# Vista RAM question. **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [March 14, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511 "2009-03-14T19:33:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![burnt\_toast](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/burnt_toast/32/7518_2.png) [@burnt\_toast](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/burnt_toast)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511/1 "2009-03-14T19:33:27Z")
When I check my system information, it shows I have 4gb of RAM installed, as I’m aware I have… However, when i pull up the task manager and check Performance, It’s only showing 3gb… I first noticed this when I installed a gadget for my sidebar that monitors RAM and CPU usage… So, what’s goin on here? lol ---
**Author:** ![llink78](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/llink78/32/8037_2.png) [@llink78](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/llink78)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511/2 "2009-03-14T19:36:53Z")
what vista do you have? ---
**Author:** ![BillysRevenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@BillysRevenge](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BillysRevenge)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511/3 "2009-03-14T19:42:15Z")
> [@llink78](#): > > what vista do you have? 32 or 64 ---
**Author:** ![burnt\_toast](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/burnt_toast/32/7518_2.png) [@burnt\_toast](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/burnt_toast)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511/4 "2009-03-14T19:50:54Z")
Windows Vista Home Premium sp1, 32 bit os ---
**Author:** ![ZOMGVTEK](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/zomgvtek/32/5063_2.png) [@ZOMGVTEK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ZOMGVTEK)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511/5 "2009-03-14T20:00:39Z")
Do you have a 1GB Video card? 32 Bit Windows can only address 4GB of total RAM. And this sometimes can be sketch and act funny, but generally it amounts to 4GB - the VGA memory size. So if you have a 1GB video card, it would account for the missing 1GB the system profiler displays. But regardless, this is normal operation. And 3GB of ram is adequate for most users. ---
**Author:** ![Moruitelda](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/moruitelda/32/5348_2.png) [@Moruitelda](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Moruitelda)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511/6 "2009-03-14T20:33:34Z")
Yep, exactly right. I updated to Windows 7 Beta x64 to get all my RAM and both video cards working, and have had no regrets. ---
**Author:** ![technoticmedia](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/technoticmedia/32/4990_2.png) [@technoticmedia](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/technoticmedia)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511/7 "2009-03-14T21:44:02Z")
Check in the bios for a memory compatibility settings… sometimes this has to be set in order to see over 3gb of ram. Even on vista x64, I had to set a flag to see all 8gb of ram instead of only 3gb. ---
**Author:** ![itsJim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@itsJim](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/itsJim)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 11:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511/8 "2009-03-15T11:19:15Z")
32bit Vista can’t utilize more than 3GB of RAM ---
**Author:** ![burnt\_toast](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/burnt_toast/32/7518_2.png) [@burnt\_toast](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/burnt_toast)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511/9 "2009-03-16T19:50:27Z")
LOL. so my dell laptop came with more ram than it can effectively use. nice. so should I upgrade to a 64 bit os? ---
**Author:** ![Jack](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jack/32/7613_2.png) [@Jack](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jack)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511/10 "2009-03-16T21:13:22Z")
yes. ---
**Author:** ![burnt\_toast](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/burnt_toast/32/7518_2.png) [@burnt\_toast](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/burnt_toast)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511/11 "2009-03-21T18:01:48Z")
Ok, so I have the windows home premium sp1 key for my current x32 os. If I download windows home premium sp1 x64, will this key still work? ---
**Author:** ![BillysRevenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@BillysRevenge](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BillysRevenge)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vista-ram-question/64511/12 "2009-03-21T20:56:05Z")
you can get cracks to activate Vista.