194MB lost on a Windows ML370 G3

[William Della Noce]

Hi Guys

We have an ML370 G3 runing windows 2003 standard server SP1 with 2GB of RAM. Obviously windows says that the RAM available was 2GB. Now we added 2 gigs more (2 PC2100 modules of 1GB each) but now Windows show that there is only 3.81GB of RAM available. I ran a memory tester and no problem was detected with any of the memory modules.

Any idea where are the lost 194MB?

Thanks in advance

[Ivan Ferreira]

This is just a "guess". Maybe is using for video memory or shared with another device?

I don't know if ML servers share video memory with RAM. If so, then why before did not borrowed the memory? A BIOS setting change?

I think that what i'm saying has no sense.

At boot time, hardware level, do you see the full 2GB?

[Steven Clementi]

William:

Even though Windows 2003 Standard does not support more that 4GB, try uing the /PAE switch in your boot.ini file. Let me/us know what happens.

Normally, you would use this swithch to address memory beyond 4GB. Technically, you have @4.1Gb and Proliant Servers/Windows Server 2003 sometimes has a difficult time addressing that last bit of RAM. I think it ha to do with how the BIOS loads as I was reading that somewhere.

More info... http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283037


Steven

[Igor Karasik]

Make sure you have last version of BIOS
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/21948.html

[William Della Noce]

Hi Guys

Thanks to all of you for your support. First about the question if the server is using the missing memory for video or other stuff I dont think so. When the server had just 2 gigs windows reported 2 gigs and that's makes me believe that this is not the case.

About the boot.ini parameter I will try it right now.

[William Della Noce]

About the question if the server is running the latest BIOS the answer is yes. The version of the bios installed is dated 9/15/2004.

About the /PAE swithch on the boot.ini this swith only applies to window 2003 enterprise edition and datacenter edition, and the equivalent windows 2000 version.

Best regards

[Terry Hutchings]

Maybe this document will help:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=PSD_CN0409W