KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q171402: Help/About Does Not Report More Than 2 GB of RAM

Article: Q171402
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbui
Last Modified: 09-AUG-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When you select About Windows NT from the Help menu of a Windows NT Explorer
interface window, memory available to Windows NT only reports 2 GB of RAM even
though more than 2 GB of memory is installed. Windows NT Task Manager's
Performance tab and Windows NT Diagnostics Memory tab both report the correct
amount of RAM. This only appears after installing Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 3.

CAUSE
=====

This is a known problem and is simply a reporting error. Windows NT is accessing
and using all of the memory installed in the computer, as seen by Windows NT
Task Manager's Performance tab and Windows NT Diagnostics' Memory tab.

MORE INFORMATION
================

During testing, it was found that some applications functioned incorrectly when
having access to more than 2 GB of memory. The incorrect reporting of the amount
of RAM installed over 2 GB was intentionally implemented to allow applications,
which were written for a maximum of 2 GB of RAM, to function properly.


STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0 Service
Pack 3. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbui 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : winnt:4.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbpending

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.