of the motherboard because
most likely you will know the actual cause then.
All you have to do is search on the Internet
for the make or model of the motherboard used in your device to know the model
of the motherboard and then visit its page on the official website and then go
to the Specifications section to view the specifications, now scroll down until
you reach the Memory section where it is displayed Specifications of the random
memory that the computer can use.
For example, it tells you the category of
supported RAM, whether it is DDR3 or DDR4 RAM and the highest allowed
frequency, and also the maximum memory size, it may be 8, 16, 32, or 64 GB and
if you are using a high-class motherboard you may find that it lasts up to 128
GB.
But keep in mind that this space cannot be
utilized by a single RAM stick; Do not buy only 16 GB of memory because this is
the limit for the motherboard, but rather buy two 8 GB RAM sticks.
Because the ram is not installed correctly
If you check for the previous reason and find
that the motherboard supports the specifications of the RAM chip you purchased
and yet the computer is still using a small portion of the total size, you may
not have installed the chip correctly on its port.
To check, unplug the computer and remove the
side door to access the internal hardware. After that, remove the RAM chip and
install it again carefully, making sure this time to put it in place correctly.
If not, the computer will not be able to recognize and use it.
The RAM chip may be defective
If you discovered this problem recently while the computer was using the entire amount of RAM in the past few days, then the reason is - most likely - there are errors and problems in the RAM chip itself, and the solution here is to replace it with another new chip.