Installed Usable Memory

I'm running Windows Vista Home Premium (SP2), with 2 GB of RAM, Firefox, CA
Security Suite, MBAB, SuperAntiSpyware Professional, Cleaner and Spybot
search and destroy on an Acer Aspire T180 desktop. All WU's are current and
the machine is working just great.
About 6 months ago I noticed a reduction in the amount of usable installed
memory. I have 2048 MB of installed RAM in 3 slots (512 MB, 512 MB and 1024
MB-with one slot empty), but only 1792 MB of usable memory. The usable
installed/unusable installed difference is 256 MB. The difference may mean
that some of it has gone bad or whatever.
Is there anyway to ascertain why I'm not able to take advantage of the full
2024 MB of RAM? Is it possible one of the memory sticks is not plugged in
correctly or there's a dirty contact somewhere?
I realize that this may be a `don't fix it if it ain't broken' situation
since the computer runs just fine but if there's something I can actually do
to get back the missing 256 MB of RAM that'd be nice.
I'm posting this here and also at:
Microsoft.public.windows.vista.hardware_devices since I'm not sure of the
correct post location.
Thanks...PaulC.

being used as graphics memory by your onboard graphics

"Paul Calcagno" <pcalcagno@cfl.rr.com> wrote in message
news:%23jxpuTJjKHA.5604@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> I'm running Windows Vista Home Premium (SP2), with 2 GB of RAM, Firefox,
> CA Security Suite, MBAB, SuperAntiSpyware Professional, Cleaner and Spybot
> search and destroy on an Acer Aspire T180 desktop. All WU's are current
> and the machine is working just great.
> About 6 months ago I noticed a reduction in the amount of usable installed
> memory. I have 2048 MB of installed RAM in 3 slots (512 MB, 512 MB and
> 1024 MB-with one slot empty), but only 1792 MB of usable memory. The
> usable installed/unusable installed difference is 256 MB. The difference
> may mean that some of it has gone bad or whatever.
> Is there anyway to ascertain why I'm not able to take advantage of the
> full 2024 MB of RAM? Is it possible one of the memory sticks is not
> plugged in correctly or there's a dirty contact somewhere?
> I realize that this may be a `don't fix it if it ain't broken' situation
> since the computer runs just fine but if there's something I can actually
> do to get back the missing 256 MB of RAM that'd be nice.
> I'm posting this here and also at:
> Microsoft.public.windows.vista.hardware_devices since I'm not sure of the
> correct post location.
> Thanks...PaulC.

"DL" <notvalid@spoofaddress.co.uk> wrote in message
news:#7Mmh$JjKHA.5524@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> being used as graphics memory by your onboard graphics

So why wasn't it being used that way when he first got the system?

Tom Lake

Because thats not what he said.
He gave details of what memory sticks were installed but at no point gave
details of what Vista reported origonally, only what it reports now

"Tom Lake" <toml_12953@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4E4F3794-FF15-4601-B72E-AA0A2807EDF7@microsoft.com...
>
> "DL" <notvalid@spoofaddress.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:#7Mmh$JjKHA.5524@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> being used as graphics memory by your onboard graphics
>
> So why wasn't it being used that way when he first got the system?
>
> Tom Lake