[SOLVED] How to use full RAM in Ubuntu 11.04 32 bit

Hello ,
I recently installed UBUNTU 11.04 32 bit on my laptop , having configuration

intel core i5 460M
4 gb RAM
500 gb HDD
Nvidia geForce GT 420M Graphics Card

but when i opened system monitor , it showes only 2.3 GB RAM there ! and 4 GB swap (Don't know what swap means) . Where does my rest of memory goes ? (Windows 7 is showing 4GB ram ).

And from where i can install correct driver for my Graphics Card . When i install "Restricted Driver Download" it put ends to desktop effect (including my favorite Wobbly effect (Don't suggest Compiz please).

Pls help !

Please don't attach totally unrelated polls to your threads, that is somewhat useless.
To your question: Windows is lying, at least in the 32 bit version. It detects 4GB of RAM, but can not use it to its fully extent. Linux is saying the truth, caused by BIOS issues it is not able to use more than 2.3 GB. You have to either install the PAE kernel (I think in Ubuntu it is the server kernel) or use the 64 bit version of Ubuntu.

Let me tell you , when i play games in windows my ram usage reaches to 3.2 GB in task manager , so windows can't be lying !
And i am having my data spread everywhere in ubuntu 32 bit . So i can't roll over , i just wanted to use my full ram , if possible !
And about poll , i'll take care next time (noob , i am) . And how to install KERNEL PAE ?

Originally Posted by unkn(0)wn Let me tell you , when i play games in windows my ram usage reaches to 3.2 GB in task manager , so windows can't be lying !

Windows may be able to use more RAM than Linux (assuming both are 32 bit), but it is impossible for a 32 bit Windows version to use the full 4GB RAM. Instead of showing the amount of RAM it can use it shows the amount of RAM it can detect. This was not the case on early Vista versions, but they patched it because many customers complained about the "missing" RAM. So Windows is lying, it shows RAM that it can not use.

To install the PAE kernel open Synaptic and search for the package linux-image-2.6.38-10-generic-pae. That is the one to install.
Alternatively you can install it with

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install linux-image-2.6.38-10-generic-pae

I assume you mean you have 2.3 left ready to use and not a total of.

By the way, I have no idea why attracts so many newbies to backtrack. A criminal nature? There is really no legitimate reason for most people to use backtrack. It is a tool for advanced user in a very limited situation. It could be a tool for criminals also sadly like a firearm.

This is all well described here:
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/200...es-of-ram.html

32 bit OS limits you to 4GB, not 2GB. But then there are the devices such as graphic card, audio, disk, etc ...

Anyway, the URL above is a good read

Originally Posted by jefro I have no idea why attracts so many newbies to backtrack.

I think it is the coolness-factor. A few years ago some people felt themselves to be "1337-haxorz" because they had Linux installed on their machines. Nowadays Linux isn't a geek-system anymore, so they have to go to a system that contains tools for cracking networks, so that they can feel themselves as "1337-haxorz", even if they don't know even the basics about networks and how to use those tools. They have seen a tutorial on Youtube how to crack your neighbor's WLAN, so they MUST have it.

Originally Posted by tobisgd i think it is the coolness-factor. A few years ago some people felt themselves to be "1337-haxorz" because they had linux installed on their machines. Nowadays linux isn't a geek-system anymore, so they have to go to a system that contains tools for cracking networks, so that they can feel themselves as "1337-haxorz", even if they don't know even the basics about networks and how to use those tools. They have seen a tutorial on youtube how to crack your neighbor's wlan, so they must have it.

dont take everything in negative way pls . Always think positive ...

Originally Posted by unkn(0)wn dont take everything in negative way pls . Always think positive ...

Hey, that was meant neither negative nor positive. It is just what I think is a realistic view of that topic.

I've seen i5-XXXM setups with up to 1.7GB of 'shared' video memory. That would explain the 'missing' memory (1.something GB + 2.3GB = 3.something which is what 32bit non-PAE is normally limited to).

If that assumption is right, installing the PAE kernel might get you some memory back, but I'd doubt you would get more than 200-500MB.

Originally Posted by unkn(0)wn And from where i can install correct driver for my Graphics Card . When i install "Restricted Driver Download" it put ends to desktop effect (including my favorite Wobbly effect (Don't suggest Compiz please).

11.04 is using compiz already....

If your video driver installation failed like that, you probably have a laptop with 'switchable graphics', with the intel video chip used as the main video. You would need to change over to the nidia GPU to be able to install the drivers. That can sometimes be done from the BIOS, sometimes you have to use software.

What model laptop is it?

Originally Posted by TobiSGD Windows may be able to use more RAM than Linux (assuming both are 32 bit), but it is impossible for a 32 bit Windows version to use the full 4GB RAM. Instead of showing the amount of RAM it can use it shows the amount of RAM it can detect. This was not the case on early Vista versions, but they patched it because many customers complained about the "missing" RAM. So Windows is lying, it shows RAM that it can not use. To install the PAE kernel open Synaptic and search for the package linux-image-2.6.38-10-generic-pae. That is the one to install. Alternatively you can install it with sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install linux-image-2.6.38-10-generic-pae

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Fetched 839 kB in 39s (21.3 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package linux-image-2.6.38-10-generic-pae
E: Couldn't find any package by regex 'linux-image-2.6.38-10-generic-pae'

outcome of above command , no help .

That's rather weird, that package should be there. Try it with linux-generic-pae instead of linux-image-2.6.38-10-generic-pae

Originally Posted by cascade9 What model laptop is it?

i see , my laptop model is Dell XPS L501X , with two graphics
1. Intel(R) HD graphics
2. NVIDIA Georce GT420M
And i am sure that Default is Intel HD graphics .
How to switch using software (I don't like to change in BIOS) .

Originally Posted by unkn(0)wn How to switch using software (I don't like to change in BIOS) .

You don't. NVidia currently does not support switchable graphics.

Originally Posted by unkn(0)wn How to switch using software (I don't like to change in BIOS) .

It would be easier...a lot easier...to force the nVidia GPU in the BIOS than to stuff around with software switching. But if you really want to do it from software, this is the place to look-

http://linux-hybrid-graphics.blogspo...for-linux.html

Originally Posted by TobiSGD You don't. NVidia currently does not support switchable graphics.

I dont know if nVidia offically supports switchable graphics with linux, but it can work. 'Switchable graphics' is less complex than 'optimus'.