how to use ram that was just installed
 

I just added 8 more gigs of ram to my pc, but it is not reconizing the ,n,ew cards. I used the memory information and it's showing me that I do have;
total physical memory: 12,680,065,024 bytes= 11.81 gib; free physical memory: 10,659,keeps changing bytes= 9.94gib; shared memory: 0 bytes= 0.00 kib; disk buffers: 192,keeps changing bytes= 183.75 mb; disk cache: 1,001,keeps changing bytes= 955.34 mib; total swap memory: 4,258,263,040 bytes= 3.97 gib; free swap memory: 4,258,263,040 bytes= 3.97 gib
My question is am I using the full potential of the memory that I have installed or do I need to set the newly installed ram perimiters manually. If so how do I do this?
Thank you
Jonnynitro138

cat /proc/meminfo
generally you need to do nothing.
Specific applications ... nice

Are you running a 32bit or 64bit OS?
If I remember correctly 32bit linux has a 4GB limit, to use any more requires a 64bit version.

True, or a PAE kernel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physic...ress_Extension

Whenever* I install new RAM, before I boot the OS, I look at the BIOS to make sure the BIOS is seeing the RAM.

**********

*"Whenever" makes it sound as if I do it far more often than I actually do. Let's say "the three or four times . . . ."

PAE is default for most distros.

Is there actually a problem here? The system is showing that you have 12GB installed, if this is the case then everything should be fine.
Are you seeing problems or is this just a general query?