I used plenty of Thinkpads with XP and Vista in their 32-bit flavors, and they all were able to detect and make use of 3GB of RAM. Actually, it was a tad over 3GB. Approx. 3.1GB because of the dual-channel effect.

All,

We tried several T500 and W500 systems, and depending whether one is running discrete or integrated graphics mode, varying amounts of memory are displayed under 32 bit OS.

Start -> MyComputer -> Display system information may show one amount of memory while running "winver" from a command line may display slightly more memory available.

I appreciate the frustration,  and spent some time last week hoping that we could construct some easy and consistent table that would indicate a particular OS, graphic chip selected, the amount of memory installed, and the amount likely to be displayed.   I'm not sure whether that exercise will produce something absolute enough to be worthy of a tip.

We do have a warning in our online shopping that advises customers who config 4GB on a system with a 32bit OS.  

What does the group think might be appropriate to successfully resolve this discussion topic?

Best regards,

Mark

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wrote:
... 

We do have a warning in our online shopping that advises customers who config 4GB on a system with a 32bit OS.

 

Hi Mark,

In the online shopping, I get the following warning if I select 4 GB with Vista 32: "Please note, a 64bit operating system is required to realize the full benefit of more than 3GB of installed memory".

I think that this warning is on the right track but possibly misleading. In typical configurations, a user will only be able to use a little bit more than 2.5 GB RAM. Moreover, a potential buyer is not directly informed that she will not be able to utilize around 3-3.5GB under Vista 32. Rather, she has to infer it from the warning that there might be a problem with her configuration. So, why not change the wording to literally inform the potential customers in a way reflecting the actual results?

Also, so far I've seen no Lenovo channel partner who is also informing about the situation. Maybe some education might help?

Best, Izmi

Yeah, the 4 Gig on a 32 bit OS warning is a standard one at most order websites for various companies, and is taken to mean that since you can't adress all 4 gigs in a 32 bit address you'll only get 3.X.  Losing an additonal 0.5 gigs is not what people would expect from that warning and is specific to lenovo implementation.  It should be made explicit, but of course the fact there's no digital audio on a display port should be explicit as well and I haven't seen any updates to the ordering/reatures page, so wouldn't hold your breath.

hey guys

you are all talking about windows vista,

i have windows 7 professional 32 bit on my w500, and it's a factory version and i did not order it online, all the configurations are factory default, with 4GB ram and windows 7 pro 32 bit.

when i got the laptop, it was showing 4 GB ram as system installed memory, after few days of use and updates from Microsoft and Lenovo, this is the phrase written in front of installed memory section : installed memory 4 GB       ( 2.46 usable)   ???!!!!

what is this all about? why? i really did not get it,, what should i do to use all the 4 GB?

my laptop is a w500 4062 - 5YG

See my posting at Re: Just 2.4 GB RAM in use, cause of Shared Memory - lenovo community  http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/W-Series-ThinkPad-Laptops/Just-2-4-GB-RAM-in-use-cause-of-Shared-Memory/m-p/194063#M6687 and read the Goeff Chappell article referenced there. I'm no expert, but the technical details make sense: this memory issue on Lenovo swichable graphics notebooks is the consequence of an artificial licensing limit placed on memory in the Microsoft Windows 32bit operating systems.

i just unistalled the support of the Intel Chipset and now I can use 3.06 instead of 2.46:

uninstallation of the chipset in the device manager

uninstallation of the intel chipset support in "programms&functions"

switch off auto detection and enable fire gl card in the bios

For me, the gain of 0.5GB memory will not compensate the loss of the more battery life with the Intel integrated graphics--but this is purely personal taste.

Dear Mark,

Ok, maybe what you say is correct when ordering from the website, but i got my laptop pre-configured by Lenovo, i did not configure the laptop online, i just bought it off the shelf from a Lenovo reseller, it's a w500 4062 5yg.

so some have not payed enough attention when buying the laptop online what why Lenovo is selling a product that they know will not work properly? why did Lenovo put 32 bit of windows on the laptop, even if you check the website, it's listed as a laptop with windows 32 bit and 4GB of ram, why?

I think Lenovo should provide us with a free version of windows 64 bit ( in my case windows 7 pro ).

the interesting part is that when i got the laptop,  it was showing 4GB of ram and all of it was usable, after few updates from Microsoft and Lenovo, now it say (2.46 GB usable)

why?

HELLO Everyone ..............................

Well seems the "saga' again of ,,,,, WHAT PUBLIC see's and WHAT LENOVO does, is not matching up !!!

Not sure anyone at Lenovo is even listening to the customers and am MORE SURE Microsoft is not going to change nor release their windows source codes anytime soon to help users see what is where and what's happening(s) and WHY USERS are getting confusing and often what seems USELESS & CONFLICTING information. I often feel like that " MEAT in BETWEEN THE SANDWICH" when it comes to WINDOWS PC environment!!

