Server 2003/memory

[Bozo]

I am installing Server 2003 on box that has 4GB of memory. The odd thing is, 2003 only reports 3.2GB of RAM.
The BIOS reports a 1024 stick of RAM in each slot and it reports a total of 4096GB RAM
I've tried the /3GB and /PWA switches in boot.ini, I've upgraded the BIOS, and loaded the latest '.inf' files.
2003 has SP1 applied along with all the assorted patches that come with the motherboard.
Specs: P4 3.4GHz Dual Core; Intel D945GNT MB, 4GB Crucial RAM.

Any ideas???

Thanks,
Bozo :joker:

 

[timwhit]

Onboard video?

 

[Mercutio]

I do believe that's an architectural limitation of your system chipset. IIRC the limit for AMD64 is actually slightly lower. Basically, you need a "server" chipset if you want to see all 4GB of your RAM on a 32-bit OS.

 

[Will Rickards]

This is a windows thing. It has to do with physical memory versus virtual/mapped memory thing. Somebody with more experience than me has explained it here but more specifically here and here.

 

[Bozo]

Thanks for the replys!
Merc: the spec sheet for the motherboard says it will handle 4GB. And the BIOS reports seeing all 4GB
Will: tried all the suggestions in the pages you linked to. No help.

Bozo :joker:

 

[ddrueding]

If you are running a 32-bit OS, you won't see more memory than that. Get the 64-bit version.

 

[Pradeep]

Thanks for the replys!
Merc: the spec sheet for the motherboard says it will handle 4GB. And the BIOS reports seeing all 4GB

There is no fix. It just is. It reserves the 700MB that is "missing" for PCI addresses and all kinds of useless shite.

 

[Bozo]

If you are running a 32-bit OS, you won't see more memory than that. Get the 64-bit version.

I would just like to see all of the 4GB installed. But Pradeep hit the nail on the head "There is no fix. It just is"
The pissy part is Standard Edition is the only one with this problem. And, it's hard to justify buying a 64bit edition when you already have licenses for the 32bit. :crap:

Thanks for everyones help :-D

Bozo :joker:

 

[Will Rickards]

The 700MB is reserved only in terms of mapped address space (physical location to mapped location used by windows). You need to turn on PAE to be able to address the 700MB that got mapped/shifted above the 4GB boundary. Otherwise like in the articles I linked, it is sitting there using electricity but doing nothing.

 

[sechs]

Aren't there extensions, on Intel chips at least, that allow addressing of 6GB of memory? Perhaps these are only in Xeons.

 

[Bozo]

There is more going on here than meets the eye. I installed the 64bit versions of Server 2003 and Vista, and neither recognize all the RAM. I even tried the PAE switch.

Bozo :joker:

 

[theSwede]

I have a Asus A8N32-SLI with 4Gb ram and I have access to all of the memory. The trick was to enable the "Hardware Memory Hole" BIOS setting.

 

[Bozo]

That BIOS option is not available on this motherboard :crap:

Bozo :joker:

 

[sechs]

Go Intel!

 

[theSwede]

I have a Asus A8N32-SLI with 4Gb ram and I have access to all of the memory. The trick was to enable the "Hardware Memory Hole" BIOS setting.

I might add that I am using a 64 bit version of Windows. At first, when using a 32 bit version I also lost ~1Gb of memory.

 

[time]

Have you considered upgrading to a VIA All-In-One board?