RAM issues... I'm a little worried...

[McGooTheWise]

I just opened up CPU-Z to check out my parts on newegg, and it shows that I have 4096 mb of ram, yet, when i go into steam it says I have 2814 mb of ram. My computer hardware wizard also says I have around 2 gb of ram, but each time I check both it goes up and down.

I have DDR3 ram, and a 132-YW-E179-FTW motherboard. (EVGA/Intel nForce 790i SLI) I'm not sure exactly what brand the RAM is, because my Dad surprised me with this whole new setup on Christmas (And, unfortunately, I'm not getting anything for birthday, or next Christmas.... )

Also, if it helps, my video card is a EVGA 9800 GTX, and my processor is an Intel Core 2 Duo E8600.

All i really want to know is if it is a problem, and I have to get new RAM. If so, I'll take suggestions, but as long as it's under $200 and 4 gigs. (Total)

EDIT: BAH! Wrong forum... I fail at reading. Someone please move it?

 

[Laivasse]

Are you using Vista 64? If not, then your system won't recognise the full 4Gb of RAM. It should, however, see 3.2Gb of it.

When you check on the amount of RAM in your machine, are you sure you're not seeing something like 'available system memory'? What does it say in Task Manager's 'Performance' tab under the 'Physical Memory' total?

 

[McGooTheWise]

Task Manager says 2882012 is the total. I'm running Windows XP Home Edition, btw. I used to have the same amount on my old machine, and in all of these places I looked it would always say 3.2 gb, or something of the sort. Around 3094 mb or something like that, but I know it said there was over 3000 mb. It just seems weird that it would all be so backwards. CPU-Z says that the Memory Size is 4096 mb... and the others say different things, and interchange every time I check...

It's freaking me out...

 

[The Brick]

CPU-Z tells you about the hardware devices that are detected. Your operating system is 32bit, it can only allocate 4096mb, part of which goes out to the video memory among other things, which lessens the available system memory. Though it seems your systems shows less than you would usually have left. No clue what might cause that.

 

[McGooTheWise]

So, nothing to do with my RAM? I just remembered the brand, it's Crucial. A rather cheap off brand too. Could that have anything to do with it?

 

[Hectic Glenn]

Crucial...a cheap off brand? Are you serious? Do you need OCZ stamped on there to sleep comfortably!?

 

[McGooTheWise]

Well, I meant here were several different Crucial models to choose from, and I took the cheapest one... That's what I meant by "Off Brand..." Guess I should have chosen my words better, so that everybody would be happy. :l