Windows 7 Build 7100 - Installed Memory 4Gig (3Gig usable)

[saleyoun]

For some reason my T60p only see 3Gig out of 4Gig installed when using Windows 7 Build 7100.  Any ideas?  Here's my system configuration

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Version 6.1.7100 Build 7100
Other OS Description  Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name XXXXXX
System Manufacturer LENOVO
System Model 2613CTO
System Type x64-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU         T7200  @ 2.00GHz, 2000 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date LENOVO 79ETE3WW (2.23 ), 9/12/2008
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7100.0"
User Name 
Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 3.00 GB
Available Physical Memory 1.99 GB
Total Virtual Memory 5.99 GB
Available Virtual Memory 4.76 GB
Page File Space 3.00 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

[ColMaki]

32bit versions of windows (xp, vista, 7) can handle only 3 gigabyte of memory. In order to use 4GB and more, you have to install the 64bit version.

[alexb2283]

Hi,
he already is running an x64 release. The problem is in fact that the chipset (945pm or something older) doesn't support more than 3 gig. also see this link - applies to the t60p as well as the macbook http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/faq/macbook-pro-core-2-duo-3-gb-memory-limitation-...

[pjg]

Alex,

Thanks for the reply. I also have a T60p and noticed that Build 7600 was reporting only 3 GB as usuable. At this point, I see no benefit to use a 64-bit O/S given that it has the same amount of memory as a 32-bit O/S and that the applications tend to use more memory...  Unless I am wrong...

Pierre

[saleyoun]

Thank you so much for the explanation. 

[alexb2283]

PJG: I completely agree with your conclusion. I used to have the z61p with the same issue. Now I've switched to a T400 with 4gigs, where x64 makes sense - since otherwise, with x86, the ~800megs system memory space (bios,pcie,...dedicated graphics) eat up part of the addressable host memory.

Saleyoun: you're welcome

[t43]

I'm a noob, so sorry for rehashing.  But to clarify for my sake, what you're saying is, (since I have a T60p 2613CTO like Saleyoun, with a Core 2 Duo T7200 2.0ghz chip,)...

Although I have a chip capable of 64-bit processing,

1. Installing Windows 7 will not allow me to use more than 3GB RAM b/c of my chipset, and

2. if I do upgrade to Windows 7, although I could run x 64, x32 makes more sense b/c my memory is capped and x32 will eat less memory.

Assuming I understood you correctly, the next questions follow:

1. Was the T60p ever made with a chipset that would allow more than 3GB RAM?  If so, where do I find out what my chip set is?

[billbolton Community Moderator]

---

t43 wrote:

1. Was the T60p ever made with a chipset that would allow more than 3GB RAM? 

---

No, it wasn't.

Cheers,

Bill

[pjg]

t43,

I don't remember what chipset was in the T60p, but I am sure they are all the same and will not address more than 3GB of memory even though the processor fully supports the 64-bit instruction set.  I don't believe that there are any programs out there that can tell you what particular chipset is installed in a system but use can use the link below to find a number of motherboard enumeration programs.  I tried the HWINFO32 program and it is quite good.

http://www.stevenscomputerrepair.com/Motherboard%20Chipset.htm

To summarize, yes, on 3 GB systems, you are better with x86 than x64.

Note that since I wrote my original post, I purchased a new T500 with 3.06 GHz processors and 4GB memory. I am now running x64 and I must say that the system is much faster than x86. Photoshop (or Photopig as I call it) loads in 1-2 seconds. Can't wait for the price of the 4 GB DIMMs to go down so I can go to 8 GB memory!

Pierre

[Svein_Skogen]

Photo-chop CS3 Extended on Win7 x64, on an R61i with 8GB of ram (see my signature), from click-on-icon to ready loaded (including getting past the loading-plugins-screen) is 15 sec flat.

//Svein