Most experts in the field of optimizing operating systems of the Windows family call one of the main problems of these OSs the inability to use the full amount of RAM installed on the computer, regardless of architecture (32 or 64 bits). The system either does not recognize memory above a certain limit (usually 4 GB in 32-bit OS), or sees the memory, but cannot work with it. How to use all the RAM, and then will be discussed. But you should immediately warn all users that you can apply some of the solutions below only at your own peril and risk.
How to find out the involved RAM?
And for starters, let's see how to find out the full amount of RAM installed and currently in use. If you look at the system properties section, which can be called up through the PCM menu on the computer icon on the “Desktop” or in “Explorer”, you will immediately notice that the description contains both the entire volume and available. Why is the available size smaller? Yes, just because in any case, the system uses part of the RAM for its own needs (for processes that just ensure the functioning of the OS itself).
In the same way, you can simply access the system monitor in the "Task Manager" if you go to the performance tab. However, there can be two situations with the inability to use the entire volume:
- the system does not see a volume above 4 GB;
- the total volume is determined, but cannot be used.
Limitations of 32-bit Systems
Of course, if an operating system with 32-bit architecture was installed on the computer, all the problems could be attributed solely to its bit capacity, because such modifications of Windows with memory volumes above 4 GB were simply not accustomed to work from the very beginning. Therefore, the only right solution to rectify the situation will be the most common replacement of the x86 system (32 bits) with a 64-bit one.
But sometimes you can also find cases where in the same Windows 7 x86 memory of 8 GB is visible, and up to 4 GB is available. But this is precisely due to the limitations imposed by 32-bit architecture. However, the situation can be even more banal, since the motherboard does not always give permission to use the full amount of RAM. In order not to change the hardware, you can turn to some hidden software tools that will help solve this problem, if not fully, at least partially.
How to use all the RAM in Windows of any version?
So, first of all, you need to start the system configurator, called by the msconfig command, but with administrator rights. If there is no such item in the Run console, first you need to activate the Task Manager, and then, using the file menu, set the execution of the new task, enter the specified command and mark the point of creating the task with administrator rights. How to use all the RAM, regardless of architecture?
To do this, go to the download tab in the configurator, click the additional parameters button, and in the settings window that appears, uncheck the box for using maximum memory, the field of which will probably indicate a value below the total amount of RAM. It is advisable to activate this item only if all processor cores are turned on, when the maximum memory size is indicated for each core.
BIOS actions
Now let's see how to use all the RAM (remove the limit), using the settings of the primary BIOS I / O system. Sometimes this also helps, although, as you probably already understand, the bit depth of the installed operating system is also not taken into account here.
In the partition menu, you need to find a parameter containing something like RAM Remapping (over 4 Gb) or Memory Hole, and activate it by setting it to Enabled. If there is no such item in the settings, most likely, the BIOS version does not support changing such options. However, they can be accessed by installing updated firmware for the primary system itself. But without special knowledge, doing such things on your own is not recommended, since the consequences can be completely unpredictable.
Patching system files
Finally, consider a solution specifically for x86 systems. Just about its use at your own peril and risk was said at the very beginning. In order to circumvent the limitations and use RAM in 32-bit Windows, you can use the ReadyFor4GB utility, which is suitable for cases when the system does not see more than 4 GB, and for situations where the full amount of memory is determined, but cannot be used possible.
After starting the program, by running on behalf of the administrator as the executable file of the EXE format from the folder of the portable application itself, click the Check and Apply buttons. After that, a message appears in which you must agree to install the patch for the ntkrnlpa.exe file by clicking the corresponding button (the ntkr128g.exe file will be saved). Now from the same folder you should run the AddBootMenu.cmd script file (again, as an administrator), and then press the "Y" and "Enter" keys. Upon completion of the script, it remains to close the command console, perform similar actions with the RemoveWatermarkX86.exe file and restart the computer. If the "Download Manager" menu appears during the restart process, select the line for the Microsoft Windows system [128GB with ntkr128g.exe] in it.
The corresponding entry will appear in the configurator. You can check the available and used RAM through the usual properties section of the computer.
Note: if you have problems installing the patch in Windows 7, you may first have to remove the system service packs (KB) with numbers 3147071, 3146706 and 3153171 in the programs and components section, ask for a new search for updates, and exclude the specified updates from the installation list.
Conclusion
How to use all the RAM, it seems, is a little clear. It remains to add that the above methods are more focused specifically on 32-bit systems, since in Windows with 64-bit architecture such situations do not occur often, and the default settings are usually such that you do not need to take any additional actions. For that matter, to free up additional RAM, remove unnecessary items from the startup section or disable unused services and system components.