# Where is my RAM?



## Ben (Sep 13, 2010)

Hi,

I have a AMD64-System on a Intel E2160 with 2x2GB DDR2 RAM: 2048MB DDR2 Aeneon PC5400 CL 5
Currently running: FreeBSD 8.1-RELEASE

dmesg says:

```
CPU: Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual  CPU  E2160  @ 1.80GHz (1795.04-MHz K8-class CPU)
  Origin = "GenuineIntel"  Id = 0x6fd  Family = 6  Model = f  Stepping = 13
  Features=0xbfebfbff<FPU,VME,DE,PSE,TSC,MSR,PAE,MCE,CX8,APIC,SEP,MTRR,PGE,MCA,CMOV,PAT,PSE36,CLFLUSH,DTS,ACPI,MMX,FXSR,SSE,SSE2,SS,HTT,TM,PBE>
  Features2=0xe39d<SSE3,DTES64,MON,DS_CPL,EST,TM2,SSSE3,CX16,xTPR,PDCM>
  AMD Features=0x20000800<SYSCALL,LM>
  AMD Features2=0x1<LAHF>
  TSC: P-state invariant
real memory  = 4294967296 (4096 MB)
avail memory = 3349757952 (3194 MB)
```

A memory tool says:

```
SYSTEM MEMORY INFORMATION:
mem_wire: 1245839360 ( 1188MB) [ 36%] Wired: disabled for paging out
mem_active: + 548597760 ( 523MB) [ 16%] Active: recently referenced
mem_inactive:+ 111595520 ( 106MB) [ 3%] Inactive: recently not referenced
mem_cache: + 524288 ( 0MB) [ 0%] Cached: almost avail. for allocation
mem_free: + 1458679808 ( 1391MB) [ 43%] Free: fully available for allocation
mem_gap_vm: + 3973120 ( 3MB) [ 0%] Memory gap: UNKNOWN
-------------- ------------ ----------- ------
mem_all: = 3369209856 ( 3213MB) [100%] Total real memory managed
mem_gap_sys: + 102670336 ( 97MB) Memory gap: Kernel?!
-------------- ------------ -----------
mem_phys: = 3471880192 ( 3311MB) Total real memory available
mem_gap_hw: + 286216192 ( 272MB) Memory gap: Segment Mappings?!
-------------- ------------ -----------
mem_hw: = 3758096384 ( 3584MB) Total real memory installed

SYSTEM MEMORY SUMMARY:
mem_used: 2187296768 ( 2085MB) [ 58%] Logically used memory
mem_avail: + 1570799616 ( 1498MB) [ 41%] Logically available memory
-------------- ------------ ----------- ------
mem_total: = 3758096384 ( 3584MB) [100%] Logically total memory
```

Where are the missing MB and how can I make them come back? I have a onboard video card but it is set in the BIOS to 2 or 4 MB RAM even it says something about AGB and 256MB in dmesg at start up (I don't have it at hand).

Do I need to tweak certain settings in the BIOS to adapt or what could I do?

Thanks for help/hints.


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## hedgehog (Sep 13, 2010)

i've encountered a similar problem: http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=9278 (solved)


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## Ben (Sep 13, 2010)

Thanks for your link.

I will try this by chance.

Thanks!


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## SirDice (Sep 14, 2010)

Can you post your [cmd=]uname -a[/cmd]

I have a feeling you're running i386 instead of amd64.


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## Ben (Sep 14, 2010)

That would have been too easy 


```
FreeBSD 8.1-RELEASE FreeBSD 8.1-RELEASE #0: Mon Jul 19 02:36:49 UTC 2010     root@mason.cse.buffalo.edu:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC  amd64
```


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## SirDice (Sep 14, 2010)

Ben said:
			
		

> That would have been too easy


I know but it won't be the first time it happens 

In your BIOS try turning off caching of video and BIOS. None of it is needed but it does take up some memory.


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## Ben (Sep 14, 2010)

> I know but it won't be the first time it happens


Right


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## User23 (Sep 14, 2010)

Ben said:
			
		

> it says something about AGB and 256MB in dmesg at start up (I don't have it at hand).



Search for "agp aperture size" in your bios. This is what dmesg is reporting ... something like: "AGP agp aperture size = 256MB"

---

If this is a server just remove 


```
device          agp             # support several AGP chipsets
```

from your kernel config.

---

If the dmesg output is already rotated and you need the output from the boot time:


```
cat /var/run/dmesg.boot | less
```


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## Ben (Sep 14, 2010)

Yes, thats the message I see at boot up / dmesg.

I will check the bios first as I would like to keep the GENERIC Kernel.

In case I will recompile the kernel.

Thanks for your help!


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