compter knowitalls required

[madpeople]

Your problem is:

QUOTE (Ion @ May 14 2011, 12:25 PM) vista 32 home edition

32bit windows can only address 4GB max of ram, but that also includes the RAM on the graphics card and memory mapped IO, so if you put in 4GB you will actually only see that amount - [graphics card memory] - [amount used to communicate with other pieces of hardware] which in your case is 3327mb.
Use a 64bit OS to see all the ram - maybe try a 64bit linux live cd to convince your self it's all there (they tend to come with memtest86 on too...)

cpuz (google it) will tell you what is in what slot.

[Bard]

QUOTE (Ion @ May 17 2011, 02:50 PM) Here we go again! about Ram this time!

Ive just plugged in 2 x 1gb pc2 8500 (freebies from i.t at work) into the comp in the yellow. along with the original 2gb pc2 5300 (ddr2), which i checked are compatible on the system.

But if I scan the comp for instance from the online places like crucial it only picks up that 2 out of the 4 slots are in use with 3gb of ram installed.

Windows shows a total of 3327mb installed, does this suggest one of the cards are faulty or am i just being the usual tech retard & am having a techfart due to my lack of knowledge and under standing ha. I know the intergrated gcard atm is sucking some of the ram but not 600 as posed to the 225 when 2gb was installed.

thank you for your patience, be gentle

Check to see what order your motherboard requires them to be installed in.

If you have, say, four ram slots, you may have to put equal size/make/speed chips in 1<->2 and 3<->4 or 1<->3 and 2<->4...or it could require that the largest chip go in 1...

Your motherboard manual should be available online for free, although it may take some digging.

Try Gabriel Topala's siw.exe to find the exact information on your motherboard if you don't already know it.