MBP: Upgraded ram to 4GB but shows 2.72?

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Hi guys, i have a small problem. I just upgraded my ram to 4GB on my MBP. I have windows 7 running through bootcamp. When i log in using mac OSX it shows 4GB of ram in "About this mac" But when i login through windows 7 and i right click on my computer it says "4.00GB RAM - 2.72GB Usuable". Whats that about? I have heard some could be used by a video card, but that much? And if it is then why not on the mac osX part? Thanks a lot for looking.
 
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Windows 7 x 32 bit like any other 32 bit operating system will only use approximately 3.3 GB of memory. So what you're seeing is normal. Snow Leopard is 64 bit and will use the 4 GB. If you want Windows 7 to use all of your memory, you'll have to install the 64 bit version.

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bobtomay

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Also, 'About this Mac' will report the total amount of memory in your machine whether it is used by OSX or not. To find how much is useable by your Mac, you need to open Activity Monitor and see what it is reporting.

Many older Macs can have 4GB installed but are hardware limited to less than that (my Mac is one of them). I have 4GB installed to maintain dual channel mode, but my hardware is limted to using only 3GB.
 
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so in other words its not worth upgrading to 4GB? should have just upgraded to 3GB and it will still use 2.72GB, Correct?
 
chscag

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Not necessarily. If you read what bobtomay wrote, it's important to maintain dual channel mode, thus the 2 x 2 GB modules. Without dual channel mode you lose efficiency and speed.

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Using 3Gb (2+1Gb) might even be slower than using 2x1Gb in dual channel.
 
bobtomay

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Just went and checked - your MBP can use up to 8GB.

With 4GB, 256MB of it will be used by the video card with the balance available to OS X.
Just check in Activity Monitor. It should be at 3.75 GB or somewhere around there - it's getting very confusing now since Snow Leopard has switched to using Base 10 instead of Base 2 math for reporting these things.
With a 64 bit version of Windows, you would also have use of the full 4GB minus that used by the video card.
 
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bobtomay said:
Just went and checked - your MBP can use up to 8GB.

With 4GB, 256MB of it will be used by the video card with the balance available to OS X.
Just check in Activity Monitor. It should be at 3.75 GB or somewhere around there - it's getting very confusing now since Snow Leopard has switched to using Base 10 instead of Base 2 math for reporting these things.
With a 64 bit version of Windows, you would also have use of the full 4GB minus that used by the video card.
Click to expand...

They really switched to base 10? never noticed :D

Anyway, even though the laptop may support 8gb as far as hardware goes, that doesn't mean that 32bit Windows will recognize and use it. As stated above, they will only use a little over 3gigs
 
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i see, i mean i do see a difference, its lightning fast lol. Thanks for your replies guys.
 

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