# Windows NT has found only 495K of low memory. 512K of low memory is required to run..



## Cephlapod (Nov 15, 2009)

I'm posting in the XP forum because I was under the impression that I had/have windows XP. The complete message is 

"Windows NT has found only 495K of low memory. 512K of low memory is required to run Windows NT. You may need to upgrade your computer or run a configuration program provided by the manufacturer"

The computer is a 2001 or 2002 Dell Rev. A03, It won't load windows and I can't seem to access any boot menu. I have not made any changes to the computer's hardware.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Windows XP is of the Window *NT* *F*ile *S*ystem (NTFS) family. Download the ISO image for *Memtest* in my signature and burn the image to CD using* IMGBurn* also in my signature. Boot off of the newly created CD and run the tests with ONE stick of RAM in at a time. testing individually. If you get any errors, that stick is bad and needs to be replaced.


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

This is a low memory error not related to the file system.

Low memory refers to the memory allocation below 1meg ie. the original 640kb

It would appear this machine either had most of its memory removed or most of its memory has failed. You should see a bios summary screen that lists how much memory the machine has. If not you can see it in the bios.

Good suggestion to test your memory.


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## Cephlapod (Nov 15, 2009)

I did the test and both sticks passed. What part of the computer would be defective exactly?


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

How much memory did the test say you have?
How does this compare to the bios summary screen?
When exactly does this error occur?


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Unplug any USB devices other then Keyboard and Mouse. AS *Wand3r3 *suggested, Boot into Setup (Bios) How much RAM is showing up there? Now set the Bios to *Defaults *(usually F5) then *Save and Exit*.


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## Cephlapod (Nov 15, 2009)

According to MemTest : L1 cache 8k and L2 cache 256 k

According to Bios : Cache RAM 256 k 
Memory bank 0 256 MB 
Memory bank 1 512 MB

After powering up the the first screen where I hit delete to enter setup appears, since this problem started it usually flashes by too fast to do anything even if I'm pressing the delete button repeatedly. 

Next comes the "Alert! front panel audio cable not detected" as it has for for the past few years then immediately followed by "Windows NT has found only 495K of low memory. 512K of low memory is required to run Windows NT. You may need to upgrade your computer or run a configuration program provided by the manufacturer"

I should add that all my keyboards have an F lock that doesn't seem to work until windows has booted up so any alternatives advice for getting around that is also appreciated.


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## Cephlapod (Nov 15, 2009)

I think this might have slipped through the cracks, bump?


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

The L1 and L2 cache are your motherboard Bios memory.
Run *Memtest *with _ONE_ stick of RAM in at a time. If there is any *RED* at the bottom of the screen (errors) that stick is bad and needs to be replaced. Test each stick individually.


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

I would suggest you bootup on a bootable floppy or cd and examine the drive. Do you see the boot files ntdetect, ntldr and boot.ini at the root of the drive?

If ntldr is corrupt you will get that message


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## Cephlapod (Nov 15, 2009)

Cephlapod said:


> According to MemTest : L1 cache 8k and L2 cache 256 k
> 
> According to Bios : Cache RAM 256 k
> Memory bank 0 256 MB
> ...


I did run the sticks individually, 3 times each.


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## Cephlapod (Nov 15, 2009)

Wand3r3r said:


> I would suggest you bootup on a bootable floppy or cd and examine the drive. Do you see the boot files ntdetect, ntldr and boot.ini at the root of the drive?
> 
> If ntldr is corrupt you will get that message


:hide: Can you please elaborate on the first part? After a quick google search I'm still not sure what to do here.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

> If there is any *RED* at the bottom of the screen (errors) that stick is bad and needs to be replaced


You didn't say, so I would assume that Memtest tested the RAM and there were no errors? 
As for what *Cephlapod s*uggests, download either the ISO image for *Seatools*, or *Drive Fitness* in my signature and burn the image to CD using *IMGBurn* also in my signature and boot off of the newly created CD and run the *Quick *and the *Advanced* tests on the HDD.


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## Cephlapod (Nov 15, 2009)

I ran both the advanced and quick tests with drivefitness and they both said "operation completed successfully" disposition code 0x00.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

See if you can do a *Bios Update* for your motherboard.


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## Cephlapod (Nov 15, 2009)

I have the latest bios version, should I do it anyways?


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## djaburg (May 15, 2008)

You mention that you've made no hardware changes, have you made any software changes? Boy this brings back memories of managing the autoexec.bat and config.sys files in early DOS and Windows days to manage what stuff was being loaded prior to the OS. You didn't load any real old games or anything did you?


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## Cephlapod (Nov 15, 2009)

I'm trying to remember, I don't believe I've loaded any old games recently that were not already installed for at least a few months. 

If the hard drive passed drivefitness could i just stick it in a newer computer and run everything off of the newer computer's os or will the copy windows on the drive interfere with the newer computer?


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

If you pull the Hard Drive out of the computer and attach it to a computer as a *Slave *drive or with a USB Adapter and not the Boot drive, then yes, you can and run the programs from that drive.


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## pitchf0rk (Jun 5, 2012)

Actually I got the same problem! I have never seen this before. I got two brand new out of the box Dell T3500 that im trying to RIS. But its the same problem with both of them!?


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Try installing locally instead of remotely. Boot into Setup (Bios) check what RAM is installed. In the *Integrated Peripherals* look for *Memory Management* or some such. Test the RAM with_ Memtest._


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## pitchf0rk (Jun 5, 2012)

That was the first thing i checked. And the memory looks good in both machines. Its strange if 2 new machines got exactly the same problem.

I cant find any other options in bios either and the latest ver. too.


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