I have a few thoughts And or ways to use that EXTRA RAM .......(please note am NO EXPERT  and not working for LENOVO !!)

1) Memory (PHYSICAL:

Yes you can install 4GB of RAM on most IBM/LENOVO laptops (I have a T4x with 4GB of ram and its working nicely!!) and even can even LOAD  2 /8GB of RAM if you had the money to buy them on a W500!! As I have had running for a while.    so in short , there is rarely no LIMIT's PLACED BY LENOVO on what you can Physically put/slot inside the LATOP - W500 in this case!

2) BIOS LIMITATIONS:

I have had the (disc)pleasure to MODIFY my BIOS  for a few THINKPADS to either CATER FOR 4GB of RAM &/or 8GB Ram &/or 16GB of RAM on various thinpads. (((Sorry - these are personal bios version and not for SALE NOR am I giving them to anyone)) So in fact , that you want the "system board" to reorganize those ADDED RAM , then BIOS MODIFICATIONS is the only way to reorganize them and have those RAM AMOUNTS available to OPERATING SYSTEM(s) to use.

3) OPERATING SYSTEM(s)::

I have experimented with various WINDOWS (x32 & x64) in XP Pro, and Windows 7  and ALSO with IBM Linux and REDHAT Linux  via Thinpad W510CTO , W500CTO, W700ds and T61p, T60p and T43p series of machines.

3a) Windows x32: is

HARD CODED to ONLY READ (access limited) to 29xxmb of RAM ( thus windows x32 rounds it up to 3GB. So regardless of how much RAM etc you put in , and regardless of how much 'memory' the Video display uses , that 29xx** does NOT CHANGE!!. Also , note the amount of RAM that is used by "'as required"' by GPU(video Display comes from this 29xx RAM allocations. SO INFACT the windows x32 = has less and less to run with  - thus in WINDOWS VISTA case , it gets slower and slower as more intense 'graphic apps' are opened e.g. Adobe Photoshop etc . This is my discovery and I am resigned to the this fact , since MS wont release the windows source codes , this  LIMITATION of x32 OS is set!!

3b) Windows x64 : is 

 a bit different as it comes from WINDOWS NT family of codes(from what I been told) which was originally designed to run/work in DEC ALPHA series of machines/servers. These machines at that time were ALREADY "64 bit" technology and able to address memory in DUAL CHANNEL and Max memory available at that time was 4GB memory sticks - thus the HARD CODING for 4GB that you see windows 'system screen'. This what I have found out thru my experimentation. Since I cannot get WINDOWS SOURCE CODE;, am kindastuck !!!

3c) Windows 7 (x32 & X64) : is 

 Interesting here is that in WIDOWS 7; MS has kinda 'merged' the two systems and put both of them on ONE DVD. This tells me the even MS is looking at what other pple have done with their SEPARATE DVD'S(lots of MERGED DVD'S you see on Bit-Torrents sites). In summary, you can see results of this 'merger' in Windows 7 , as you can see often laptops/PC with x64bit  in WINDOWS 7 HOME(basic) version loaded on heaps of OEM systems.

3d) LINUX) : is 

the only Operating System that one can MODIFY and CHANGE parameters that can handle lots of RAM and SYSTEM parameters that inter-acts with BIOS & GPU &SYSTEM BOARDS etc

To cater for this you can LENOVO has modified BIOS in W510 series machines , as you can configure from factory with 16GB RAM !! Thus creating this confusion in my view , to the users, that WINDOWS will and able to use all 16GB of RAM !! Personally I haven't yet tested the 'factory 16GB with windows 7x64  but will get around to it ,,,,,,,, soooooon as,,,I get enough sleep LOL !!!

3e) APPLE OS : is 

able to run widows very well!!! I also have APPLE PRO series laptop running with Windows 7 x64 ultimate (via parallels Viz) and there WINDOWS  can use full 16GB RAM without any issues!!! so its very intresting to see and wonder this option.......

4) EXTRA RAM USAGE SOLUTION : is 

if you were lucky enough to get/buy the extra RAM and windows (you know its never going to use) here is one solution that I am very impressed with (and currently being used very successfully in my teenagers laptop W500 x32 laptop)

(please read and inform/educate yourself with this feature - and use at your OWN RISK)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAM_disk

There are several companies that have expertise in this area, and here is one MS APPROVED software mater:

http://www.superspeed.com/desktop/ramdisk.php

(Currently have using two  full server& PC lisc from them) 

Note:

Several options are available to use here ; and I am using all my PAGING files and CACHE placed on RAMDISK drives.

(Microsoft experience Index testing (WEI)= 7.9 on this w500 machine and it means nothing to me since I don't believe in any 'benchmarking etc' figures BLAH BLAH !!!) but its great to be able to use the EXTRA RAM where windows does not make use of it!!!

Hope this helps someone

Cheers!:robotwink: