Why does the computer not read the full RAM size?
Random access memory (RAM) is an integral part of the operating components of any computer, smartphone or tablet. As you know, adding more RAM is one of the simplest ways to improve your computer's performance, to some extent, being an influencing factor in operating efficiency.
Upgrading the RAM is as simple as installing the new chip in the slots on the motherboard and turning on the computer to notice the difference in speed when running multiple programs at the same time. However, sometimes after upgrading the RAM you discover that the computer did not use the total capacity of installed memory.
This problem is different from the one we talked about earlier in the topic of what to do if the computer does not read the RAM after installing it - it means here that the computer already reads the RAM but does not use it completely, for example, it uses 6 or 7 GB out of 8 GB.
This problem occurs due to many reasons related to hardware and software, and this will be explained in detail below, so read on to find out the fate of the unused part of the RAM.
Because you are using a 32-bit version of Windows - Solve the problem of not reading the full RAM on your device
This is the most common cause of this problem, as some users install a 32-bit version of the Windows operating system while the computer's processor supports a 64-bit architecture. The 32-bit version of Windows has low RAM limits, with the maximum amount of RAM supported by a 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 size of RAM you must install the same version of Windows but with a 64-bit version due to its ability to handle large sizes of RAM, or at least over 4 GB.
To check the version of the version of Windows used on your computer, right-click on the This PC or My Computer icon from the desktop and choose Properties from the list. Alternatively, if you are using Windows 10, press the Win key + the 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 in a 32-bit version and the processor supports 64-bit architecture, you will need to install the 64-bit version of Windows to solve the problem of not reading the full RAM on your device, because 64-bit Windows does not support more than 4 GB or more accurately 3.75 GB of RAM
Because some versions of Windows support a specific amount of RAM
Using the 32-bit version instead of the 64-bit version of Windows isn't the only thing that can restrict the amount of RAM available on a computer; most versions of the Windows operating system have their own limitations as well.
For example, if you're using Windows 7 Starter Edition, you'll only be allowed to use 2GB of RAM and not 4GB. Windows 7 Home Basic users can only use a maximum of 8GB of RAM, even if they are using the 64-bit version.
For a complete list of limitations on each version of Windows regarding the amount of RAM supported, see Microsoft's official Memory Limits for Windows page. Just search for the name of the version of Windows you're using on your device, and you'll know the maximum number of RAMs you can use.
In general, this is not a problem for Windows 10 users since the 64-bit version of it supports between 128GB and 6TB of RAM, a number that is somewhat far from the majority of users of this system.
It may also benefit you: - Does the increase in RAM affect the performance and speed of games in your computer?
Windows may not read the entire size of the RAM to fill the deficit of other hardware components
Other hardware components often take up a small portion of RAM in their favor in order to work more efficiently, and this happens automatically without user intervention.
To be clear, the graphics card, for example, uses part of the RAM as its VRAM to display more frames per second (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
Your computer may also allocate part of the 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 find out the volume of RAM captured by other components and the usable size of Windows, open the System window mentioned above but this time focus on the Installed memory (RAM) section where the total capacity of RAM is displayed along with usable capacity.
In the attached image, the hardware components hold 0.1 GB of RAM. This percentage may reach much more, and then you should know that most often the graphics card is the reason, and in the event that you want to solve the problem of unused RAM in Windows and make Windows use the size of the RAM completely, there is no way but to know the piece that acquires this part and upgrade it, whether the graphics card or otherwise.
It may also benefit you: - How to convert part of the RAM to a storage disk at a superstitious speed
Due to the limit on the capabilities of the motherboard
Many people lose sight of knowing the capabilities of a motherboard before upgrading any hardware because it also has its own limits, and how it doesn't connect the components to each other. If you've checked the above causes and found that they have nothing to do with the problem, you should look at the motherboard's specifications because you'll probably know the actual cause then.
All you have to do is search on the Internet with the model 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 to the bottom until you reach the Memory section where the RAM specifications that the computer can use are displayed.
For example, it tells you about the supported RAM class, whether it is DDR3 or DDR4 RAM, the highest allowable frequency, and also the maximum memory size, it may be 8, 16, 32 or 64 GB and if you use a high-class motherboard, you may find that it lasts up to 128 GB.
But keep in mind that this space cannot be used with a single RAM card; don't buy just 16GB of memory because that's the maximum motherboard but buy two 8GB RAM each.
It may also benefit you: - How to know the maximum amount of RAM supported by your computer
Because the RAM is not installed correctly
If you check the above cause and discover that your motherboard supports the specifications of the RAM card you purchased and your computer still uses a small portion of the total size, you may not have installed the chip correctly on its dedicated port.
To make sure of this, disconnect the power from the computer and then remove the side door to access the internal gear. Then remove the RAM chip and reinstall it again carefully, making sure this time that it is placed in place correctly. If not, your computer won't be able to recognize and use them.
The RAM chip may be defective
If you discovered this problem recently while the computer was using the size of the RAM completely in the past days, then here is the reason - most likely - errors and problems in the RAM chip itself, and the solution here is to replace it with another new chip.
But how do you make sure that this is true? You can use the RAM diagnostic tools that we highlighted in a previous topic entitled How to check the status of the RAM in the computer, so I suggest you review it to determine if the RAM is working properly or not.