has my 64bit os not been using all my RAM??

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  1. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
       #1

    has my 64bit os not been using all my RAM??


    I have a 32bit cpu core 2 duo e7500 2.93Ghz, but in windows 10 32bit I couldn't use over 4GB of RAM.
    so I did what anyone would do and downloaded windows 10 64bit! For months I have been enjoying games and the new experience with 6 GB of usable RAM, or so I thought! I read that physically the 32bit processor can only access 2^32 bytes of RAM/4GB so has my OS been tricked? it does say I have a x64 based processor when it isn't 64bit (after updating OS) so is ALL the RAM been used by games such as minecraft? or is the OS expecting that it SHOULD be used as i have a "x64 based processor" and then not actually taking advantege of the 6GB???

    thanks for helping!
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  2. Posts : 29
    windows 10
       #2

    According to this site, you have a 64bit processor. Where'd you get the idea it was 32bit?
    Intel Coreā„¢2 Duo Processor E7500 (3M Cache, 2.93 GHz, 1066 MHz FSB) Product Specifications
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  3. Posts : 14,009
    Win10 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home, Win7, Linux Mint
       #3

    To add, a 64-bit CPU can run either a 32-bit OS or a 64-bit OS but a 32-bit CPU can run only the 32-bit OS. I have a couple of 64-bit capable computers running 32-bit Windows with 4GB RAM but they don't display all 4GB, about 3.5GB in System info, it's a limitation of the OS. And there has been no problems with that.

    Windows may not show using all the RAM at any particular time, uses what it needs for whatever is being done. I never worry about the amount of RAM being used except when there's not enough to do whatever project I'm working on. The first upgrade I had to do on my first computer in '92 was to go from 4MB to 8MB in Win3.11 when WordPerfect had to use the swapfile to do an 8th or 9th page of a document, much slower back then. Hardly ever see the Paging File/Virtual Memory [same as the swapfile on older 16-bit and 32-bit Windows] giving a problem with the faster computers.
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  4. Posts : 186
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #4

    Like Berton said, if you have a pc that's newer you really shouldn't have to worry about running out of ram.
    If you're pc has 16GB's or more you're absolutely fine for the next 5-10 years.
    It's not like 1992-1995 when pc's came with MB's of ram.
    My old 486 had 8MB's of ram. I upgraded it to 24MB's. It ran Windows 95.
    Both my current pc's are at least 200% faster than that pc was.
    This pc is atleast 80% faster than my other pc.
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  5. Posts : 233
    Windows 10 pro on both
       #5

    What motherboard do you have? is Bios fully updated
    If the mb is G31 Based it's capped at 4gb
    If the mb is Q45 Based it's capped at 16gb

    Higher number of G and P series cap at 8gb
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  6. Posts : 233
    Windows 10 pro on both
       #6

    How many DIMM slots does your mobo have? if you have 2 slots your prob capped at 8gb if you have 4 DIMM slots your def not capped at 4gb
    But if your MB only has 1 DIMM slot my guess is your capped at 4gb, but you said you have 6gb so you prob have 2 slots
    1x4gb and 1x2gb is prob what your using so depends on what series mb you have cpu-z will tell you everything if you do not know
    Thank you

    Last thing i seem to remember that this CPU supports both ddr2 and ddr3 Ram "not at the same time" but not 100% sure someone else might know, the intel page does not say or i missed it somewhere.
    I mention this because if your using ddr2 and the cpu supports ddr3 ram, you could buy a mb with ddr3 slots and enjoy faster speeds, if you can find one LGA775 mb with ddr3 slots.

    I have 2 LGA775 boards not sure if they work any more but they were good boards.
    Last edited by kimkl; 22 Apr 2017 at 22:54.
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  7. Posts : 19,518
    W11+W11 Developer Insider + Linux
       #7

    Amount of RAM recognized by MB (and OS by same extension) could be seen in BIOS. Some MBs may recognize 4GB sticks as only 2GB or 8GB as only 4GB.
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  8. Posts : 1,255
    Windows 10 Pro
       #8

    When running a 32 bit OS on a 64 bit CPU you could very easily get the impression that it was a 32 bit CPU. Environment variables, the registry, and various other locations will all identify the CPU as x86 - a 32 bit CPU. This is not a bug. This is by design.

    A 64 bit capable CPU has 2 operating modes, 32 and 64 bit. There are more but they are not relevant here. While running a 32 bit OS the CPU runs in 32 bit mode. In this mode it operates exactly like a 32 bit CPU with all of it's 64 bit capabilities hidden away. This is necessary because a 64 bit CPU operating in it's native mode is an alien environment in which a 32 bit OS and applications could not operate. The CPU identifies itself as 32 bit because for all practical purposes that is what it is. If the CPU identified itself as 64 bit some 32 bit applications might be confused and not operate properly.

    Only when running a 64 bit OS is the true nature of the CPU revealed. But to 32 bit applications it is still seen as a 32 bit CPU with no 64 bit capabilities. This is for compatibility reasons.

    A 64 bit CPU has a special instruction that will identify it's 64 bit capabilities while in 32 bit mode. This is used by the OS and system information utilities.
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  9. Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       #9

    Instead of all the conjecture going on, why not just look and see what the OS says is available for RAM? Click on the start icon and type msinfo. System Information desktop app should appear at the top of the list. Click on that. Near the bottom of the System Summary screen will be the memory information.

    And also, to the OP - you have a 64-bit processor. You can't run Windows 64-bit on a 32-bit processor.
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  10. Posts : 2,662
    W10 Pro (desktop), W11 (laptop), W11Pro (tablet)
       #10

    The bottom line is that if you're running 64-bit Windows, then you definitely have a 64-bit processor.
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