Installed RAM v. Usable RAM

[adamnieri]

System Specs:

 

CPU: Intel i7 4770K 3.5Ghz

Overclock: 4.2Ghz @ 1.24v

RAM: Corsair Vengence 32GB 4x8gb @ 1600MHz

GPU: 2 x NVIDIA Geforce GTX 780Ti 2-way SLI w/ 2 x NZXT Kraken GPU cooling brackets and 2 x Kraken X40 140MM Radiators 

PSU:  Seasonic M12II-850 BRONZE ATX 850 Power Supply

Motherboard: Asus Maximus VII Hero Z97

SSD: 1 x Samsung 840 Pro series 220GB 1 x Samsung 840 EVO-Series 1TB SATA III

CPU Cooler: Corsair Hydro Series H110 280MM

OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 32-Bit 

 

PROBLEM:

 

My system properties and information says that while I have 32GB of RAM installed only 3.6GB is usable. Does this effect the performance, and should I be switching to a 64-bit OS? 
What is the best way to maximize my usable RAM?

 

Thank you,

Adam Nieri

[Nineshadow]

YEEEESSS.

Go to 64 bit now.

 

32Bit OS allows only up to 4GB of addressable RAM.The other 12GB aren't used at all.

[Altecice]

Yup 32 bits = your Address bus in your CPU is only working on 32/64 channels resulting in 4GB max usable. you need 64 bit.

[DaftBehemoth]

Might I ask how you ended up with a 32-bit OS on such a monster machine?

[aidenrelkoff]

32 bit os will max out at 3.6gb. so in reality 32bit is only good for like tablets with like 2gbs of ram.

[aidenrelkoff]

im even supprised they make win7 ultimate in a 32 bit version lol

[Langdon]

So you have 32GB of RAM, 16GB recognized? That's the strange part to me.

But for getting more than 4GB usable, you'll need a 64bit OS.

[Si3Rra_7]

Lel , first thing i learned in this business is 32vs64bit   

 

Edit : also for the 16 gb windows recognizes , check the bios if it says you got 16 or 32 . Also i believe there are versions of windows that don't allow more than 16 even on 64 bit ( i believe ) .

[adamnieri]

Might I ask how you ended up with a 32-bit OS on such a monster machine?

The primary hard drive is actually from a previous build, which had 32-bit already installed haha I figured it wouldn't make a difference. 

[adamnieri]

So you have 32GB of RAM, 16GB recognized? That's the strange part to me.

But for getting more than 4GB usable, you'll need a 64bit OS.

Oh, I just realized I typed that wrong. My bad, I have 32GB is RAM, but only 4gb usable. I'm not sure why I put 16GB.

 

Thank you

[adamnieri]

Thank you for the good advice everyone.... 

 

I would have gone with Windows 8.1, but I just haven't been convinced that I should switch over from Windows 7 yet. 

 

So, 64-bit it is 

[Enderman]

You need to get windows 8 64 bit or windows 7 pro 64 bit

Home premium will only allow you to use 16GB

32 bit only allows 4GB usable.